I hated it when I placed things beautifully on a slide to close it for the night and a colleague or fellow student would go into the file make their own changes and move a background image or shape while trying to edit the deck. Thankfully, I can easily freeze objects in place so they can't be shifted with the Lock function in PowerPoint.

Here is how to lock and unlock elements in PowerPoint:

How to Lock an Object

1. Right-click on the item (image, shape, or text box) you want to freeze.
2. Select Lock from the context menu. Once locked, the item cannot be moved or resized by accident.

Thankfully, you can still edit text boxes when objects are locked so you can update the content in those objects without the worry of having to unlock it.

How to Unlock an Object

1. Right-click the locked item.
2. Select Unlock. The element is now free to be moved, edited, or resized again.

Bonus Tip: If you have multiple overlapping objects and find it difficult to right-click the exact item you want to lock, go to the Home tab, click Arrange, and open the Selection Pane. From there, you can click the little padlock icon next to any layer name to lock or unlock it instantly.

If you’ve ever built a “central hub” app and thought “how do I get users to our external resources”, there’s a good chance the issue isn’t your navigation... it’s the function you’re using to bridge the gap. That’s where the Launch function steps in. It’s one of Power Apps’ most practical tools, quietly turning your app into a gateway for the rest of the web.

Below is a full walkthrough of what the Launch function does, how to set it up, and how it behaves in real‑world apps.

What the Launch Function Is & Why It Matters

The Launch function allows you to open external URLs such as Google, SharePoint, or other internal tools like SAP directly from your app. It is the primary tool for linking your users to content that lives outside of Power Apps.

Setting Up & Formula Syntax

To trigger an external link, you typically walk through a simple control setup:

• Button Control: You start by inserting a button control and renaming it for clarity.
• OnSelect Property: You then use the OnSelect property of that button or any other element to trigger the action.
• The Power of Quotes: Within the Launch function, it is essential to use speech marks (quotes) around the URL so Power Apps recognizes it as text.

Launch vs. Navigate: Know the Difference

A core concept for building navigation is understanding the distinction between two key functions:

• Launch: Use this exclusively for external pages or apps outside of your current Power App.
• Navigate: Use this for moving between different screens internally within the same app.

The Launch Function in Action (Simple Example)

Imagine an app acting as a company portal. You have a button labeled "Submit Feedback." By setting its OnSelect property to a Launch function pointing to a Microsoft Form URL, clicking that button instantly opens the form in a new browser tab.

An example of how the formula looks is: Launch("https://www.google.com")

This ensures that your app can effectively manage external content in a way that feels professional and user-friendly.

Testing Your Connections

Always verify your formulas by ensuring your URLs are properly encased in quotes and testing the button behavior in your app's preview mode to confirm the correct external pages are launching.

To see the Launch function in action with a guided walkthrough, take a look at the video I made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZfAiwcPu-k&list=PLju7Zi4M1O9bJWG56RKjVa8Jmv8CDpahU&index=2

If you’ve ever spent an hour building a presentation and thought “why is this taking so long,” there’s a good chance the issue isn’t your content... it’s the constant clicking you’re doing to add new slides. That’s where the Ctrl + M shortcut steps in. It’s one of PowerPoint’s simplest but most effective efficiency tools, quietly keeping you in the creative flow.

Below is a full walkthrough of why this shortcut is a game-changer and how it behaves in real-world deck building.

The "Clicking" Trap

Manually navigating to the "Home" or "Insert" tab just to find and click the "New Slide" button might only take a few seconds, but those seconds add up. Every time you move your hand from the keyboard to the mouse, you break your typing momentum and slow down your creative process.

The Solution: Instant Slide Insertion

The fastest way to add a slide isn't through a menu... it's through your keyboard. By using a simple key combination, you can build your deck without ever breaking your stride.

• The Shortcut: Pressing Ctrl + M instantly inserts a new slide into your presentation.
• The Placement: The new slide is added immediately after your currently selected slide, typically adopting the layout of the slide before it.

This ensures that the "flow" of your work remains uninterrupted, allowing you to focus on the story you're telling rather than the software you're using.

To see this shortcut in action with a guided walkthrough, take a look at the video I made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbhXapstCf8&list=PLju7Zi4M1O9b5-VRfN4ykQvFoOM_sq6QP&index=17

Are there any other shortcuts you love using or find intriguing?

If you’ve ever filled out a survey and thought “why am I being asked this,” there’s a good chance the issue isn’t the questions... it’s the logic you didn’t realise was missing. That’s where Branching steps in. It’s one of Microsoft Forms’ simplest but most professional features, quietly ensuring your respondents only see what actually matters to them.

Below is a full walkthrough of what Branching does, how to set it up, and how it behaves in real‑world surveys.

What Branching Is & Why It Matters

Branching allows you to create dynamic surveys where the path a respondent takes depends entirely on their previous answers.

It is the primary tool for creating a "choose your own adventure" style form. You need it when you want to:

• Track specific data without cluttering the form for everyone.
• Skip irrelevant questions to reduce "survey fatigue" for respondents
• Validate paths by sending users to specific follow-up sections.
• Professionalise the experience by only showing relevant content.
• Avoid confusion caused by "If yes, answer question 5" instructions.

Setting Up & Configuring Logic

To start, you access the branching options by clicking the three-dot menu (More settings) on any specific question and selecting "Add branching."

From there, you map out the logic:

• Response Mapping: You can assign specific choices (like "Yes" or "No") to different follow-up questions.
• End of Form: You can even direct a specific answer to jump straight to the end of the form, bypassing the rest of the survey entirely.

Branching in Action (Simple Example)

Imagine a registration form where you ask if a guest has dietary requirements.

• If the respondent selects "No," they skip the next five questions about allergies and go straight to the "Submit" button.
• If they select "Yes," the form instantly reveals a "Please specify" text box.

This ensures that the "something" the user sees is always relevant to their specific situation.

The Benefits of Dynamic Numbering

One of the smartest features of Microsoft Forms is that it automatically adjusts question numbering. Even if a respondent skips from Question 2 to Question 10, the form will renumber them as 1, 2, and 3 on their screen.

This keeps the flow seamless and ensures the respondent never feels like they are missing out on parts of the form.

Testing Your Logic

Before sending your form out, always use the "Preview" mode. This allows you to walk through the different paths yourself to ensure the logic flows exactly as intended.

To see Branching in action with a guided walkthrough, take a look at the video I made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWpe5uL4GGs