Grid Lines and Guides in MS PowerPoint

Gridlines and Guides is an important feature in PowerPoint which is often neglected. This is because it doesn't have a direct use in presentation making. Instead it aids in making presentations cleaner and more precise. Before moving forward, it is imperative to understand the difference between the two. 

Gridlines helps you in 
a) Ascertaining center of slide
b) Precise positioning shapes and objects 

By default, gridlines are spaced 0.083 inches apart. Guides, on the other hand, basically help you in drawing shapes and then precisely positioning it. They also help in adjusting the relative positions of the objects. Another important distinction between the gridlines and guides is that the gridlines are fixed positions (depending on your settings) while guides are movable lines. You can also create multiple guides by using Ctrl key with mouse/keypad (just like you replicate objects). 

Both gridlines and guides aren't visible during presentations.

Use of Gridlines 

In the picture to the left is an arrangement of the different objects. The same objects are shown individually in the right hand side. You can clearly see how neatly the objects have been positioned with respect to one another. This precise positioning can be attained through the gridlines. 

The picture below shows how the gridlines guide you in placing the object on the slide in the precise manner easily. 

Use of Guides

In the following example the aim is to draw a boomerang. The shape of boomerang requires symmetry on both sides. This can be achieved through the use of drawling guides. 

In the picture to the left you can see how the guides have helped in drawing the boomerang swiftly and easily. To the left is the finished boomerang.