Skip to main content
An Official Vermont Government Website

State of Vermont Presentation Template 

The Chief Marketing Office has developed a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation template that offers slide layout options with a variety of content types. Below are step-by-step editing instructions. 

 

Request the State of Vermont PowerPoint Presentation Template

To request the State of Vermont PowerPoint Presentation Template, send an email to marketing@vermont.gov. Please note the Presentation Template is only available to State of Vermont employees.

 

Instructions to Edit the PowerPoint Presentation Template

 

Step One: Edit the PowerPoint Document Properties 

Once you have the template open, the first thing you need to do is edit the document metaproperties (Title, Tags, Categories, Author). Most importantly a title and author need to be added. The title is different from the file name and will become important when saving a PDF of the presentation, because it will be added to your PDF document properties.

  1. Click the ‘File’ tab at the top of the screen and click 'Info'.
  2. Set the author as 'the name of your State of Vermont entity'.
  3. On the right, there is an option for a 'Title' and 'PowerPoint Presentation'.
  4. Place your cursor anywhere in the text 'PowerPoint Presentation' and select all the text and press backspace.
  5. Add your new title.
  6. Don’t include 'final' or 'draft' as part of your document title.
  7. Use lowercase letters with dashes (for example, document-accessibility-checklist.docx).
  8. No underscores, no spaces, no special characters, no version dates (unless it’s in the title).
  9. Click the back arrow at the top of the screen to return to the template.

How To Video
View or Change the Properties for an Office File

 

Step Two: Add Content to the Template 

The Presentation template includes ten different slide layout options that have been built as Master slides. Each layout features different content types that have been established with accessibility in mind and the default color options are from the State of Vermont Color Palette. The main difference between working in PowerPoint and Word is PowerPoint does not have paragraph and character Styles Panel. The Master sides have been set up with consistent paragraph and character styling, to account for not having the Style Panel option. Additionally, the Master slides will help achieve consistency throughout presentations. 

To add content to the template, you can type directly into the template or copy and paste content. As a first step, you should add as much of your content to the template as possible and then make adjustments based upon the longest amount of content.

  1. Open the 'Home' tab at the top of the screen. 
  2. Locate the 'New Slide' option and click the New Slide and arrow text to open the list of Master slide layouts. 
  3. Select the desired Master Slide layout for you new slide.

Helpful Tip

The presentation template includes three different title page options, three photos, one photo, and no photos. Be sure to remove any unused placeholder photo or content frames from your presentation to prevent reading order or accessibility issues.  

  1. Place your cursor on any portion of content on the pre-established slide layouts that you would like to edit and type your content.

Helpful Tip

If you are pasting content, be sure to right click and select 'Keep Text Only (T)' in the paste options. This will assure that the content is added without any formatting from where it was copied from. 

How-to Video
Design Slides for People with Dyslexia

A State of Vermont theme has been established for the report template. The color options within the theme are from the State of Vermont Color Palette. Colors should be changed or selected after all content is added.

  1. Select the specific words or place your cursor anywhere in the content type you would like to change the color of (e.g. 'Click to add title' on slide 1).
  2. Open the 'Home' tab at the top of the screen. 
  3. Locate the 'Font' section and 'Font Color' option and click the arrow on the right side of it. This will open to the color options that have been established for the State of Vermont templates.
  4. Select a new color from the list of options that have been established for the State of Vermont template.
  5. The appearance of the specific words you have highlighted or the content type has now been updated.

Helpful Tip

If you changed the color of a content type that you have not yet edited, you will need to click off the content type to preview your changes.

Check Color Combinations
ContrastChecker.com
WebAim.org

  1. Select the word(s) that you would like to establish as a hyperlink. 
  2. Right click and select 'Link' from the list of options provided.
  3. Make sure that 'Existing File or Web Page' is selected in the 'Link to:' section in the top left of the window. 
  4. In the 'Text to display:' field at the top of the window, the text that you highlighted will be displayed.
  5. Place your cursor in the 'Address:' field at the bottom of the window and enter the URL for your hyperlink.
  6. Click 'Ok' to create the hyperlink. 

Helpful Tip

When the hyperlink is created, the text changes to default Microsoft 'Hyperlink' style. Don't change the 'Hyperlink' color, which is set to Microsoft default blue for unclicked hyperlinks and purple for clicked hyperlinks, or remove the underline. This formatting is reserved for hyperlinks.

How-to Video
Create Hyperlinks

  1. Click the center of the content placeholder where you would like to add an image to open a finder window.
  2. Navigate to the picture your would like to add.
  3. Click 'Ok' at the bottom of the window.
  4. Open the 'Picture Format' menu on the top of the screen. 
  5. Click 'Alt Text' to open the 'Alt Text Panel'. 
  6. Select any default text in the field for 'Alt text' and hit backspace to delete the content.
  7. Type your alt text into the 'Alt Text' field.

How-To
Image Accessibility

How-To
Add Alt Text or Mark an Image/Icon as Decorative

Additional Resources
Written guidance for adding alt text.

Icons are an added visual element and should be considered decorative. Be sure to add any information that icons should convey as part of the written content of your report. The icons on slide 7 of the template have been marked as decorative because the data points they are associated with include descriptions. To insert or change out the icons follow the steps below.  

  1. Select the icon that you would like to change. 
  2. Open the 'Graphics Format' window on top of the screen.
  3. Click on 'Change Graphic' and select 'From Icons'.
  4. Search for options available within Word. When icons are inserted this way, they have alt text by default.
  5. Once you locate a new icon, click on the icon to select it.
  6. Click 'Insert (1)' on the bottom of the window.
  7. Open the 'Graphics Format' menu on the top of the screen. 
  8. Click 'Alt Text' to open the 'Alt Text Panel'. 
  9. Select any default text in the field for 'Alt text' and hit backspace to delete the content.
  10. Type your alt text into the 'Alt Text' field.

How-To Video
Insert Icons

Images that serve no purpose in conveying information, should be marked as decorative.

  1. Open the 'Picture Format' menu on the top of the screen. 
  2. Click 'Alt Text' to open the 'Alt Text Panel'. 
  3. Check the box 'Mark as Decorative'.

How-To
Add Alt Text or Mark an Image/Icon as Decorative

  1. Open the 'Home' tab at the top of the screen. 
  2. Locate the 'New Slide' option and click the arrow text to open the list of Master slide options. 
  3. Select the 'Full Page Graphic' slide.
  4. On the newly inserted slide, in the placeholder frame for a graphic.
  5. Open the 'Insert' tab at the top of the screen.
  6. Click 'Video' and select 'Online Videos'.
  7. Add your URL for the online video.
  8. Click 'Insert' at the bottom of the window.
  9. Click on the video.
  10. Open the 'Picture Format' menu on the top of the screen. 
  11. Click 'Alt Text' to open the 'Alt Text Panel'. 
  12. Select any default text in the field for 'Alt text' and hit backspace to delete the content.
  13. Type your alt text into the 'Alt Text' field.

Helpful Tip

Consider supplying an alternative format for your video to ensure equitable access to the content. This could be in the form of captions, or a narrative or script.  

How-To
Add Closed Captions or Subtitles to Media in PowerPoint

Sample slide 5 of the template offers formatting for a sample pie chart. To change the sample chart to a different style or add new charts, follow the steps below.

Add New Charts

  1. Open the 'Home' tab at the top of the screen. 
  2. Locate the 'New Slide' option and click the arrow text to open the list of Master slide options. 
  3. Select the 'Title and Graphics' slide.
  4. On the newly inserted slide, in the placeholder frame for a graphic, click the 'Insert Chart' option.
  5. Select the desired chart type from the options on the left of the 'Insert Chart' window.
  6. Click 'Ok' at the bottom of the window.
  7. Click on the chart.
  8. Open the 'Format' menu on the top of the screen. 
  9. Click 'Alt Text' to open the 'Alt Text Panel'. 
  10. Select any default text in the field for 'Alt text' and hit backspace to delete the content.
  11. Type your alt text into the 'Alt Text' field.

Change the Sample Chart Type

  1. Click on the pie chart on sample slide 5.
  2. Open the 'Chart Design' window on the top of the screen.
  3. Click 'Change Chart Type' on the far right.
  4. Select the desired chart type from the options on the left of the 'Change Chart Type' window.
  5. Click 'Ok' at the bottom of the window.
  6. Click on the chart.
  7. Open the 'Format' menu on the top of the screen. 
  8. Click 'Alt Text' to open the 'Alt Text Panel'. 
  9. Select any default text in the field for 'Alt text' and hit backspace to delete the content.
  10. Type your alt text into the 'Alt Text' field.

How-To
Add Alt Text or Mark an Image/Icon as Decorative

Additional Resources
Written guidance for adding alt text.

 

Step Three: Add Notes/Captions to Slides 

The content of your presentation should be provided in a variety of formats so it is accessible to a broad audience. One way to accomplish this is to add notes/captions to each slide. These will function like alt text on an image and should provide a detailed description of the slide content, including written and visual elements. When creating notes/captions, imagine that you are presenting to an audience and the screen is behind you. Write out what you are saying to the audience and what is on the screen behind you.

  1. Below each slide in PowerPoint there is an area to 'Click to add notes'.
  2. Click in this area and add the notes/captions for each slide.

 

Step Four: Verify Reading Order 

The content within the presentation template has been carefully ordered so that each element is read aloud by assistive technologies in the correct order (e.g., title and slide content). As you edit the presentation, the reading order could become incorrect and it is important to correct it. When you verify the reading order of your presentation you are ensuring that users who make be using assistive technology, such as screen readers, receive the content in the order you intend.

  1. Open the 'Review' tab at the top of the screen.
  2. Click the arrow on the 'Check Accessibility' option and select 'Reading Order Pane'.
  3. Click on each slide and verify that all the elements included on each slide appear in the correct order on the 'Reading Order Pane'.

How-to Video
Create Slides with an Accessible Reading Order

 

Step Five: Run the PowerPoint Accessibility Checker 

To make sure all the elements of your document are accessible, it is important to run the Accessibility Checker which provides errors and warnings when content formatting is not considered accessible. Additionally, the Accessibility Checker provides direction or tips on how to fix the errors and warnings. This can be done after the entire report is drafted, but it is more helpful to keep it running as you work so you have the opportunity to correct issues as you add content.

  1. Open the 'Review' tab at the top of the screen.
  2. Click on 'Check Accessibility' to open the 'Accessibility Panel'.
  3. Review the 'Accessibility Panel' for any 'Errors' or 'Warnings' that are flagged.
  4. Correct each of the 'Errors' and 'Warnings'. 

Helpful Tip

The Accessibility Checker will be better able to flag issues as your content is added.  

How-to
Run the Accessibility Checker

 

Step Six: Remove Comments from the PowerPoint Document 

The presentation template contains comments that have helpful reminders and tips when adding your content. Before creating a PDF of the Word document, the comments need to be removed so they do not save as part of the PDF file.

  1. Open the 'Review' tab at the top of the screen.
  2. On the 'Show Comments' button click the down arrow and select 'Comments Pane' to open the 'Comments Panel'. 
  3. Review each comment to make sure there are no remaining items to address.
  4. At the top of each comment there is a series of three dots.
  5. Click the three dots and select 'Delete Thread' to remove each comment.

 

Step Seven: Save the PowerPoint as a PDF 

Before creating a PDF of the PowerPoint document, make sure the following steps have been completed: 

  • Notes/captions have been added to each slide.
  • The reading order has been verified.
  • The Accessibility Checker has been run one final time and all errors and warnings have been corrected. 
  • Run a spell check.

  1. If you have Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, open the 'Acrobat' tab at the top of the screen and click 'Create PDF'.
  2. If you have Adobe Reader, open the 'File' tab at the top of the screen and select 'Save as Adobe PDF'.
  3. Navigate to the location where you would like to save your PDF.
  4. Click 'Save' at the bottom of the window.

Helpful Tip

Do not create a PDF by selecting 'Print' and changing your 'Printer' to 'Adobe PDF'. Do not create a PDF by clicking 'Save As' and changing your file type/extension to 'PDF'.

How-to Video
Convert PowerPoint Document to a PDF

 

Step Eight: Run the Acrobat Accessibility Checker 

Once the Word document has been saved as a PDF, the new file will need to be opened in Adobe Acrobat Pro and the Accessibility Checker needs to be completed to find accessibility issues within the PDF file. Even though the Accessibility Checker was run in the Word file, there are often elements that need to be corrected on the PDF version. Often, some of the Acrobat Accessibility Check warnings are simply to confirm the document properties and formatting that were completed in the steps above. It is important to see this as an opportunity to double check that content meets accessibility guidelines.

  1. Open your PDF.
  2. Open the 'File' tab and click 'Properties'.
  3. Add metadata (Title, Author, Subject, Keywords) on the 'Description' tab. The Document Properties that were added to the PowerPoint document in Step One above should be provided, but this step assures that all the metadata details are provided as intended. 
  4. Scroll down to the bottom of the window and click 'Ok'. 
  5. Click the 'View' tab at the top of the screen.
  6. Click 'Tools', scroll over 'Accessibility', and select 'Open' to view the 'Accessibility Panel'.
  7. Click the 'Accessibility Check' on the 'Accessibility Panel'.
  8. Within the 'Checking Options', click 'Select All' to make sure all options are checked.
  9. Click 'Start Checking' at the bottom of the window.
  10. A new 'Accessibility Checker' panel opens with details of any accessibility issues within your PDF file. 
  11. Correct each of the accessibility issues that have been flagged. 

How-to Video
Run the Acrobat Accessibility Checker