Choose the best data workflow for your presentations

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This month we’re looking at how you can cut manual work and improve accuracy when working with data in PowerPoint. Maybe you’ll discover some new ways of working you can take into the new year?

Enjoy the read!

Different workflows for different needs

An ad-hoc presentation based on a one-time analysis has very different requirements to an automated monthly report pulling data from several sources. Understanding your presentation’s needs will help you choose a data workflow that gives you sufficient speed and accuracy, while avoiding any unnecessary overhead.

We’ll take a quick look at three different ways you can populate your slides with data-driven elements, and see which is most suited to which scenario.

1. Classic workflow with chart datasheets

The most accessible workflow is to use the chart datasheet, which opens when you insert either a native PowerPoint chart or a thinkcell chart.

To populate the datasheet, you can either type in your data or paste from Excel. This keeps you flexible. Each chart, table and other data-driven element has its own datasheet, letting you add what you need as you construct your slide.

There are limits to working with chart datasheets, however, if you have a data story with multiple connected elements. Datasheets are separate and you can’t link between them, so you have to switch back and forth to check consistency whenever something changes.

And if you’re switching back and forth between native PowerPoint chart datasheets, you’ll often see an alert message explaining that you can only view the data for one chart at a time.

An immediate advantage of working with thinkcell charts is that you can work more seamlessly without alert messages. However, each datasheet is still independent, so if you have more than one chart that forms part of the same story, you might want to explore an alternative workflow.

2. Advanced workflow with Excel links

For a more sophisticated workflow, you can link the data-driven elements in your PowerPoint presentation to Excel. This has several advantages, including:

• Interdependent charts: If more than one element is based on the same data table, you can connect them using Excel formulas. Update the main table and all related charts update at once.
• Automatic updates: If you are working in Excel and the data changes, you don’t have to manually update your PowerPoint charts. At most, you have to refresh the data link.
• Powerful features: If you link to an Excel file, you can benefit from the full functionality of Excel. For example, you can use advanced features like conditional formatting to control the colors and fonts of your thinkcell charts.

These are all valuable capabilities if you are creating a recurring report or dashboard with multiple charts and tables. However, there are drawbacks, mainly regarding flexibility:

• Setup: You need an Excel workbook to set up your chart, rather than working exclusively within PowerPoint.
• Overhead: You need to link the entire Excel workbook, which may be an extremely large file with multiple sheets. This could be excessive just to power one or two charts in your presentation.
• Collaboration: You need to share the full Excel file with anyone you share the PowerPoint slide with, which can lead to issues regarding permissions or unintended exposure of sensitive data.

Compared to native PowerPoint, thinkcell gives you more visibility and control over how you manage Excel links, but there are still cases where you can benefit from a more flexible solution.

3. Most flexible workflow with thinkcell slide workbooks

The slide workbook, available as part of thinkcell 14, is a fully functional Excel environment built right into your PowerPoint slide. Slide workbooks combine the flexibility of a chart datasheet with the full functionality of a linked Excel workbook:

• Automate consistency: Create all charts and tables from the same data range, ensuring perfect visual and tabular consistency every time.
• Keep your source data intact: Avoid risks associated with editing your master data file by simply linking your slide workbook. Apply the filters and formatting you need, while leaving your source data clean and untouched.
• Export easily: Share your presentation with your teammates and all the data, including notes, comments and side calculations, is available within the slide workbook.

You can read our blog post to learn more about slide workbooks and see how they can transform your data workflows.

Overview of data workflow options and capabilities

Here’s a quick summary of what you can do with each datasheet option. For a useful comparison, we’re sticking to thinkcell chart datasheets and thinkcell Excel links, rather than the native PowerPoint equivalents. Native PowerPoint does not support an equivalent of thinkcell slide workbooks.

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