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Templates
Template Assistant

Template Assistant

The Template Assistant is an AI helper specialized in improving and configuring PowerPoint templates. It can perform bulk operations that would be time-consuming to do manually.

What the Template Assistant Does

The assistant focuses on four main areas:

  1. Shape Naming - Give descriptive names to text boxes, images, tables, and charts.
  2. Slide Categorization - Assign purpose categories to slides.
  3. Usage Classification - Mark shapes as "any", "no_touch", or "must_touch".
  4. Slide Titling - Give slides descriptive titles for navigation.

How to Access the Template Assistant

  1. Navigate to your template's configuration page.
  2. Click the chat icon (typically on the right side).
  3. The Template Assistant sidebar opens.
  4. Type your request or choose a suggested prompt.

Key Capabilities

Bulk Shape Renaming

The assistant can rename multiple shapes at once based on their content and purpose.

Example requests:

  • "Rename all shapes with descriptive names."
  • "Give better names to all text boxes."
  • "Rename all charts to describe what data they show."
  • "Improve the names of shapes in the first 5 slides."

What happens:

  1. The assistant analyzes each shape's content and position.
  2. Proposes new descriptive names.
  3. Stages the changes for your review.
  4. You approve or modify in the GUI.

Bulk Slide Categorization

The assistant can categorize slides based on their content and layout.

Example requests:

  • "Categorize all slides based on their purpose."
  • "Assign categories to all uncategorized slides."
  • "Mark all slides with charts as quantitative content."
  • "Categorize slides 10-15."

What happens:

  1. The assistant examines each slide's shapes and content.
  2. Determines the most appropriate category.
  3. Stages the categorization changes.
  4. You review and adjust if needed.

Bulk Usage Classification

The assistant can identify and mark shapes that should never be modified or always be updated.

Example requests:

  • "Mark all logos as no touch."
  • "Set all page numbers to no touch."
  • "Mark legal disclaimers as no touch."
  • "Set all main title boxes as must touch."
  • "Mark all background elements as no touch."

What happens:

  1. The assistant identifies shapes matching your criteria.
  2. Applies the appropriate usage classification.
  3. Stages the changes.
  4. You verify the selections are correct.

Bulk Slide Titling

The assistant can generate descriptive titles for slides based on their content.

Example requests:

  • "Give all slides descriptive titles."
  • "Create titles for slides without them."
  • "Update slide titles to match their content."

What happens:

  1. The assistant reads each slide's content.
  2. Generates appropriate titles.
  3. Stages the title changes.
  4. You review and refine as needed.

How the Assistant Works

The Preview-and-Commit Model

The Template Assistant never makes permanent changes directly. Instead:

  1. You make a request - "Rename all shapes".
  2. Assistant analyzes - Examines template structure.
  3. Proposes changes - Shows what it would change.
  4. You review in GUI - See the changes visually.
  5. You modify if needed - Adjust specific items.
  6. You commit - Make changes permanent.

This ensures you're always in control.

Aggressive Optimization

The assistant is instructed to be thorough and aggressive:

  • It applies requests broadly across the entire template.
  • It doesn't ask for permission for each item.
  • It assumes you want comprehensive improvements.

Example: If you say "improve shape names", it will attempt to rename ALL shapes, not just a few.

This saves time but means you should review changes carefully before committing.

Context Awareness

The assistant knows:

  • The current template structure and all slides.
  • Any pending changes you've already staged.
  • The original names of shapes (important for renamed shapes).
  • Template analytics scores.

It uses this context to make informed suggestions.

Best Practices

Start with Broad Requests

Instead of:

  • ❌ "Rename the text box on slide 3."
  • ❌ "Categorize the first slide."

Try:

  • ✅ "Rename all text boxes across the template."
  • ✅ "Categorize all slides."

The assistant works best with comprehensive tasks.

Review Before Committing

Always review changes in the GUI before committing:

  • Some categorizations might be wrong.
  • Some names might not match your conventions.
  • Some usage classifications might be too restrictive.

The GUI shows exactly what changed, making review easy.

Use Multiple Passes

You don't need to perfect everything in one request:

Pass 1: "Categorize all slides." → Review, adjust a few, commit

Pass 2: "Rename all shapes." → Review, improve some names, commit

Pass 3: "Mark logos and page numbers as no touch." → Verify selections, commit

Be Specific About Criteria

The more specific your request, the better the results:

Vague:

  • "Fix the template"
  • "Make it better"

Specific:

  • "Rename all chart shapes to describe their data type."
  • "Mark all shapes in the bottom-right corner as no touch."
  • "Categorize slides with tables as quantitative content."

Combine with Manual Editing

The assistant is great for bulk operations. You can:

  1. Let the assistant handle 90% of the work.
  2. Manually fine-tune the remaining 10%.
  3. Combine AI speed with human judgment.

Common Workflows

New Template Configuration

  1. "Categorize all slides based on their content."
  2. Review categorizations, adjust if needed.
  3. "Rename all shapes with descriptive names."
  4. Review names, improve where necessary.
  5. "Mark all logos and page numbers as no touch."
  6. Verify selections.
  7. "Give all slides descriptive titles."
  8. Review titles.
  9. Commit all changes.
  10. Check analytics - should be 80%+.

Improving an Existing Template

  1. Check analytics to identify weak areas.
  2. If Instructive Names is low: "Improve all shape names".
  3. If Categorization is low: "Categorize uncategorized slides".
  4. If Usage Classification could be better: "Mark static elements as no touch".
  5. Review and commit changes.
  6. Re-check analytics.

Fixing Specific Issues

  1. "Rename all text boxes that still have default names."
  2. "Categorize any slides that are currently uncategorized."
  3. "Find and mark any page number shapes as no touch."

Limitations

The Template Assistant cannot:

  • Modify slide master layouts
  • Change PowerPoint theme colors or fonts
  • Add or remove slides
  • Add or remove shapes
  • Modify shape content (text, images, charts)
  • Change shape positions or sizes

It only works with:

  • Shape names
  • Shape usage classification
  • Slide categories
  • Slide titles

For design changes, you need to edit the PowerPoint file and re-upload.

Troubleshooting

"The assistant isn't suggesting anything"

  • Make your request more specific
  • Check if there's anything to change (maybe everything's already done)
  • Try breaking your request into smaller parts

"The assistant got something wrong"

  • Review changes in the GUI
  • Manually adjust the incorrect items
  • The assistant's suggestions are starting points, not perfect solutions

"Changes aren't showing up"

  • Have you committed the changes?
  • Check the actions bar at the bottom showing pending changes
  • Click "Commit Changes" to make them permanent

"I want to undo changes"

  • Before committing: Click "Discard Changes"
  • After committing: You'll need to manually revert using the assistant or GUI

Example Conversation

You: "Help me configure this template. The analytics scores are all low."

Assistant: "I'll help improve your template configuration. Let me start by categorizing all slides based on their content and purpose."

[Assistant uses tool to categorize all slides]

Assistant: "I've categorized all 20 slides. Please review the categories in the GUI and let me know if any need adjustment."

You: "Looks good. Now help with shape names."

Assistant: "I'll rename all shapes with descriptive names based on their content and purpose."

[Assistant renames all shapes]

Assistant: "I've renamed all shapes across the template. I've updated 87 shape names to be more descriptive. Please review the changes and commit when ready."

You: "Great! Now mark all logos as no touch."

Assistant: "I'll identify and mark all logo shapes as 'no_touch'."

[Assistant marks logos]

Assistant: "I've marked 12 logo shapes across your slides as 'no_touch'. Please verify these are correct and commit the changes."

Next Steps

Template AnalyticsOverview