Q can automatically export charts, tables and text to PowerPoint and later update the PowerPoint presentation to reflect updated data in Q. This article discusses how to export to PowerPoint or Excel in various versions of Q.
The underlying programming for how this is done is changed with Q 5.12. You can check the version of Q you have installed by going to the Help menu and selecting About. Note there is an option to use our legacy exporter (used in 5.10 and earlier), but this method is not as reliable and slower than the standard one, see more below. Specifically this article includes:
- Exporting to Excel in Q version 5.12 or later
- Exporting to PowerPoint in Q version 5.12 or later
- Footers
- Additional technical details and limitations
- Troubleshooting updating problems
- Exporting to PowerPoint in Q version 5.11
- Legacy exporting to PowerPoint and Excel - Q up until and including version 5.10
Exporting to Excel in Q version 5.12 or later
When you export to Excel, there are various ways of exporting your Report, see How to Set Defaults For Excel Exports. The exporter will prompt you to give a name for the file for the export, and will create the file per the settings. You cannot update tables or items in an Excel export. However, this functionality is available if you use the, less reliable, legacy Excel exporter, see Legacy exporting to PowerPoint and Excel.
Exporting to PowerPoint in Q version 5.12 or later
To export a selected output from Q to PowerPoint you can either
- Click on the PowerPoint export icon
,
or
- Right-click on the Q output > | Export to Office > Export to PowerPoint.
A Table Options dialog box appears, where you can select the desired Format and Chart type. Outputs can be exported as Images, or editable Tables or Charts.
Export editable charts to PowerPoint
In the table options menu, set the Format To PowerPoint as Excel Chart and select the desired chart type from the Chart menu. There is a new Chart option, Match Q, which when selected, charts will export as per the current chart type set in Q and tables exported as charts will be as per the settings in Q’s “User Options”. To access the previous PowerPoint exporter (the default in earlier version of Q), tick the “Use legacy exporter (slower)” checkbox. This exports outputs to an open PowerPoint document. As the label suggests, this method is slower and is also less stable.
Update an existing PowerPoint document
Charts, tables and images exported from Q to a PowerPoint document are linked back to Q and can be updated. Note: this feature is not available when exporting format is set to To PowerPoint as Microsoft Graph. This feature is particularly useful for updating reports for tracking studies. However, it has numerous other uses such as updating a specific output or report after applying a different filter (e.g. country), changing the weighting, adding a cross-break, merging answer codes or adding a net, to name just a few.
When Q exports a table or chart to PowerPoint and Excel it includes a special code to link back to the corresponding item in Q. These codes are invisible and uneditable using the legacy exporter, but our standard exporter makes these codes (GUIDs - described below) visible and editable. The updater works by scanning the document to see if there are outputs containing a code linking back to Q, and, if it is found, the item will be updated. If the item is not found it will be appended to the document as a new slide.
Updating charts
- All standard formatting of PowerPoint charts will be retained (e.g., resizing, changes to colors, changes to fonts), and this now includes manual edits to values and labels.
- When exporting scatter charts and bubble charts, Q will automatically add labels to data points. These labels will not be updated.
- Microsoft Graph exports cannot be updated.
Updating tables
- Tables split across multiple slides cannot be updated.
- Manual changes to a table in PowerPoint are now retained when they are updated. Any PowerPoint Table Style applied to the table (i.e. selected in PowerPoint from the Table Styles section under Table Tools > Design) will also be retained.
To update a chart exported from Q
- Click on the PowerPoint Export icon
or
- Right-click on the output > Export to Office > PowerPoint
- Select the file you wish to update.
For the first update, Q will preserve the original file (so you always have a back-up of your original export) and create a new file with a filename you nominate, the content of which will be updated to reflect any changes done in Q. For second and subsequent exports, the new file (if selected) will be over-written, to avoid cluttering the directory with files, but Q will keep a back-up of the previous updated file (*.pptxBak). See also: Automatic Updating of PowerPoint and Excel Documents – Q5.12 and later.
You can now customize what is sections of the table and charts are updated using the checkboxes in the picture above. You may have made some custom edits on an output in PowerPoint that you want to preserve – to do this simply uncheck the relevant item prior to exporting.
Once the update is complete, you will get a report so you can quickly check that the update has worked to your expectations. You can save this report or log to the clipboard (if you wanted to store it elsewhere, e.g. for checking purposes).
How updating works using GUIDs
Every object that can be updated from Q has a GUID (Globally Unique Identifier code) assigned to it. To see the GUID
- Right-click on the output and select Show GUID for this Item.
GUIDs are recorded in the PowerPoint Alt Text field
In order for Q to update an object in PowerPoint, it is necessary to record the GUID in the Alt Text field in PowerPoint. This field is accessed in PowerPoint by right-clicking on the object (e.g., a chart), and selecting Edit Alt Text.....
Connecting PowerPoint charts to Q
To connect any chart created in PowerPoint to an output created in Q, you will manually map the GUID for the item in Q to the chart in PPT. More specifically:
- Select the output in Q > right click > Show GUID for this Item.
- Select the GUID by using your mouse and clicking and dragging over it. It can be copied by right-clicking and selecting Copy.
- [OPTIONAL]: If linking lots of outputs, see How To Export Multiple GUIDs to PowerPoint Using a QScript to get this information for tables in bulk.
- In PowerPoint right-click on the object > Edit Alt Text.... > CTRL+V (paste). The object in PowerPoint is now connected with Q and can be updated.
- [OPTIONAL]: You can use Title: YourGuid or Footer: YourGuid in the Alt Text to update text boxes with the title or footer.
In order for PowerPoints outputs such as charts to update correctly, it's important to ensure that the layout of the data tables in Displayr and in the PowerPoint chart match – that is that the rows and columns of tables are positioned in the same way. To check the required layout, open your PowerPoint document > select the chart > right-click > Edit data. If the layout of the table doesn't match go back to Q, select the table, right-click on either row or column heading and select Swap rows and columns.
Supported Formatting
Charts
PowerPoint Charts
All of the standard Microsoft Office chart types can be exported and updated using Q, where 'standard' refers to the chart types that are selectable within PowerPoint, Excel and Word's Chart Type menus.
PowerPoint Chart Templates
Within Microsoft Office it is possible to automatically format charts using Chart Templates. These Chart Templates can be selected when exporting from Q (see Export to Office).
Export Chart Defaults
Office Chart Types and Office Chart Templates can be set as defaults for particular combinations of data using Edit > User Options > Export Chart Defaults.
Q's Charts
Q's Charts have been specifically designed for market research. In particular, they can display the results of tests of statistical significance.
Chart Templates
Any chart can be saved as a template using View > Save as Template. These templates can then be selected from the Show Data as menu (see Charts for more information).
General defaults
Default fonts, font sizes, font styles chart colors can be set at Edit > Project Options > Customize > Charts.
Tables
Image of Table
When exporting To PowerPoint as Image of Table, the general appearance of the table is controlled via Table Styles.
PowerPoint Table
When exporting To PowerPoint as PowerPoint Table, the general appearance of the table is controlled via settings in PowerPoint. The default table style comes from the Theme of the slideshow. You can change this default by right-clicking on your desired table style in the Table Style gallery of the DESIGN tab of the ribbon (you will need to manually change the first table).
Significance Arrow Highlights on Tables
Exported PowerPoint tables will no longer have scalable significance arrows. Arrows have changed from the symbol font representation to Unicode Black up/down pointing triangles, which makes for easier updating.
Slide Layout
PowerPoint Templates
When using the legacy exporter …
The major aspects of the layout of a slide are determined by the settings within PowerPoint files, which are, in turn, controlled by PowerPoint templates and PowerPoint's Master Slide settings.
When using the new default (fast) export …
When creating a new file, Master slides will export titles center aligned (This matches Q’s master pages but not PowerPoint’s default). When updating an existing file, titles will follow the settings in the PowerPoint file.
PowerPoint Export Layout
Additional control over the appearance of exports in PowerPoint is available within Q via the PowerPoint Export Layout settings.
Table Sizing
When using the legacy exporter …
By default, large tables are shrunk to fit into the available space. This can be turned off by selecting User Options > Display/Printing and de-selecting Shrink tables to fit in one slide (when exporting to PowerPoint) or in page margins (when exporting to Word).
When using the new default (fast) export …
Tables will scale to fit the available space. If the table is large (e.g. more than 20 rows) font sizing will make it hard to read so you will need to make some adjustments to enhance legibility
Footers can be extensively customized. See Footers.
Additional technical details and limitations
- Updates can be done using the GUID method (see Updating is based on GUIDs)
- Updating works only with charts and tables in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
- Automatic updating of data requires consistently formatted data files (e.g., consistent variable names and code frames). Q has tools for dealing with ‘normal’ changes to trackers, such as new or removed questions and changes to response list. See Updating Projects with New or Revised Data for more information.
- The update will not work if you change the export format (e.g. from To Excel to To Excel with Chart).
- Q has no mechanisms for conditionally modifying text or any graphical objects other than charts and tables exported from Q.
- Statistical tests will automatically update if they have been automatically created within Q. This now applies to both tables and charts
- The updating ignores the specific data being exported. That is, if you inadvertently change a table in Q from showing Gender to Age then Q will update the exported objects to also show Age.
Troubleshooting updating problems
The updating process is robust and will not break without a good reason. If the updating does not work:
- Review the technical details above to check that you have not inadvertently caused the problem.
- Restart your computer. This is often useful in resetting PowerPoint, which can sometimes get 'confused'.
- Send the PowerPoint file and the QPack to support, giving an explanation as to which chart will not update that was expected to update.
Exporting to PowerPoint in Q version 5.11
To export a selected output from Q to PowerPoint you can either click on the PowerPoint export icon , or by right-clicking on the Q output > | Export to Office > Export to PowerPoint.
A Table Options dialog box appears, where you can select the desired Format and Chart type. Outputs can be exported as Images, or editable Tables or Charts.
Export editable charts to PowerPoint
In the Table options menu, set the Format to To PowerPoint as Excel Chart and select the desired chart type from the Chart menu.
Update an existing PowerPoint document
Charts, tables and images exported from Q to a PowerPoint document are linked back to Q and can be updated. Note: this feature is not available when exporting format is set to To PowerPoint as Microsoft Graph.
This feature is particularly useful for updating reports for tracking studies. However, it has numerous other uses such as updating a specific output or report after applying a different filter (e.g. country), adding a cross-break, merging answer codes or adding a net, to name just a few.
To update a chart exported from Q
- click on PowerPoint Export fast icon
or
- Right-click on the output > Export to Office > PowerPointFastUpate.
Select the file you wish to update. Q will create a new file, the content of which will be updated to reflect any changes done in Q. Q will save the file in the same folder alongside the original file, adding a consecutive number to the name (e.g. Export(1).pptx).
Updating is based on GUIDs
Every object that can be updated from Q has a GUID (Globally Unique Identifier code) assinged to it. To see the GUID right-click on the output and select Show GUID for this Item.
GUIDs are recorded in the PowerPoint Alt Text field
In order for Q to update an object in PowerPoint, it is necessary to record the GUID in the Alt Text field in PowerPoint. This field is accessed in PowerPoint by right-clicking on the object (e.g., a chart), and selecting Edit Alt Text.....
Connecting PowerPoint charts to Q
To connect a chart created in PowerPoint to an output created in Q
- Right-click the output in Q > right click
- Select Show GUID for this Item.
You can select the GUID by using your mouse and clicking and dragging over it. It can be copied by right-clicking and selecting Copy. In PowerPoint
- Right-click on the object > Edit Alt Text.... > CTRL+V (paste). The object in PowerPoint is now connected with Q and can be updated.
In order for PowerPoints outputs such as charts to update correctly, it's important to ensure that the layout of the data tables in Displayr and in the PowerPoint chart match – that is that the rows and columns of tables are positioned in the same way. To check the required layout, open your PowerPoint document > select the chart > right-click > Edit data. If the layout of the table doesn't match go back to Q, select the table, right-click on either row or column heading and select Swap rows and columns.
Legacy exporting to PowerPoint and Excel - Q up until and including version 5.10
How exporting works for legacy exports
Q will check to see if there are any open PowerPoint/Excel documents to update. If not, it will open PowerPoint/Excel and begin exporting and creating charts in real-time on the screen. As the communication channel used to do this is sensitive, it is advised that you not do anything on your computer until the export is complete. Once completed, you will receive a summary dialogue confirming completion or any issues.
How the updating works for legacy exports
Every table and chart which appears in the Report tree contains an invisible code. When charts and tables are exported from Q to PowerPoint this invisible code is hidden in the exported objects. When Q exports a table or chart to PowerPoint and Excel it scans the documents to see if the code is contained within the document and, if it is found, the item will be updated. If the item is not found it will be appended to the document as a new slide. There is no way to see, modify or relink an item in PowerPoint or Excel back to an item in Q. If the item doesn't update, you will need to reexport it to Office (this can happen if a chart template becomes corrupt or if you have used copy and paste on the item instead of cut and paste).
To update a document, you will need to have it open when you go to export using the legacy exporter. A dialog box will appear saying You have already exported this project to Presentation Name, which is open. The message will also indicate the number of items that can be updated and that are new. The following options are then provided:
- Update which, if selected, will cause the data in the documents to be updated from the Q project, leaving any formatting unchanged (except where the additional data results in a change in appearance). If you are updating cells in an Excel spreadsheet that does not contain a chart (i.e., when exporting to PowerPoint as Excel WorkSheet) you may need to edit the worksheet and resize it to ensure that all cells are visible.
- Export Again will export the tables as new charts or tables.
You must leave the document open as the update is happening (you will see this on screen in real time). It is advised that you do anything on your computer until the update is complete.
Once the update is complete, you will get a report so you can quickly check that the update has worked to your expectations. You can save this report or log to the clipboard (if you wanted to store it elsewhere, e.g. for checking purposes).
Charts
Q can either create standard PowerPoint charts at the time of export, or, export its own internal Charts.
| PowerPoint Charts | Q Charts |
|---|---|
| Data can be edited and viewed | Can display significance tests |
| More extensive formatting options | Developed specifically for market research |
PowerPoint Charts
All of the standard Microsoft Office chart types can be exported and updated using Q, where 'standard' refers to the chart types that are selectable within PowerPoint, Excel and Word's Chart Type menus.
PowerPoint Chart Templates
Within Microsoft Office it is possible to automatically format charts using Chart Templates. These Chart Templates can be selected when exporting from Q (see Export to Office).
Export Chart Defaults
Office Chart Types and Office Chart Templates can be set as defaults for particular combinations of data using
- Edit > User Options > Export Chart Defaults.
Q's Charts
Q's Charts have been specifically designed for market research. In particular, they can display the results of tests of statistical significance.
Chart Templates
Any chart can be saved as a template using
- View > Save as Template.
These templates can then be selected from the Show Data as menu (see Charts for more information).
General defaults
Default fonts, font sizes, font styles chart colors can be set at
- Edit > Project Options > Customize > Charts.
Tables
Image of Table
When exporting To PowerPoint as Image of Table, the general appearance of the table is controlled via Table Styles.
PowerPoint Table
When exporting To PowerPoint as PowerPoint Table, the general appearance of the table is controlled via settings in PowerPoint. The default table style comes from the Theme of the slideshow. You can change this default by right-clicking on your desired table style in the Table Style gallery of the DESIGN tab of the ribbon (you will need to manually change the first table).
Slide Layout
PowerPoint Templates
The major aspects of the layout of a slide are determined by the settings within PowerPoint files, which are, in turn, controlled by PowerPoint templates and PowerPoint's Master Slide settings.
PowerPoint Export Layout
Additional control over the appearance of exports in PowerPoint is available within Q via the PowerPoint Export Layout settings.
Shrink tables to fit one slide
By default, large tables are shrunk to fit into the available space. This can be turned off by
- Selecting User Options > Display/Printing
- De-selecting Shrink tables to fit in one slide (when exporting to PowerPoint) or in page margins (when exporting to Word).
Troubleshooting the legacy exporter
Our legacy exporter uses an old communication channel (COM) that is available with Microsoft Office, but that is no longer supported by Microsoft. This communication channel is a live connection made by Q to either Excel or PowerPoint. As this is old technology, this connection is a bit touchy and not as robust as our standard exporting mechanism. It can break during exporting and can also not work all together if there are any issues with the software. Because Microsoft has moved away from this technology, we have created a more reliable exporter, our standard one, and also will no longer support fixing bugs or enhancing this legacy exporter.
If you get an error message when trying to use the legacy exporter or if not all things are exported as expected, you should review How to Troubleshoot When Exporting using Legacy Exporter from Q to Office. However if these steps do not solve your issue, you will need to use the standard exporter, which is supported by our engineering team.
Next
How to Export Updatable Text to PowerPoint from Q
How to Automatically Update think-cell Charts in PowerPoint
How to Convert older PowerPoint documents for “fast” updating from Q