Glossary
What is an appendix in a presentation?
Appendix: The appendix is the section after the closing slide that holds backup material, such as detailed data, methods and extra analyses, which you show only when someone asks.
The appendix is the part of a deck that comes after the closing slide. It holds the backup material: detailed tables, the method and sources, extra analyses and the answers to questions you expect but do not want to present. You do not present it. You open it when someone asks.
An appendix keeps the main story short without leaving you empty-handed. The audience sees one clear line of argument, and the evidence is still ready.
What goes where
Apply one test: does the audience need this slide to follow the argument or to make the decision? If yes, it belongs in the main part. If it only backs up a claim, it belongs in the appendix.
| Main part | Appendix |
|---|---|
| The conclusion and the recommendation | The data table behind each chart |
| One chart per message | The same chart split by region, product or year |
| The result of the analysis | Method, sources and assumptions |
| The option you recommend | The options you rejected, with reasons |
An example: a pitch deck states one blended CAC on its slide, and the split by sales channel waits in the appendix for the investor who asks.
How to use an appendix well
- Plan it before you build the deck. Write down the questions you expect, especially the hard ones, and prepare one backup slide for each.
- Add a divider slide labeled "Appendix" that lists what follows. It lets you find the right slide without scrolling past the others while people watch.
- Title each slide with its message and add the source. Appendix slides get forwarded and read without you.
- Keep it organized. Group the slides by topic and number them, for example A1 to A9.
- Count only the main part when you plan the talk and the number of slides. The appendix is not part of the speaking time.
Typical mistakes
- A dumping ground. Sixty unsorted slides do not help anyone find the one they need.
- Hiding the key slide. If the audience needs it to decide, it belongs in the storyline.
- Presenting appendix slides because you have them. This stretches the meeting and weakens the main argument.
- No divider and no index.
- Slides without a title or a source, which nobody can follow once the file is forwarded.
Decide, too, when the file goes out. A deck shared as a pre-read should carry its appendix, because readers use it to check the numbers.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What goes in the appendix of a presentation?
Backup material: detailed data tables, method and assumptions, sources, extra breakdowns and the options you rejected. The test is whether the audience needs the slide to follow the argument. If not, it goes in the appendix.
Where does the appendix go in a deck?
After the closing slide, behind a divider slide labeled Appendix. That way the deck ends on the request or the conclusion and not on backup material.
Do appendix slides count toward the slide limit?
No. Count only the main part against the slide limit and the speaking time, because you do not present the appendix. It still adds to the size of the file, so keep it organized and give each slide a title and a source. The guide on how many slides covers how to size the main part.
Should you send the appendix with the deck?
If the deck goes out as a pre-read, yes, because readers use the appendix to check the numbers. If you present live and share nothing, keep it in your file and open it on request.
Keep reading
Delivering the talk
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Where to go next
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