Create a vertical bullet list

1. Click the Insert tab, and then click SmartArt.

   

2. In the Choose a SmartArt Graphic gallery, click List, and then double-click Vertical Bullet List.

3. To enter text in a box, do one of the following:

   • Click [Text] in the Text pane, and then type your text.

   • Copy text from another location or program, click [Text] in the Text pane, and then paste your text.

     Note: If the Text pane is not visible, click the control.

     

   • Click in a box in the SmartArt graphic, and then type your text.

     Note: For best results, use this option after you add all of the boxes that you want.

Add a box

1. Click the SmartArt graphic that you want to add a box to.

2. Click the existing box that is located closest to where you want to add the new box.

3. Click the Design tab under SmartArt Tools, and then click the arrow under Add Shape.

   

   If you don't see the SmartArt Tools or Design tabs, make sure that you've selected the SmartArt graphic.

4. Do one of the following:

   • To insert a box at the same level as the selected box but following it, click Add Shape After.

   • To insert a box at the same level as the selected box but before it, click Add Shape Before.

Delete a box

To delete a box, click the border of the box you want to delete, and then press DELETE.

• When you need to add a box to your vertical bullet list, experiment with adding the box before or after the selected box to get the placement you want for the new box.

• To add a box from the Text pane:

  1. Place your cursor at the beginning of the text where you want to add a box.

  2. Type the text that you want in your new box, press ENTER, and then to indent the new box, press TAB, or to negative indent, press SHIFT+TAB.

• To move a box, click the box, and then drag it to its new location.

• To move a box in very small increments, hold down CTRL while you press the arrow keys on your keyboard.

To quickly add a designer-quality look and polish to your SmartArt graphic, you can change the colors or apply a SmartArt Style (see below) to your vertical bullet list. You can also add effects, such as glows, soft edges, or 3-D effects.

You can apply color combinations that are derived from the theme colors to the boxes in your SmartArt graphic, so that when your theme changes, your SmartArt graphic will update its colors as well.

1. Click the SmartArt graphic whose color you want to change.

2. Click the Design tab under SmartArt Tools, and then click Change Colors.

   

   If you don't see the SmartArt Tools or Design tabs, make sure that you've selected a SmartArt graphic.

3. Click the color combination that you want.

Change the line color or style of a box's border

1. In the SmartArt graphic, right-click the border of the box you want to change, and then click Format Shape.

2. To change the color, weight, and appearance of the box's border, click Outline, and then click the options you want.

3. To change the style of the box's border, click Style, and then choose the line style you want.

Change the background color of a box in your vertical bullet list

1. Right-click the border of a box, click Format Shape, and then click Fill.

2. Click the color you want.

3. Choose Gradient to specify how much you can see through the background color. You can also vary the percentage of transparency from 0% (fully opaque, the default setting) to 100% (fully transparent) from the Fill pane.

A SmartArt Style is a combination of various effects, such as line style, bevel, or 3-D, that you can apply to the boxes in your SmartArt graphic to create a unique and professionally designed look.

1. Click the SmartArt graphic whose SmartArt Style you want to change.

2. Click the Design tab under SmartArt Tools, and then click the SmartArt Style you want.

   

   Click the arrow next to the SmartArt Styles group for styles that best match the document and other style options.

   If you don't see the SmartArt Tools or Design tabs, make sure that you've selected a SmartArt graphic.

• When you place your pointer over a thumbnail, you can see how the SmartArt Style affects your SmartArt graphic.

• You can also customize your SmartArt graphic by moving boxes, resizing boxes, adding a fill or effect, and adding a picture.

If you're using PowerPoint, you can animate your vertical bullet list to emphasize each bullet point.

1. Click the SmartArt graphic vertical bullet list you want to animate.

2. On the Animations tab, click Animate, and then click One by one.