In my line of work, I have to prepare presentations that I typically
have to circulate as PowerPoint documents (.ppt files). The recipeints
of the file typically want to print it out, so a .pps does not work. I
also use a lot of graphics that I import from files.

Unless I embed the graphics (Insert > Pictures> from file> save with
document), I have to circulate a whole set of files (package). This is
not convenient for the people to whom I send the files.

The MAJOR problem I have with embedding the files is that, if I do not
remember to click on "Save with document", the graphics are not
embedded.

If I forget to embed a graphic, there is no way that I have found to
tell this before I send out the file, so it is up to the recipeints to
let me know that there are graphics missing (not good)! Finally, having
to go back in and embed a graphic into a slide that contains custom
animation is VERY painful, time consuming and error-prone.

In other applications (Word, for example), the selection of "Save with
document" is left selected for the whole editing session. This would
certainly be a good start in PowerPoint.

Also, it would be good under "Properties..." to have a "Graphic Status"
table to show the name, page, format and embedded status for all the
graphics in the .ppt file. It would also be nice to be able to change
the status of embedded.

Am I missing some technique that would alleviate this problem? I have
checked with Support, and they have no solution.

For the record, I am working in Office 2004 (11.2.6) on Mac OSX (10.4.7)