PowerPoint 2010: Adding Animation to SmartArt

by AJ George

PowerPoint's SmartArt allows you to visually communicate information. You can create SmartArt graphics that are lists, process diagrams and organizational charts.

Adding SmartArt is simple... all you need to do is click the SmartArt command on the Insert Ribbon. While adding animation to the SmartArt is just as simple, some of the features are a bit hidden.

To add animation to SmartArt:

1. Ensure the SmartArt graphic is selected (has a thick border around the entire thing).
   
   
2. Choose Animations > Add Animation and then choose any animation you would like.

Simple enough, but what if you want the individual elements of the graphics to animate separately?

1. If the Animation Pane is not already visible, choose Animations > Animation Pane.
   
   The effect you added should be listed on the Animation Pane.
   
   
2. Click the arrow next to the animation to display the drop-down menu and choose Effect Options.
   
   
3. Select the SmartArt Animation tab.
   
   
4. From the Group graphic drop-down menu, choose how you would like the image to be grouped for the animation.
   
   
   
   Notice that for all options except As One Object you are able to reverse the order of the animation. While you can have the elements appear in order, or in reverse order, you can not apply animation effects out of order.

What if you want elements of your SmartArt animation to appear out of order? Or what if you want to apply animations that are grayed out (unavailable) for SmartArt? In these cases, you will need to convert the SmartArt graphic elements to shapes and apply the animations separately.

1. Ensure the SmartArt graphic is selected.
   
   
2. Without clicking on any of the individual elements of the graphic, right-click and choose Convert to Shapes.
   
   
3. With the graphic selected, right-click on any of the individual elements and select Group > Ungroup (or select Drawing Tools > Format > Group > Ungroup from the ribbon).

With the graphic converted to shapes and then ungrouped you should now be able to apply any animation effect you like and have the individual pieces of the graphic animate in any order.

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About the author: AJ George is IconLogic's lead Technical Communicator and author of both "PowerPoint 2007: The Essentials" and "PowerPoint 2008 for the Macintosh: The Essentials."

 

Comments

[Jennifer Zapp]

This was just what I needed. Thanks so much for the easy to follow directions.

[AJ George]

You're welcome Jennifer!