PDF Converter Elite

Introduction
Using PDF Converter Elite
Pricing and Support
Conclusion

Introduction

PDF Converter Elite is an application that enables you to do two types of PDF related tasks. First of all, it can create PDFs from any file on your computer. More importantly though, and something that we will explore in this review is the second ability that PDF Converter Elite has up its sleeve – it can convert existing PDFs into popular Microsoft Office file formats such as PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Publisher, HTML and more. In this review we'll explore how you can convert a PDF to a PowerPoint presentation.

PDF Converter Elite is from PDFConverter.com, a Vancouver, Canada based company. You can learn more about PDF Converter Elite from their site.

My contact at PDFConverter.com for this review was Maria - thank you, Maria.

Using PDF Converter Elite

Download the installer from the link given above, and run the setup routine. Even if you do not download and install PDF Converter Elite, you can follow this walkthrough to understand PDF Converter Elite better:

1. Go to your Windows Start menu and choose All Programs | PDF Converter Elite 3 | PDF Converter Elite.
2. This opens the PDF Converter Elite interface, as shown in Figure 1.
3. 
   Figure 1: PDF Converter Elite interface
3. Within the PDF Converter Elite interface, click the Open button (highlighted in red in Figure 1, above). This brings up the Open window, from where you can choose the PDFs for conversion. Select the file(s) you need, and then click the Open button.
   Note: Opening a presentation style PDF will work best if you want to convert it to a PowerPoint presentation. It makes no sense opening a detailed list of data entries and expect it to be converted to a PowerPoint presentation.
4. Once the selected PDF is opened within the PDF Converter Elite interface, click the PowerPoint button (highlighted in red in Figure 2).
5. 
   Figure 2: PowerPoint button within the PDF Converter Elite interface
5. This opens the PDF to PowerPoint task pane, as shown in Figure 3. Within this task pane, select how you want to convert the PDF(s) content - choose from the options provided such as:
6. Selected area, or
7. Odd, even, or all the pages, or
8. Select content over a specified page range.
6. For this review we selected the Pages radio button, as shown highlighted in red in Figure 3 - with all pages chosen for conversion.
7. 
   Figure 3: PDF to PowerPoint task pan within the PDF Converter Elite interface
8. Once the choice is made, click the Convert to PowerPoint button highlighted in blue in Figure 3, above.
7. This will start the conversion process, and open the converted presentation in PowerPoint. Make sure you save your converted presentation once it is opened.

Pricing and Support

PDF Converter Elite costs $99.95.

Support is through e-mail and telephone number.

Conclusion

The end result can depend upon what you start with -- and even then, don't expect a structured outline with default titles and placeholders -- all text content is converted to text boxes. You'll then have to change slide layouts and set them as titles or placeholders as required. Also transparent PNGs come up as pictures without transparency -- the hitherto transparent areas show as black in PowerPoint and it's easy thereafter to use PowerPoint's Set Transparent Color tool.

All put together, PDF Converter Elite does a good job because you won't have to type all the text or copy and paste visual content from PDFs -- it's easier to clean up the house rather than build a new one! But don't expect miracles -- and be prepared to clean up your presentation after it has been converted.