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You are here: Home / Design / Charts, tables & diagrams / Compare options with the Balance SmartArt layout

Compare options with the Balance SmartArt layout

August 18, 2013 by Ellen Finkelstein 1 Comment

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Have you ever looked for a way to show advantages and disadvantages of 2 options? One way to compare options is with the Balance SmartArt layout. It looks like a scale. What’s so cool about it is that it tilts based on the number of items on each side, creating a very visual way to show which option is best.

Here’s an example slide that compares webinars with teleseminars.

powerpoint-tips-compare-options-smartart-1

Unfortunately, you cannot place more than 4 items on a side. However, you can ungroup the SmartArt once you have the angle that you want and add more shapes. I explain how to ungroup SmartArt in my post, “Easily create flexible diagrams that look professional.”

To create this SmartArt, I recommend the following steps:

  1. Use a Title & Content layout.powerpoint-tips-compare-options-smartart-2
  2. Click the Insert a SmartArt Graphic icon in the Content area.
  3. In the dialog box’s left-hand pane, choose Relationship. Then choose the Balance layout. Click OK.
  4. The Text box opens on the left side of the SmartArt diagram. Enter the 2 headings next to the 2 bullet points that are not indented.
  5. Enter up to 4 items for the indented bullets.

Can you think of a use for the Balance SmartArt layout?

Take a look at some of the other layouts in the Relationship category. Some of them are quite nice.

Did you find this post useful? Get my free video training, "13 techniques that will make designing your slides EASY." 
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Related posts:

  1. Shortcut to complex shapes with SmartArt in PowerPoint 2007 and 2010
  2. Easily create flexible diagrams that look professional
  3. Create quick, professional diagrams with SmartArt in PowerPoint
  4. Create a custom layout

Filed Under: Charts, tables & diagrams, Content

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Holly Genser

Hi Ellen,

I’ve been using PowerPoint SmartArt for years, yet I didn’t notice the balance diagram. Thanks!

Holly

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7 years ago
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