Use a Presentation Pigeonhole in PowerPoint

A Presentation Pigeonhole is a lightweight Pigeonhole designed for simple scenarios like team meetings, classes, and quick demonstrations. This Pigeonhole type contains interactivities. You can present these interactivities on their own or within your own PowerPoint slides.

User access rights

The following user access rights apply when collaborating using the PowerPoint Add-on.

How to create a Presentation Pigeonhole from your PowerPoint Slides

Prerequisites:

1. Install the Pigeonhole Live add-ins for PowerPoint.
2. Connect your Pigeonhole Live account to PowerPoint.

While the Pigeonhole Live Dashboard is often the easiest starting point, you can also create your Presentation Pigeonhole directly from within PowerPoint.

1. At the top of the Pigeonhole Live side panel, select the Workspace where you want to create the Presentation Pigeonhole.

2. Under Create Pigeonhole, select Presentation.

   

   The Pigeonhole Live panel in Microsoft PowerPoint. The Workspace dropdown is highlighted.

   The landing page opens in the Pigeonhole Live panel. A green status icon indicates that it is Active.

   

   The landing page for the Presentation Pigeonhole add-in in PowerPoint

3. Select the Interactivity type you want to add. The choices are:
   • Q&A
   • Quiz
   • Word cloud
   • Survey
   • Multiple choice poll
   • Assessment
   • Open-ended poll

4. Enter the information for the Interactivity and select Add to presentation.

   The following image shows how to create a Word cloud Interactivity in PowerPoint.

   

   Creating a Word cloud Interactivity in PowerPoint

   A new slide containing the Interactivity is added to the PowerPoint. A card for the Interactivity displays in the Interactivities section of the Pigeonhole Live panel, below any Pinned Q&A.

   

   A new Word cloud slide. The card for the Word cloud Interactivity in the Pigeonhole Live panel is highlighted.

5. In the Pigeonhole Live panel, select the Sign-in instructions card. This adds a slide that has instructions for participants to join through the Audience Web App.

   

   The Sign-in Instructions card

6. (Optional) To add another Interactivity, repeat Steps 4-5.

   Tip: You can reorder Interactivities by dragging them up or down in the left sidebar.

7. (Optional) You can hide one or more interactivities from participants until you present them live. For example, you might hide a Quiz or Assessment.

• For a single item: In the Pigeonhole Live panel, hover over the Interactivity, then select the  “More options” menu (…) > Hide. Perform that action again to unhide the Interactivity.
• For all items of a type (all Q&As or all Polls): Hover on the header for the Interactivity type, then select the “More options” menu (…) > Hide all. To unhide them, select the “More options” menu (…) > Show or Show all.

A card with the “More options” menu expanded to show the Hide option

9. (Optional) To share the Presentation Pigeonhole, use the Share links menu at the top right. 

   

   The Share links menu in the Pigeonhole Live panel

   • Share links > Invite participants: Displays a link and QR code that open the Presentation Pigeonhole in the Audience Web App.

The Share to Participants window showing the link and QR code

• Share links > Manage responses: Displays a link and QR code that open the Presentation Pigeonhole in the Admin Panel. Use this option to share with a team member who will manage responses and audience engagement while you focus on giving your talk.

9. (Recommended) Test the Presentation Pigeonhole. A test enables you to see how participants will experience it in the Audience Web App. If you’re on a paid plan, you can clear your own responses after testing. Hover over the card for the Interactivity and select the “More options” menu (…) > Clear responses.

Add a Presentation Pigeonhole to Your PowerPoint

If you already created your Presentation Pigeonhole in the Dashboard, here’s how to add it to your PowerPoint:

1. In the Pigeonhole Live panel, select the Workspace that has the interactivities you want to add to your slides.

2. Select the Presentation Pigeonhole that has the interactivities.

   

   A screenshot of the Pigeonhole Live panel in PowerPoint. The Select Pigeonhole area is highlighted.

   The Presentation Pigeonhole opens in the Pigeonhole Live panel.

3. If you didn’t add the sign-in instructions to the Presentation yet, select the Sign-in instructions card in the Pigeonhole Live panel. This adds a slide that has instructions for participants to join through the Audience Web App.

4. Select the card for the Interactivity you want to add. 
   A new slide containing the Interactivity is added to the PowerPoint.

   Tip: You can add the same Interactivity multiple times within the same slide deck.

What happens to interactivities that are created, edited, or deleted elsewhere after the Pigeonhole Pigeonhole is added to a PowerPoint?

Changes made in the Dashboard

You can sync any changes made on the Dashboard to PowerPoint. From the side panel, select the refresh icon. This icon is available for the list of presentations in a Workspace, and for the list of interactivities in a Presentation.

Sync changes by selecting the refresh icon

When the side panel refreshes:

• Any new interactivities display in the side panel. Follow the steps above to add a new Interactivity to your slides.
• Any edits to existing interactivities are reflected in the side panel.
• Deleted interactivities no longer display in the side panel.

Changes made in another Pigeonhole Live add-in

There are some things to know about edits made to an Interactivity through a different Pigeonhole Live integration. If an Interactivity's title is changed, the change is reflected in PowerPoint. If an Interactivity is deleted, the slide displays a “not available” error message.

Edit Pigeonhole Details

You can change some of the details for a Presentation Pigeonhole directly from PowerPoint. 

1. Open the Presentation Pigeonhole in the Pigeonhole Live panel.

2. Select the hamburger menu at the top left of the Pigeonhole Live panel.

   

   The Pigeonhole Live panel with the hamburger menu highlighted

3. You can change the Pigeonhole name, Passcode, or End date. In the window that opens, select the pencil icon that appears when you hover near the title of the Presentation.

   

   Select the pencil icon to edit basic information about the Pigeonhole.

4. Make the necessary edits and select Save changes.

   

   The Edit Presentation info screen in the Pigeonhole Live panel. The Save changes button is shown.

Customise appearance

To customise the appearance of your Pigeonhole, select Customise appearance. You will be redirected to the Pigeonhole Live Dashboard to make any changes.

Select Customise appearance to change how your Pigeonhole and its interactivities appear.

Learn more about customising the appearance of your Pigeonhole.

View insights

To view the insights for the Pigeonhole, select View insights data. You will be redirected to the Pigeonhole Live Dashboard to view data about your interactivities and participants.

View insights for the Pigeonhole by selecting View insights data.

Switch Pigeonholes

You might want to change the Pigeonhole you’re using in your PowerPoint. 

To use a different Pigeonhole for your slides, select Switch Presentation

Switch pigeonholes to change the interactivities you can add.

A list of pigeonholes in the current Workspace opens in the Pigeonhole Live panel. Select the Pigeonhole you want to use. Or, select Presentation or Event under Create Pigeonhole. When you select one of these options, you’re redirected to your Workspace to create a new Pigeonhole.

Select the Presentation you want to use instead in the Pigeonhole Live panel. Or, select an option to create a new Pigeonhole.

After selecting a different Pigeonhole, select Switch Presentation in the pop-up window to confirm your selection.

The Manage Pigeonhole screen in the Pigeonhole Live panel. The prompt to confirm switching is displayed.

Move Pigeonhole to Trash

To delete the entire Pigeonhole from the Pigeonhole Live platform, select the hamburger menu, then select Move Pigeonhole to trash. You will be prompted to select a new Pigeonhole for the PowerPoint, or redirected to the Pigeonhole Live Dashboard to create a new one.

Important: If you added interactivities from a Pigeonhole to your PowerPoint, the slides are not automatically deleted. You must delete them from the PowerPoint manually. 

The option to move a Pigeonhole to Trash. This action marks it as trash on the Dashboard.

Showing a PowerPoint that contains Pigeonhole Live interactivities

To show an Interactivity in your PowerPoint, deliver your PowerPoint as you normally would. Here’s a breakdown of what happens in the Audience Web App when you present specific types of slides.

When presenting an Interactivity

• Synchronization: If the current slide is a Pigeonhole Interactivity, participants who join the Pigeonhole are automatically redirected (autocast) to that specific Interactivity in the Audience Web App.
• Engagement: Participants can immediately participate in the Interactivity, or view the results as you display them.
• Presenter Action: The presenter only needs to move from slide to slide in presentation mode. The participants' mobile devices automatically follow and display the corresponding live Interactivity.

When presenting a non-Pigeonhole slide

• Synchronization: If the current slide is a regular PowerPoint slide (non-Pigeonhole) or the Sign-in Instructions, the Audience Web App reverts to the last Interactivity the participant was viewing.
• Audience Access: While regular slides are being presented, the Audience Web App limits user interaction to the Pinned Q&A only.

Common issues

If you experience any issues or challenges, read the article on commonly encountered issues using Pigeonhole Live on PowerPoint. 

Privacy and security

Pigeonhole Live does not access, collect, or store any data beyond what is strictly necessary for the add-in to work as intended. 

Learn more about privacy and security with Pigeonhole Live for PowerPoint. 

Related information

• Present a Presentation Pigeonhole on the Web
• Use a Presentation Pigeonhole in Google Slides