This is a problem I’ve experienced a lot in my projects – How to make financial charts more visual? How to enhance a table copied from Excel into PowerPoint?
A few quick tricks I’d suggest:
After copying Excel table into PowerPoint, apply colors of the table cells or rows to distinguish more and less important data.
1. Use colors to show data importance
Usually the rows with Totals, EBITDAs, Profit summaries are more important ones than detailed financial data of specific costs category.
Use high contrast colors, consider using negative color coding (e.g. dark blue background and white text) for the key table rows.

2. Converting tables to other forms
By other forms I mean data plots or other diagrams. Data charts are quite obvious form of table visualization, in case you have quantitative data there. If you have a time you can redesign default charts to something more visually original and attractive like those below.

In case you have a financial plan, that covers a sequence of points in time you can use a financial timeline infographics rather than a classical table .

3. Make columns graphical
Add graphical elements to column headers – a specific icon if you have a space. Or make header as a separate shape over the table


4. Show where to look in a table
Highlight the key financial values – e.g. use a hand drawn arrows or swoosh to circle the key data. You can make them using PowerPoint pen tool, simple shape or some shapes.

Resources to learn more
For practice, check our slide design training
- workshops in Poland (in Polish or English)
- online training (English, Polish) – ask me for details
For graphical resources
- See some creative table highlighters in this PowerPoint set
- Search through other PPT templates on our infoDiagram platform.
Books for further self-study and reading
- Say if with a Charts, Gene Zelazny
- Slide:ology, Nancy Duarte
Hope that gives you some ideas for start.
PS. If you have any slide design related question, share in comments or contact me directly, I’d love to help.