When you have a single slide used across numerous Library items or decks, it can take a lot of time to update that same slide in all of its different locations in the Library when it changes.
Using linked slides, you can update that single slide at the source to automatically update all other linked Library content. This will significantly reduce the time spent keeping your Library up to date.
Summary
- How to create linked decks
- How to update linked decks
- How to navigate linked content
- FAQ
- Known limitations
How to create linked decks
Create single source slides
Before using linked slides, you need to insert your single source slide in the Library. Single source slides are slides you will commonly use in several of your Library decks. They can be a company disclaimer, about us, central marketing, slides presenting your different teams, etc.
To do so:
- Select the slide in your presentation that will become a single source slide.
- Right-click in the Library and select Publish > Selected slides individually.
Create Linked Decks
Your linked decks will be created using the single source slides inserted in the Library.
- Open the presentation you wish to insert as a deck in PowerPoint.
- Insert the single source slides from the Library in the presentation.
- Select all slides in the presentation and right-click in the Library to select Publish > Selected slides as a linked deck - beta.
How to know your deck is successfully linked
The deck containing the linked slides will preview in the library with a chain link symbol overlay. The symbol will be visible to both users and administrators.
How to update linked decks
To update the linked content in your decks, you need to update the single source slide.
- Insert the single source slide in a new presentation.
- Modify the slide.
- Right-click the single source slide preview in the Library pane and use Replace with selected slides.
If you insert any of the associated linked decks in a new presentation, you will see that the linked slide has been updated automatically.
How to navigate linked content
Find a presentation's single source slide
If you wish to update a deck in your Library but see the link icon indicating that slides are linked to others in the Library, you can easily find the original you need to modify with the View source slides functionality.
- Right-click on the deck or use the ... on the bottom-right corner to select View source slides.
- The Library panel now shows one single source slide. Navigate with the arrows on the preview to the other linked slides' sources.
Find a source's dependent slides
If, on the contrary, you're looking at a single source slide and would like to see whether it will affect other decks, you can track down dependent slides:
- Right-click on the slide you want to edit or use the ... on the bottom-right corner to select View dependent slides.
- The Library pane will change to display the different decks containing the source slide.
FAQ
How to link existing Library content
If you have existing decks in your Library that you wish to link to a single source slide, you need to create the link between the source and your deck. To link existing Library content:
- Insert the existing deck into a new presentation.
- Delete the slide you want to link.
- Add the single source slide from your Library to your presentation.
- Select all slides and insert them into the Library pane with Replace with selected slides.
How to keep track of all the Single Source Slides
We recommend using the tagging function to add a tag, such as source slide. This means you can keep the source slides in the most relevant place within the library but still easily locate them all very quickly to check they're up to date.
What if it goes wrong, or I break a link?
The most common reason for broken links is when the single source slide is deleted from the Library. If the original is deleted, replaced by a deck or inaccessible, then:
- The preview will show a broken link icon.
- When using the slides, the user will see a popup informing the presence of these broken links. The slides will still insert using the content used when initially creating the library item with an overlay message informing the version may be outdated.
This means that users and administrators can see if there are any broken links but can still access the original content. They can apply their judgement on whether they need to request their administrators fix the content or use/adapt the content for their immediate needs.
Known limitations
The feature is currently in beta mode and has some limits.
Creating a linked deck
- Only individual Library slides (i.e. published individually) will be considered as linked in a linked deck.
- If the same Library slide is present multiple times in a Linked deck, UpSlide will consider linked only the first occurrence of the slide.
- This behaviour is consistent with Slide Check for a standard deck with multiple occurrences of the same slide.
Selective linked deck
- You cannot unlink some slides from a deck.
- You cannot select which slides will be considered Linked Slides or not. As long as the slides are individually inserted from the Library and the deck is added as a Linked Deck, they will all be considered Linked Slides.