PowerPoint Document Integrity (For PC)

Have you ever spent hours creating a stellar PowerPoint presentation only to have it ruined by a colleague who got a little click-happy? Ever notice sudden font inconsistencies that you just know weren’t there when you double-checked that everything was good to go? Or – even worse – have you ever sent a file without catching that last bit of sensitive information that should’ve been removed? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions then these tips for document integrity are just what the doctor ordered.

What is Document Integrity?

Before we jump into my top three tips for document integrity, let’s discuss what it is exactly.

Document integrity refers to maintaining the quality of a document as it’s meant to be. In this case, I’m referring to the final version of your presentation. You’ve likely spent a considerable amount of time creating, revising, and perfecting the content, and once you feel it’s done the last thing you need is someone (or something) coming in to ruin it.

If you’re sharing or collaborating on presentations, document integrity should be in the forefront of your mind every time you hit “send”. The next three tips will help to ensure that your documents stay intact. Pretty soon you’ll be able to send your files off with complete confidence.

Embedding Fonts

If you’ve ever had to work on a presentation on multiple computers (like at work and home), you may have noticed that there’s sometimes a difference in the look of your text from one computer to another. This isn’t your eyes playing tricks on you, my friend!

Unrecognized fonts will often be automatically converted causing inconsistencies that may lower readability later.

How to Embed Your Fonts

To save your desired fonts and prevent conversions, follow these four easy steps:

1. Click File at the top right of your PowerPoint window.
2. Click the Options tab near the bottom left.
3. Select Save.
4. At the bottom, under Preserve Fidelity When Sharing This Presentation, check the box next to Embed Fonts in the File.
   • Select “Embed only the characters used in the presentation…” if you will be working on the presentation alone and want a smaller file size.
   • Select “Embed all characters…” if you will be allowing others to edit and you are OK with a larger file size.

Embedding your fonts is especially important if you’ve added your own custom fonts to PowerPoint.

Document Inspection

There’s nothing worse than realizing you forgot to remove some sensitive information, like names or informal comments, from a presentation right as you click the “send” button to share it with your team- or worse, your leader.

Did you know there’s a Document Inspector that can save you the hassle of combing through your PowerPoint word-by-word?

Follow the steps below to access the Document Inspector.

1. Click File at the top right of your PowerPoint window.
2. Under the Info tab, click Check for Issues and then Inspect Document.
3. You may be prompted to save your file before the Document Inspector opens. This is advised.
4. By default, all inspection options will be checked. I recommend you focus on the first two options, Comments and Annotations and Document Properties and Personal Information. Once you have updated your selections, click Inspect at the bottom of the Document Inspector window.
5. The window will automatically update with your inspection results. Review the details under each selection.
   • If you want to delete all findings, click Remove All next to each selection.
   • If you only want to remove some of the findings, take note of the details (a screenshot works well) and then simply click Close at the bottom of the Document Inspector.

Securing Documents

The final step to ensure document integrity is to lock it down! No, really. Locking your presentation means that others can review its content without accidentally making changes.

To be honest, I’ve accidentally made changes myself when clicking around on my dual monitors. Oh, don’t judge me! That tiny mouse can be hard to find when you have 23 windows open. (I can’t be the only one who does this!)

This little trick will save you a ton of time in unnecessary revisions!

Follow these steps to secure your presentation:

1. Click File at the top right of your PowerPoint window.
2. Under Info, select Protect Presentation.
   1. If you want collaborators to receive notice that the presentation is “marked as final” but allow them the opportunity to bypass and edit, if needed, select Mark as Final.
   2. If you do not want other users to have the ability to make any changes, select Restrict Access. (Note: This option may not be available if your company limits user permissions.)

Conclusion

Whether you’re working with clients, colleagues, or senior leaders, PowerPoint document integrity is a must. Following these three simple steps will save you so much valuable time and endless headaches. Better yet, it will assist you in developing your reputation as a professional who has impeccable attention to detail. Sounds like a win-win to me!

And to my fellow Mac lovers, an IOS-friendly version of this article is coming to a screen near you soon!

Looking for a PDF version of this guide to save to your desktop or to print for quick access at your workstation? I’ve got you covered! Simply enter your name and email below and I’ll send it right over! 🙂

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