Build PowerPoint decks headless with python-pptx. Pairs with excel-author for model-backed decks where every number traces to a workbook cell. Use for pitch decks, IC memos, earnings notes.
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Produce a .pptx file on disk using
python-pptxAdapted from Anthropic's
pptx-authorpitch-deckFor the broader, already-shipped PowerPoint authoring skill (slides, speaker notes, embeds, media), see the built-in
powerpoint./out/<name>.pptx./out/pip install "python-pptx>=0.6"
Title states the takeaway; body supports it. A slide titled "Q3 Revenue" is weak; "Revenue growth accelerated to 14% Y/Y in Q3" is strong.
If a figure on a slide came from
./out/model.xlsxRevenue: $1,250M (Source: model.xlsx, Inputs!C3)
Never transcribe numbers from memory or from a summary — open the workbook, read the named range, and bind the deck value to it programmatically when you can.
If
./templates/firm-template.pptxfrom pptx import Presentation from pathlib import Path template = Path("./templates/firm-template.pptx") prs = Presentation(str(template)) if template.exists() else Presentation()
When fidelity matters (the model's chart styling must match the deck exactly), render the chart to PNG from the source workbook and embed the image. Native
pptx.chartfrom pptx.util import Inches slide.shapes.add_picture("./out/charts/football_field.png", Inches(1), Inches(2), width=Inches(8))
This skill writes a file. It never emails, uploads, or posts. Orchestration layers handle delivery.
from pptx import Presentation from pptx.util import Inches, Pt from pptx.dml.color import RGBColor from pathlib import Path template = Path("./templates/firm-template.pptx") prs = Presentation(str(template)) if template.exists() else Presentation() # Title slide slide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[0]) slide.shapes.title.text = "Project Aurora — Strategic Alternatives" slide.placeholders[1].text = "Preliminary Discussion Materials" # Valuation summary slide (title-only layout) slide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[5]) slide.shapes.title.text = "Valuation implies $38–$52 per share across methodologies" # Add a table bound to model outputs rows, cols = 5, 4 tbl_shape = slide.shapes.add_table(rows, cols, Inches(0.5), Inches(1.5), Inches(9), Inches(3)) tbl = tbl_shape.table headers = ["Methodology", "Low ($)", "Mid ($)", "High ($)"] for c, h in enumerate(headers): tbl.cell(0, c).text = h # In a real deck, read these from the model workbook with openpyxl data = [ ("Trading comps", "35", "41", "48"), ("Precedent M&A", "39", "45", "52"), ("DCF (base)", "36", "43", "51"), ("LBO (10% IRR)", "33", "38", "44"), ] for r, row in enumerate(data, start=1): for c, val in enumerate(row): tbl.cell(r, c).text = val # Embed a chart rendered from the model slide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[5]) slide.shapes.title.text = "Football field — current price $42" slide.shapes.add_picture("./out/charts/football_field.png", Inches(1), Inches(1.8), width=Inches(8)) Path("./out").mkdir(exist_ok=True) prs.save("./out/pitch-aurora.pptx")
Read named ranges or specific cells from your Excel model so deck numbers never drift.
from openpyxl import load_workbook wb = load_workbook("./out/model.xlsx", data_only=True) def nr(name): """Resolve a named range to its current computed value.""" rng = wb.defined_names[name] sheet, coord = next(rng.destinations) return wb[sheet][coord].value revenue_fy24 = nr("RevenueFY24") implied_mid = nr("ImpliedSharePriceBase")
Then build deck content using those values:
slide.shapes.title.text = f"Implied share price of ${implied_mid:.2f} (base case)"
Remember to recalculate the workbook before reading it — openpyxl only sees computed values if something has already calculated the sheet. Run the recalc helper in the
excel-authorA typical banking pitch deck follows this structure. Not prescriptive, but useful as a starting skeleton:
powerpointpowerpointConventions adapted from Anthropic's Claude for Financial Services plugin suite, Apache-2.0 licensed. Original: https://github.com/anthropics/financial-services/tree/main/plugins/agent-plugins/pitch-agent/skills/pptx-author
Apache-2.0
mkdir -p ~/.hermes/skills/finance/pptx-author && curl -o ~/.hermes/skills/finance/pptx-author/SKILL.md https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/main/optional-skills/finance/pptx-author/SKILL.md
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