pptx supports creating, reading, and modifying PowerPoint files. New decks generally use PptxGenJS. Template-based work starts by identifying existing layouts and preserving the presentation's structure. It also handles charts and speaker notes. Specify what must remain editable: an image of a slide does not provide the same editing flexibility as native text, shapes, and charts.
Install and invoke
Send these two commands in the Claude Code chat input, one at a time. They are plugin commands, not shell commands for your operating system. The second installs the official collection containing pptx.
/plugin marketplace add anthropics/skills
/plugin install document-skills@anthropic-agent-skills
In your project conversation, ask Claude to “use pptx” and supply the task or files. The prompt below is an editable starting example. Installing the collection supplies instructions and resources; it does not supply your source material or guarantee that every runtime dependency is installed locally. If the skill is missing, check that its plugin is installed, enabled, and loaded in the current session. Do that before troubleshooting the requested output.
Begin with a six-slide briefing
Use pptx to turn brief.md and metrics.csv into a six-slide 16:9 briefing.
Cover the goal, problem, evidence, proposal, milestones, and requested decision.
Keep charts editable in PowerPoint and add short speaker notes.
Save review.pptx, validate its content and structure, and inspect every rendered slide.
Also deliver a PDF preview.
Provide the audience, speaking time, aspect ratio, and key decision before drafting. Give each slide one main purpose. For data slides, include units, date ranges, and metric definitions so the agent does not infer meaning from unlabeled numbers.
The basic creation sequence is to create a presentation, add slides, add objects, and write the file. Set the canvas before placing objects. The skill distinguishes LAYOUT_16x9 from LAYOUT_WIDE: their proportions match, but their physical dimensions differ. Off-canvas coordinates can still be written without a generation error. Put speaker notes in the notes structure rather than a small text box on the slide.
Choose template layouts before filling them
For an existing template, request thumbnails and a map from your sections to its layouts. Finish adding, deleting, and reordering slides before editing their content. Remove unused visual groups as well as placeholder text; deleting a fourth person's name does not remove their picture and decorative frame.
Use the bundled slide helper to maintain package relationships when duplicating slides. Charts, SmartArt, and embedded objects may still be shared after duplication, so a change on one page can affect another. Save under a new filename and preserve the original for comparison.
Check content, structure, and appearance separately
Text extraction reveals omissions, ordering problems, and placeholders. Structural validation checks XML, relationships, and chart defects. Full-slide renders reveal clipping, overlap, spacing, and contrast. Template-derived files should be validated against their originals where the helper supports that comparison.
Finally, open the PPTX and edit a text box and a chart series to confirm the requested editability. Font substitution in preview tools can change wrapping, so inspect the deck in the actual presentation software too. When a slide is crowded, simplify its argument or split it before reducing all text to an unreadable size.
Decide what belongs to a template layout
When using a company template, make a thumbnail index and map content to suitable existing layouts. If a four-person slide holds a three-person team, remove the entire fourth placeholder group rather than just its name. Perform structural changes such as adding and reordering slides before replacing copy; doing it afterward may duplicate already edited text. Preserve the template's original brand art and layout relationships instead of redrawing approximate substitutes, so the deck remains maintainable.
Validate in the presentation app you will use
A user reported generated PPTX files that opened in PowerPoint and LibreOffice but failed to import into Apple Keynote; a PowerPoint Online round trip changed the file enough to open. If the room uses Keynote, test the final file there before the meeting and inspect editable text, notes, widescreen size, and fonts. A PDF render or PowerPoint thumbnail alone does not establish Keynote compatibility.