pptx-builder

PPTX Builder: NAPA Template-Based Presentations

CRITICAL: This skill is the ONLY way to create NAPA presentations. NEVER invoke the generic Anthropic pptx skill (/mnt/.skills/skills/pptx/SKILL.md). It uses PptxGenJS from-scratch generation, which has failed 3 times and does not produce brand-compliant output.

Before You Start

1. Read brand-standards skill for colors, fonts, and tone
2. Check references/template-catalog.md for inspiration from existing template concepts
3. Check references/template-layout-catalog.md for the full layout inventory with placeholder maps
4. Reference the proven build scripts listed below

Template Location

ITSM Process and Standards/04 - Branding/NAPA Standard Slide Template - 2025.pptx

54 slides, 30 layouts. This is the ONLY template for NAPA presentations.

Proven Build Scripts

Script	Slides	Location
ITSM Presentation	17	scripts/document-generation/build_pptx_from_template.py (636 lines, gold standard)
Jarvis Origin Story	16	Projects/Jarvis Origin Story/build_jarvis_origin_story.py
ServiceNow Roadmap	20	Projects/ServiceNow Roadmap/ (Layout 14 rebuild, Feb 2026)

Copy the pattern from these scripts exactly for new presentations.

The Hybrid Strategy (Mandatory)

Every NAPA presentation uses this two-part approach:

Part 1: Keep design-rich template slides

• Title Slide (index 0)
• Divider Slide 01 (index 2)
• Divider Slide 02 (index 3)
• Divider Slide 03 (index 4)
• Closing Slide (index 42)
• KEEP_INDICES = {0, 2, 3, 4, 42}

Part 2: Add custom content slides

Two approaches, depending on the slide type:

Approach A (Default): Use "Blank Content 07" (Layout 14) for fully custom slides

• This is the ONLY layout with ZERO placeholders
• Build everything from scratch with helper functions: add_text, add_rect, add_header_bar, add_bullets
• Use this as the DEFAULT for any slide where you control all content

Approach B: Use structured NAPA layouts and fill ALL their placeholders

• Some NAPA layouts have pre-designed placeholder arrangements (Agenda, Timeline, Text, Bubble, etc.)
• If a layout's structure fits your content, use it and fill EVERY placeholder
• CRITICAL: Unfilled placeholders display "Click to add..." ghost text that bleeds through any overlaid shapes
• See references/template-layout-catalog.md for the complete inventory with placeholder maps

Reorder slides to desired sequence at the end.

Layout Selection Quick Reference

DEFAULT CHOICE: When in doubt, use Layout 14 ("Blank Content 07"). Zero placeholders, full control.

Layout	Name	Placeholders	Best For
14	Blank Content 07	0 (SAFE)	Default for all custom content
0-1	Title Slide 01-02	2 (idx 10, 11)	Opening slides (kept from template)
2-4	Divider Slide 01-03	1 (idx 10)	Section breaks (kept from template)
5	Agenda Slide 01	2 (idx 10, 11)	Simple agenda with title + content area
6	Agenda Slide 02	14	4-column numbered agenda sections
10	Blank Content 03	2 (idx 10, 11)	Title + full-width content area
18	Closing Slide	1 (idx 0)	Closing (kept from template)
19	Timeline 01	18	7-point timeline with descriptions
24-29	Text 01-07	4-13	Various text layouts (headline + body combos)

Full catalog with positions and sizes: references/template-layout-catalog.md

DANGER: Layouts That Look Blank But Aren't

These layouts have "Blank" in the name but contain placeholders that will show ghost text:

Layout	Name	Placeholders	Risk
8	Blank Content 01	4 (includes image placeholder)	Shows "Insert Image" and "Click to add"
9	Blank Content 02	4 (includes image placeholder)	Shows "Insert Image" and "Click to add"
11	Blank Content 04	2 (idx 10, 11)	Shows title/subtitle ghost text
12	Blank Content 05	2 (idx 10, 11)	Shows title/subtitle ghost text
13	Blank Content 06	2 (idx 10, 11)	KNOWN FAILURE: ghost text bleeds behind custom shapes
15	Blank Content 08	6	Shows multiple "Click to add" fields

NEVER use Layout 13 ("Blank Content 06") for custom content. This was the root cause of the Feb 2026 ServiceNow Roadmap PPTX failure where "Click to add title" and "Click here to add sub-title" text appeared behind all custom shapes.

Placeholder Index Map (Template Slides Only)

Slide Type	Placeholder idx	Content
Title Slide	10	Main title text
Title Slide	11	Subtitle text
Divider Slides	10	Section title
Closing Slide	0	Company info

Fill these with: for ph in slide.placeholders: if ph.placeholder_format.idx == 10:

Font Size Guide

MINIMUM READABLE SIZE: 11pt. Never go below 11pt for any text a viewer needs to read. Sizes of 7-9pt were used in prior builds and confirmed too small to read in presentations.

Element	Size	Notes
Title slide title	24pt	Fits within idx=10 bounds
Title slide subtitle	14pt	Fits within idx=11 bounds
Divider titles	36pt	Large, bold section headers
Content headers	28pt	White text on blue header bar
Body text / bullets	14-16pt	Main readable content (never below 13pt)
Sub-headers	16-18pt	Emphasis within slides
Metric numbers	42-44pt	Large callout stats
Metric labels	12-13pt	Below metric numbers
Table cell text	11-13pt	Minimum 11pt for readability
Captions / footnotes	11pt	Minimum readable size
Source attributions	11pt	Bottom-of-slide references

Rule of thumb: If you find yourself going below 11pt, the slide has too much content. Split it into two slides instead.

Script Skeleton

import shutil
from pptx import Presentation
from pptx.util import Inches, Pt, Emu
from pptx.dml.color import RGBColor
from pptx.enum.text import PP_ALIGN
from pptx.enum.shapes import MSO_SHAPE

# === NAPA CONSTANTS ===
TEMPLATE = "ITSM Process and Standards/04 - Branding/NAPA Standard Slide Template - 2025.pptx"
OUTPUT = "output.pptx"
KEEP_INDICES = {0, 2, 3, 4, 42}
BLUE = RGBColor(0x00, 0x51, 0x95)
ORANGE = RGBColor(0xFF, 0xA3, 0x00)
WHITE = RGBColor(0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF)
DARK_BLUE = RGBColor(0x00, 0x33, 0x66)
GRAY = RGBColor(0x66, 0x66, 0x66)
LIGHT_GRAY = RGBColor(0xF5, 0xF5, 0xF5)
FONT = "Arial"
SW = 13.33  # slide width inches
SH = 7.5   # slide height inches
MIN_FONT = 11  # Minimum readable font size in pt

# === HELPER FUNCTIONS ===
# (See references/helper-functions.md for full set)

# === BUILD ===
shutil.copy2(TEMPLATE, OUTPUT)
prs = Presentation(OUTPUT)

# 1. Delete non-kept slides (reverse order)
all_idx = list(range(len(prs.slides)))
del_idx = sorted([i for i in all_idx if i not in KEEP_INDICES], reverse=True)
for i in del_idx:
    delete_slide(prs, i)

# 2. Fill template placeholders
# 3. Add custom content slides using Layout 14 ("Blank Content 07")
blank_layout = get_layout(prs, "Blank Content 07")  # Layout 14, 0 placeholders
slide = prs.slides.add_slide(blank_layout)

# 4. Reorder slides
# 5. Save
prs.save(OUTPUT)

Mandatory Rules

1. Always shutil.copy2 the template first, then open the copy
2. Keep indices {0, 2, 3, 4, 42} from the 54-slide template
3. Fill placeholders by index (idx=10 for title, idx=11 for subtitle)
4. NEVER reposition placeholders (no ph.top = ...). Adjust font size instead.
5. Font: Arial everywhere. Never Calibri.
6. Minimum font size: 11pt for any readable text. Split slides before going smaller.
7. Default layout: "Blank Content 07" (Layout 14). Zero placeholders, full control.
8. NEVER use "Blank Content 06" (Layout 13) for custom content. Its placeholders bleed through.
9. If using a structured layout, fill ALL placeholders. Unfilled ones show ghost text.
10. No personal name/title on closing slides
11. No AI/Claude references in any content
12. Reorder slides to desired sequence after adding all content
13. Use full XML namespace for slide deletion: '{http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/officeDocument/2006/relationships}id'

Common Failure Modes

Failure	Cause	Fix
Ghost "Click to add" text behind content	Used a layout with placeholders without filling them	Use Layout 14 ("Blank Content 07") or fill ALL placeholders
"Click to add subtitle" on template slides	Text boxes overlaid instead of filling placeholders	Use ph.placeholder_format.idx to fill
Numbered boxes (01, 02, 03) behind content	Used Agenda or structured layout without filling all fields	Switch to Layout 14, or fill every placeholder
No NAPA design elements	Only kept title slide	Keep ALL 5 indices
Text disappears in LibreOffice	Repositioned template placeholders	Never change ph position
Wrong font	Used Calibri	Always use Arial
Slide deletion corrupts file	Wrong namespace URI	Use full namespace string
Text too small to read	Used 7-9pt for body/caption text	Minimum 11pt for all readable text

On-the-Fly Template Swapping

Check references/template-catalog.md for presentation concept templates. To borrow a concept from an existing template:

1. Open the concept template to study its layout pattern (slide count, section structure)
2. Use NAPA branding (colors, fonts, template) instead of the source branding
3. Adapt the content structure to fit NAPA's hybrid strategy

Reference Files

File	Purpose
references/helper-functions.md	Full helper function library with code
references/template-catalog.md	Presentation concept templates for inspiration
references/template-layout-catalog.md	Complete layout inventory with placeholder maps, positions, sizes, and usage guidance