PPTX

# PPTX

Read, create, and manipulate PowerPoint (.pptx) presentations. Slides are visual
artifacts — quality matters. A generated deck that looks AI-made undermines the
content. This skill enforces visual discipline.

## Keywords
powerpoint, pptx, slides, deck, presentation, pitch deck, slide layout, master slide,
template, speaker notes, slide transitions, animations, charts in slides,
images on slides, executive summary, board deck, sales deck

## Core Truth

The default python-pptx output looks like a 2003 PowerPoint. To make slides that
don't embarrass the user, you need:
1. A real template (their brand template or a curated one)
2. Layout discipline (don't put 12 bullets on a slide)
3. Visual hierarchy (one big idea per slide)
4. Restraint (less text, more emphasis)

If the user uploads a template — USE IT. Don't generate a fresh deck and ignore
their branding.

---

## 1. When To Use

- Building pitch decks, sales decks, board decks
- Creating training presentations
- Converting reports into presentation form
- Editing an existing .pptx
- Generating slides from outlines
- Pulling speaker notes for review

## 2. When NOT To Use

- Single-screen content → use an artifact
- Document content → use docx
- Data dashboards → use HTML or xlsx
- Interactive presentations → use HTML/Reveal.js

## 3. Slide Anatomy

Every slide has:
- **Layout** — defined by slide master (Title, Content, Two-Content, etc.)
- **Placeholders** — title, body, footer, slide number
- **Shapes** — text boxes, images, charts, tables added on top
- **Speaker notes** — separate from slide content

Use layouts, not raw text boxes. Layout-based slides are editable; raw text boxes
become a maintenance nightmare.

## 4. The "Don't Be Boring" Rules

| Rule | Why |
|------|-----|
| ≤ 5 bullets per slide | Beyond 5, no one reads |
| ≤ 7 words per bullet | Slides aren't documents |
| 1 main idea per slide | If two, split into two slides |
| Title is the takeaway | Not "Q3 Results" — "Q3 revenue up 47%" |
| Consistent fonts | Two faces max; one weight per role |
| Real images, not clipart | If you can't find one, use a single icon |

## 5. Layout Patterns That Work

- **Title + key number** — for milestones (huge number, small caption)
- **Two-column compare** — left = before, right = after
- **Quote slide** — large quote, small attribution
- **Visual + 3 points** — image left, three sentence bullets right
- **Section divider** — bold color, single phrase

Avoid: 4-quadrant slides with text in every quadrant. Nobody reads them.

## 6. Common Pitfalls

| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---------|-------|-----|
| Slides look like default PowerPoint | No template applied | Use template's slide layouts |
| Text overflows the slide | No auto-fit | Set autosize on text frame |
| Images are pixelated | Used low-DPI source | Always use 1920x1080 or higher |
| Fonts swap on user's machine | Not embedded | Tell user to use system fonts (Calibri, Arial) |
| Charts look bad | Default Office chart style | Customize colors, remove gridlines |

## 7. Speaker Notes

Notes are NOT optional for serious decks. They:
- Give the presenter the words
- Document the source of claims
- Survive the slide getting forwarded
- Are searchable in archive

Add notes to every slide. Even a one-liner is better than empty.

## 8. Key Questions Before Starting

- What's the audience — investors, customers, board, internal?
- What's the venue — projected, screen-shared, printed handout?
- Is there a template?
- How long is the talk? (~1 slide per minute is a rough rule)
- What's the single ask or takeaway?

## References
- `references/python-pptx-patterns.md` — Code for common operations
- `references/slide-templates/` — Five layout starters
- `references/design-principles.md` — Visual hierarchy notes