PPT Excel: How to Convert PPT to PDF using VBA

Do you need to convert your ppt files to pdf? This post explains how to convert the PPT files in a folder to PDF using Excel VBA.

Suppose you have developed automation that generates the number of PowerPoint files and stores them in a folder. It will be good practice that instead of sharing PowerPoint files, you can convert the same as a pdf and share it with your colleagues.

How to convert PPT to PDF

VBA Script

Sub pptTOpdf()
Dim oPPTApp As PowerPoint.Application
Dim oPPTFile As PowerPoint.Presentation
Dim onlyFileName As String, folderPath As String, pptFile As String, removeFileExt As Long
Dim sFldr As String

Application.ScreenUpdating = False

' Open the folder dialog box to select
With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFolderPicker)
    .Title = "Select folder"
    If .Show = -1 Then
        sFldr = .SelectedItems(1)
    End If
End With

If sFldr = "" Then ' if user did not select folder
    MsgBox "You did not select the folder, Macro exits"

End If

'Assign values
folderPath = sFldr & "\"
pptFile = Dir(folderPath & "*.pp*")

'If no ppt files are in the selected folder exit sub
If pptFile = "" Then
    MsgBox "No files found"
    Exit Sub
End If

Do While pptFile <> ""

    'Assign the PPT application
    Set oPPTApp = CreateObject("PowerPoint.Application")
    oPPTApp.Visible = msoTrue
      
    On Error Resume Next
    
    'Assign the PPT presentation
    Set oPPTFile = oPPTApp.Presentations.Open(folderPath & pptFile)
        
    On Error GoTo 0

    'Assign only file name to variable    removeFileExt = InStr(1, oPPTFile.Name, ".") - 1
    onlyFileName = Left(oPPTFile.Name, removeFileExt)
    
    'Save as PDF
    oPPTFile.ExportAsFixedFormat oPPTFile.Path & "\" & onlyFileName & ".pdf", ppFixedFormatTypePDF, ppFixedFormatIntentPrint
    
    'Close Powerpoint file
    oPPTFile.Close

    'loop for the next file
    pptFile = Dir()
Loop

'close Powerpoint Application
oPPTApp.Quit

'Release memory
Set oPPTFile = Nothing
Set oPPTApp = Nothing
    
Application.ScreenUpdating = True

MsgBox " Succesfully converted"
End Sub

Copy and paste the above VBA script to your VBE Module

How to run VBA in Excel

Please follow the below steps to run the above code

1. Select anywhere in your script in your VBE module
2. Press Green Arrow to execute the Macro or press F5
3. The macro pop up a success message once it is executed
4. Press OK

You can see the macro-generated PDF files in the same folder along with the PowerPoint files.

Conclusions

Your user can open the pdf files through either adobe or a browser window. if you share your report as a PowerPoint file, The user has to install the application and view the PowerPoint slides.