Product features: make a presentation
From content already discussed in this conversation (plus extra requirements), the assistant generates a laid-out .pptx in one pass (cover, points, process, summary pages) and lets
Source help/en/product-features/presentation-generation.md
From content already discussed in this conversation (plus extra requirements), the assistant generates a laid-out .pptx in one pass (cover, points, process, summary pages) and lets you pick a presentation style before send.
What you can do
- You state topic and points; the assistant generates a downloadable PowerPoint (
.pptx). - Each page has a title, points, or process blocks; speaker notes go in the notes pane (do not pile “script” onto the slide body).
- Twenty platform-made, commercially usable cover styles, previewed by Popular / Work report / Training class / Research paper / Formal report / Creative. Examples: corporate blue, amber business, classroom sky, paper ivory, cinnabar ink, night-blue texture.
- Fits training decks, report proposals, monthly reports, internal shares.
- For a Word report use Write a document above the composer — see Write a document.
- For PDF use Generate a PDF — see Generate a PDF.
- For an Excel report use Make a spreadsheet — see Make a spreadsheet.
Before you start
You (the user)
- Signed in with a workspace selected.
- In
Messagesselect the work agent to use (not the help agent). - The workspace has Office document tools enabled (requires Basic document tools first). If the assistant says it is not enabled, ask a workspace admin to turn it on in Assistant capability packs.
Workspace admin
- The platform has office-document capability, and the server has OfficeCLI (local dev:
backend/scripts/install-officecli.ps1; production: deploy notes). - In the workspace Assistant capability packs enable: Basic document tools → Office document tools.
- (Recommended) Seed default Office skills so the workspace has a “presentation generation” skill (
ppt-deck-builder):
- Admin API: POST /api/v1/workspaces/{workspace-id}/seed-office-script-skills - Or locally: go run ./cmd/seed-office-skills -workspace <workspace-id>
How to use (recommended)
1. Open a conversation
Open Messages, select a work agent.
2. Pick a style
Above the composer tap Make a presentation, browse covers by category, tap one to use. Common groups:
| Category | Fits | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Popular | Most-used first | Corporate blue, simple light, amber business |
| Work report | Monthly, proposal, performance, industry | Forest-green monthly, teal insight, field tech |
| Training class | Internal training, courseware, onboarding | Training warm, classroom sky, soft-pink class |
| Research paper | Defense, topic, research report | Paper ivory |
| Formal report | External, board, annual, Chinese occasions | Ink-blue formal, cinnabar ink, pine Morandi |
| Creative | Launch, brand story, tech reveal | Dusk oil, coral pop, night-blue texture |
These styles are platform-made and may be used commercially. Common free PPT sites (SlidesCarnival, Slidesgo) may allow commercial finished decks but forbid redistributing the template file, so they are not built in. Cover previews show color and layout — not a photo or illustration library.
If you already made a good presentation file, upload it to the Asset library as a presentation style and publish. After publish, you and colleagues see Workspace styles under Make a presentation; applying copies a new file then changes content — it does not change the library original.
After you pick, the composer fills a style note. If you already discussed what to write, send as-is; extra requirements (page count, audience, only certain sections) go after. A brand-new conversation with nothing to write yet: add topic and points.
3. Say clearly what you want
In one go, preferably:
- Topic (what the deck is about)
- Pages or structure (e.g. cover + 5 content + summary)
- Points per page (paste an outline or bullet list)
- Speaker notes or not (recommended for training)
Example:
Make an 8-page training PPT from the outline below. Put the script in speaker notes. No empty pages.
>
1. Cover: competency model closed loop with hiring and performance
2. What a competency model is (3 points)
3. Three-layer structure of the model
…
You can also do it in two steps: ask the assistant to tidy a text outline, confirm, then tap Make a presentation, pick a style, and send — no need to paste the outline again.
4. Download the file
On success the reply has a download link; click for .pptx, open in PowerPoint or WPS to edit.
Styles and page types
Internally the assistant uses different page layouts (you need not memorize technical names — describe intent):
| Intent you describe | Typical result |
|---|---|
| Cover, title page | Large title + subtitle |
| Points, bullets | Title bar + bullet list |
| Process, steps, closed loop | Horizontal step blocks |
| Summary, close | Accent-color summary page |
With no style specified, the assistant recommends from training / report / simple, or defaults to corporate blue.
Tips
- Outline first, then slides: for lots of content, ask for a Markdown outline, revise, then generate — less rework.
- Notes for the speaker: say “put the script in speaker notes”; the body keeps audience-visible points only.
- Specify page count: e.g. “at least 8 pages and every page has content” to avoid empty pages.
- Tweak: after generate, continue with “make page 3 flowchart-style” or “regenerate in training warm” (produces a new attachment).
Common issues
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No Make a presentation button | No workspace selected, or you are in a help-agent conversation | Select a workspace and a work agent |
| Assistant says it cannot generate Office files | Office document tools not enabled, or OfficeCLI not installed on the server | Ask an admin to enable the capability and install OfficeCLI |
| Only plain text, looks poor | Old per-page fill | Use Make a presentation and pick a platform or workspace style |
| Workspace styles missing a file you uploaded | Still a draft, or type is not Presentation style | In the asset library set type to presentation style and publish |
| Assistant says it is still waiting for content | This conversation already has material to write | Pick a style and send; do not paste earlier discussion again. New conversations: add topic and points |
| Download link will not open | Conversation expired or not signed in | Sign in again and look in the same conversation, or ask the assistant to send the link again |
vs “script a PPT”
The workspace can also make a simple ppt via script execution + pptx_io.py (title and body only). Make a presentation (built-in generate) has better layout and multi-page in one pass — prefer this. Scripts fit when script execution is enabled and you need custom Python. See Script execution.
Related docs
- Asset library
- Messages, conversations, and attachments
- Skills and agents
- How to write workspace skills (when admins configure a “presentation generation” skill)
- Server config (OfficeCLI): mindlink-server-config.md §3.11a