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How to convert an Indesign presentation into a PowerPoint presentation seamlessly?

Community Beginner ,
Oct 10, 2017 Oct 10, 2017

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I designed a presentation in Indesign and had to convert that into a PowerPoint file so I had to export the Indesign file as a pdf and then from Acrobat, convert it into a PowerPoint presentation. Most things translated over fine, but the text and some background images were distorted and the fonts were changed completely, even though the fonts are downloaded and available across all platforms on my computer. Can anyone advise on this? I want to do as little editing as possible after spending a ton of time designing it in Indesign. Any input would be appreciated, thanks!

[Moved from the mostly defunct Design forum into an InDesign forum - moderator]

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Community Expert ,
Oct 10, 2017 Oct 10, 2017

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I am not aware of a more straightforward solution. What are you looking for, precisely? A 100% perfect, one click conversion?

You may or not may have more success with exporting to HTML.

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Community Beginner ,
Oct 10, 2017 Oct 10, 2017

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Yes, when I exported the presentation as a pdf and then converted it to a powerpoint, things started shifting and the text was completely different. There is no compatibility between the two programs, but I just wanted to know if there were any shortcuts. Turns out there isn't! Thank you though!

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Community Expert ,
Oct 10, 2017 Oct 10, 2017

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The best advice I can give you is to use Powerpoint to create the presentation next time.

It’s the right tool for the job.

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Community Beginner ,
Oct 10, 2017 Oct 10, 2017

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Indesign is wonderful for presentations and I definitely prefer it over powerpoint, but the issue became about access on other computers, hence the conversion to powerpoint. Powerpoint isn't bad, but any conversion from adobe to microsoft is a major pain. Thanks all!

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Oct 10, 2017 Oct 10, 2017

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Actually, I use InDesign for 100% of my presentations. It is the only way I can deal with placement of graphic objects, advanced graphic attributes, advanced typographical features, reliable layout (that doesn't change based on the phase of the moon and the resolution of the currently selected printer), and full access to paragraph and text styles.

On the other hand, I don't expect to be able to convert these presentations to PowerPoint. It is totally unrealistic either through PDF to PowerPoint conversion or otherwise! Why?

InDesign supports a much richer imaging model than Microsoft Office. InDesign supports 16 transparency blending modes (including multiply which is what normally should be used for drop shadows) while Microsoft only supports the equivalent of the Adobe normal blending mode (you can't even get a decent drop shadow). InDesign supports full ICC color management including CMYK and RGB of different flavours. Except for some raster images, Microsoft is RGB only (implied sRGB). InDesign supports Type 1 fonts but not so Microsoft (starting with Office 2013 on Windows). And trying to create PowerPoint presentation masters from PDF? Uggh!

The first response you got was correct. There is no “one step” conversion. PDF from InDesign exported to PowerPoint only gives you an exceptionally rough starting point.

          - Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)

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Community Beginner ,
Oct 11, 2017 Oct 11, 2017

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Dov -- exactly why I use Indesign. We had to make the presentation editable and available for a group of people which we later found out did not have access to the program, which is why PowerPoint was suggested. The conversion is also exactly that -- rough.

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Community Expert ,
Oct 11, 2017 Oct 11, 2017

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There’s a lesson to be learned here. Never make assumptions about a project that will have more than one set of hands working on it.

I’m not trying to sell anyone on Powerpoint, just saying that you should know what the intent is before beginning work on a project; ANY project.

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Community Expert ,
Oct 11, 2017 Oct 11, 2017

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^Right. Among InDesign users, I don' think there is much need to pitch the hundred-or-so strong reasons to make InDesign the preferred layout tool for everything; presentations included.

But, when you're tasked with designing a presentation for a businessperson who doesn't design for a living, and you're expected to deliver a file that can live on in their office editing environment for future first-hand adaptations and evolution, the only correct solution is the format they themselves can and do use—most typically, Powerpoint. And the best way to deliver a good, coherently constructed Powerpoint file is to design it from the ground up—in Powerpoint.

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Community Expert ,
Oct 10, 2017 Oct 10, 2017

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johnc81775951  wrote

I want to do as little editing as possible after spending a ton of time designing it in Indesign.

As little as possible will likely be a lot. I'm surprised, in fact, to see this:

Most things translated over fine...

I'd expect if you're really discerning, you may have to revisit virtually every element, and probably settle for a fair bit of inequality and compromise (and/or dead-static 'pictures' of your InDesign slide layouts).

InDesign and Powerpoint are not intended to be compatible in any way. The hard truth is that when your deliverable is a Powerpoint file, the only correct approach is to design it in Powerpoint.

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Community Beginner ,
Oct 23, 2018 Oct 23, 2018

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Everyone in here seems to not take into account the plugin Recosoft. Look it up and you'll thank me later. Powerpoint is the worst tool in history, do not use it if not necessary.

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Community Expert ,
Oct 23, 2018 Oct 23, 2018

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joshuab43810283  wrote

you'll thank me later.

My client who needs and expects a native-built Powerpoint file won't.

Powerpoint is the worst tool in history, do not use it if not necessary.

This kind of silly hyperbole is exactly why designers find themselves in a jam when they've used the wrong tool.

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Community Beginner ,
Oct 23, 2018 Oct 23, 2018

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I don't think you even looked at the plugin I mentioned. It perfectly converts INDD to powerpoint files. I understand the need for powerpoint files in a business setting, they are just terrible to work with in my opinion. Here is a link:

ID2Office - How to Convert InDesign to Word, Convert InDesign to PowerPoint

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Community Expert ,
Oct 23, 2018 Oct 23, 2018

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I have looked at it, and thank you for acknowledging that what you're offering here is your opinion.

I'll also stand by my own opinion, which is when a person needs a Powerpoint file, they need a file built in Powerpoint by someone who isn't blind to Powerpoint and taking measures to stay that way. If you despise Powerpoint to the extent that you express, you'll avert a disservice to your client if you refuse their Powerpoint work.

By the same principle, if I hired a designer to do some work I needed delivered in InDesign format, and they said they only have QuarkXpress, but can produce an InDesign-convertible file with it, I'd look elsewhere.

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Community Beginner ,
Oct 23, 2018 Oct 23, 2018

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I never would turn away the work. Recosoft allows me to set up everything I need in a much more designer friendly way in InDesign, and with the click of a button create a perfectly editable and converted powerpoint file. It may need some tuning in powerpoint which is no issue, but building a 70 slide presentation with a limited interface, limited graphical capabilities, and a lack of customization seems counter intuitive when you use Adobe products day in and day out.

The file produced by Recosoft is built as if it was natively constructed in Powerpoint. If you are more comfortable with powerpoint more power to you, I just would make the argument of more time being spent on a presentation because of the lack of tools at your disposal would actually cost you more time, and make you charge a client more, who may not return after the higher pricing.

I think you are misinterpreting what I am saying. Everyone needs to know Powerpoint, I never argued against that, but there are alternatives to knowing it in a master sense, hence Recosoft.

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New Here ,
Apr 22, 2021 Apr 22, 2021

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I'm not opposed to rolling up my sleeves and creating multiple templates in multiple programs when neccessary, but I was excited to find this and I just gave the trial a go. I'm sorry to say I was very dissappointed. Based on the description provided prior to trying the program, I expected animations and transitions to be supported. Animations are not supported or exported. No drop shadows exported, although every indication is that they should have. The vector graphics and text did not export correctly (some just outlines with no fill). The export did not honor the boundaries/dimensions of the InDesign file page, and instead added a significant color-filled margin all the way around. It also lost odd pieces of text (sometimes one letter, sometimes one word) from various text boxes, so font support is an issue as well. Bitmaps did export correctly with transparency (set to PNG) and good quality, so no complaints there.

If it helps you all to know development-wise; I am running the most recent version of Adobe CC and was using Adobe InDesign 2021. The drop shadows that failed to export were set to "Multiply." No spot colors are used in the document and all elements and color space are set to RGB (no mixed color spaces/profiles). Both fonts utilized were Google Fonts. 
Cheers!

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Engaged ,
Nov 19, 2018 Nov 19, 2018

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Here's a trick for you and it is free. Download the free ID Util. Drop your InDesign file that you want in PowerPoint onto the ID Util icon.You will get a handy preview.

Screenshot 2018-11-19 at 09.04.55.png

Then choose "Export" circled in red in the above picture. Then choose which format you want each page to be exported as. Click Save and you will get each page of the InDesign file exported as a PNG, JPG or PDF.

Screenshot 2018-11-19 at 09.05.16.png

Now go and place these exported pages as slides in PowerPoint and your done!

Will that do it?

Friendly Regards,

David Dilling

Markzware

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New Here ,
Feb 07, 2020 Feb 07, 2020

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Short answer: You can't.

The route mopst others have suggested is via a pdf file and then exporting that to a PowerPoint file using Acrobat Pro sort-of-kinda-works, but you will end up with a not-really-functional PowerPoint file. Try inserting a new blank slide. Go on, I'll wait.... What's that, you ask? Where are your slide masters? 

Yeah. They aren't there. You might as well keep the pdf format and make any minor twaeks using Acrobat Pro...

 

Look - the basic problem is this: InDesign and PowerPoint are intended for entirely different purposes. And they follow a different logic. And I say this as someone who builds PowerPoint template files for corporate clients full-time, and who works with some two dozen design agencies on this. 

 

Indesign approaches the concept of page layouts in a very general way, unless you go out of your way to specify detailed page layouts. Usually you get a few basic layouts. like a title page/slide... Then the footzer behaviour... The rest is on a page by page basis. The target user group pf InDesign are trained users, designers, etc. Not Bob from sales who struggles with understanding the idea of left- and right-click.

 

A proper PowerPoint file, and especially a template file, requires that you build a master slide set, so that the user(s) can easily create new slides with a single click, and these slides are pre-layouted so that even the most inexperienced user can create consistent, on-brand presentations. And add new slides to an existing presentations easily (and no, not just via "duplicate slides"). They should be able to start with an empty presentation and add correctly pre-layoutted slides easily.

 

The logioc and the creation workflow is different. The user know-how is massively different. I have worked with tools that try to handle the transition directly from InDesign to PowerPoiont and the results, at best, are "sort of okay at first glance, as long as you don't need to do much editing" - but certainly not something that can be distributed to 12'000 users worldwide as a template for everyone to work with.

 

My advice? Build a proper PowerPoint template. Many of our partner agencies have actually started building PowerPoint templates IN POWERPOINT, because then they don't end up designing things in in InDesign that PowerPoint can't handle (like hierarchical lists).

 

And as a response to the usual PowerPoint-bashing that inevitably comes up... I have never heard someone bashing PowerPoint that actually had a good working knowledge of the tool. It's not a brilliant tool, but if you actually learn to use it properly, it it pretty okay. 

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New Here ,
May 18, 2021 May 18, 2021

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Community Expert ,
May 18, 2021 May 18, 2021

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LATEST

You'd have to ask them - this thread is over a year old. I suggest starting your own thread. 

 

 

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