PowerPoint: Can Continual Re-use and modification Increase Corruption Risk? 1

[kjv1611]

There are a few different PowerPoint files I use at work on either a monthly or quarterly basis. With those files to reduce headaches month to month, we usually create a copy of Month1, and modify it to be for Month2. So, for instance, for October, I took a copy of the September file for one meeting, and updated everything to October, and then pasted in new screenshots mainly of reports as necessary. I do this every month for one reporting session, and every quarter for a separate reporting session.

To me, I just wonder, is there any limit to where PowerPoint becomes dangerously unstable? Or is it just the type thing it just happens when it happens, and no way really to prevent it?

I have not had any such issues yet, but just thinking ahead in case we do run into issues.

Thanks for any thoughts or references.

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57

 

[Larena]

Every time a document is saved there is a tiny chance of introducing a corruption. If the document is a large file size (e.g. includes lot of pictures) the save takes longer and so there is more opportunity for a corruption to occur.

Unfortunately from what I've seen over the years, people will put up with errors (signs of corruption) until such stage as a document is unusable. By that stage, it may have been corrupt for many months & it's difficult to identify a 'good' copy to use from then on.

My preferred option is to create a brand new template document, saved as a PPTX (so people don't accidentally overwrite it) and use the template every month rather than reusing the same document over and over.

 

[kjv1611]

Thanks for the thoughts.

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57