Build and Upload a PPTX Template

Design slides in Microsoft PowerPoint, add bracketed S-Docs syntax, upload the .pptx file, and generate dynamic presentations from Salesforce data.

Use this page when you want slide-native design in Microsoft PowerPoint and a generated .pptx output from Salesforce data.

A PPTX template is built in PowerPoint, then uploaded to S-Docs for generation.

Use PPTX when slide design matters more than HTML layout or Word editing.

Pick PPTX when you need presentation-style output, PowerPoint design tools, and bracket-based S-Docs syntax.

Pick Microsoft Word (DOCX) when users need to keep editing the final document in Word.

Before you start

Make sure you have:

• a new S-Docs template with format set to PPTX
• the correct Related To Type for your base record
• a .pptx file you can edit in Microsoft PowerPoint
• the right upload path for your S-Docs version

PPTX upload behavior depends on whether Enable New Microsoft Template Upload is checked.

• Checked — use the newer Microsoft template upload flow. This applies to Summer 2025 (v10.0) and later. These templates generate through S-Docs LWCs or the SDK.
• Not checked — use the legacy upload flow in Template Editor. These templates generate through the legacy custom S-Docs button.

The upload path and generation path must match.

A valid PPTX file can still fail if it was uploaded in one mode and generated in the other.

Build and upload a PPTX template

1

Create the template record

Create a new S-Docs template.

Set Template Format to PPTX.

2

Build the slide deck in Microsoft PowerPoint

Create the slide layout in PowerPoint exactly as you want it to appear.

Use normal PowerPoint tools for text, shapes, images, alignment, and tables.

3

Add S-Docs merge syntax

Insert merge fields, render blocks, and query output using bracketed Microsoft template syntax.

pptx-basic-syntax.txt

[{{!Opportunity.Name}}]

[<!--RENDER='{{!Opportunity.StageName}}' == 'Closed Won' -->]
  Closed-won summary slide content
[<!--ENDRENDER-->]

Wrap PPTX merge fields in square brackets.

4

Add table-based repeating data when needed

If you need a related list, build it inside a PowerPoint table.

Your PowerPoint table needs:

1. a header row
2. an odd row with placeholder text
3. an even row with placeholder text

Use the Microsoft template wrapper around that table.

5

Upload the .pptx file

If Enable New Microsoft Template Upload is checked, upload the file through the newer Microsoft template upload flow.

If it is not checked, upload the file in Template Editor.

6

Generate and test with real data

Test the template with real Salesforce records.

Verify merge fields, slide overflow, images, related list output, and conditional sections before rollout.

Core PPTX syntax patterns

Merge fields

Wrap merge fields in square brackets.

pptx-merge-fields.txt

[{{!Account.Name}}]
[{{!Opportunity.Amount #,###.##}}]

Use this same pattern for standard field paths too.

pptx-merge-field-paths.txt

[{{!Opportunity.Name}}]
[{{!Opportunity.Account.Name}}]
[{{!Contact.Email}}]

Conditional logic

Wrap both RENDER tags in square brackets.

pptx-render-block.txt

[<!--RENDER='{{!Contact.Phone}}' != 'NULL' -->]
  Phone: [{{!Contact.Phone}}]
[<!--ENDRENDER-->]

Keep merge fields inside rendered content in square brackets too.

Use the same operators you use in standard conditional logic.

pptx-render-operators.txt

[<!--RENDER=( ('{{!Account.BillingState}}' == 'CA' || '{{!Account.BillingState}}' == 'NV')
             && '{{!Account.Active_Contract__c}}' == 'True' ) -->]
  Regional account with active contract
[<!--ENDRENDER-->]

Nested render blocks work too.

pptx-render-nested.txt

[<!--RENDER='{{!Opportunity.StageName}}' == 'Closed Won' -->]
  Congratulations on your purchase.
  [<!--RENDER1='{{!Opportunity.Install_Date__c}}' != 'NULL' -->]
    Installation is scheduled for [{{!Opportunity.Install_Date__c}}].
  [<!--ENDRENDER1-->]
[<!--ENDRENDER-->]

Named queries

Wrap both the query block and output fields in square brackets.

pptx-named-query.txt

[{{!<lineitemsSOQL>
  <queryname>TopItem</queryname>
  <soql>
    SELECT Name, TotalPrice
    FROM OpportunityLineItem
    WHERE OpportunityId = '{{!Opportunity.Id}}'
    ORDER BY TotalPrice DESC
    LIMIT 1
  </soql>
</lineitemsSOQL>}}]

[{{!TopItem.Name}}]
[{{!TopItem.TotalPrice #,###.##}}]

Wrap named query output fields in square brackets too.

If you need a filtered or offset result, keep the same square-bracket wrapping.

pptx-named-query-filter-offset.txt

[{{!<lineitemsSOQL>
  <queryname>FilteredItems</queryname>
  <soql>
    SELECT Name, TotalPrice
    FROM OpportunityLineItem
    WHERE OpportunityId = '{{!Opportunity.Id}}'
    ORDER BY TotalPrice DESC
  </soql>
  <filter id="1">TotalPrice >= 1000</filter>
</lineitemsSOQL>}}]

[{{!FilteredItems.Name filter="1" offset="1"}}]
[{{!FilteredItems.TotalPrice filter="1" offset="1" #,###.##}}]

Related list tables

PPTX related lists render inside PowerPoint tables. Because the related list syntax is integrated within the styling table, no <class> or <tableformat> tags are needed.

Build the PowerPoint table with a header row, an odd row, and an even row.

pptx-related-list-table.txt

[{{!<lineitemsSOQL>
<soql>
  SELECT Product2.Name, Quantity, TotalPrice
  FROM OpportunityLineItem
  WHERE OpportunityId = '{{!Opportunity.Id}}'
  ORDER BY SortOrder
</soql>
<column>Product2.Name</column>
<column>Quantity</column>
<column format-number="#,###.##" prefix="$">TotalPrice</column>
</lineitemsSOQL>}}]

Simple steps:

1. Insert your styling table: header line, 2 rows, and as many columns as you need.
2. Add the whole related list code block inside the table.
3. (For <soql> tables) Make sure each <column> matches a field returned in SELECT.

For PPTX syntax, four rules matter most:

• merge fields use square brackets
• named query output fields use square brackets
• RENDER blocks use square brackets
• merge fields inside rendered content also use square brackets

Common syntax mistakes

• Field prints as text: add square brackets around the merge field
• Conditional block does not run: wrap both opening and closing RENDER tags in square brackets
• Named query returns nothing: confirm the output field is wrapped in square brackets and included in SELECT
• Related list table breaks: confirm the table has a header row, an odd row, and an even row
• Only the first table cell populates: recreate the PowerPoint table and simplify table styling

What PPTX supports

PPTX templates support these common S-Docs capabilities:

• merge fields
• conditional logic
• named queries
• related list tables
• images and slide-native PowerPoint formatting
• generation through S-Docs LWCs and the SDK when uploaded through the newer Microsoft template upload flow

Important PPTX limitations

Keep these PPTX-specific rules in mind:

• Live Edit is not supported.
• Template headers and footers are not supported.
• Component templates are not supported.
• S-Sign is not supported.
• Related list tables cannot span multiple pages or slides.
• You may need LIMIT and OFFSET to control table size.
• Templates uploaded through the legacy Template Editor have an approximate limit of 10 slides.

If a related list only fills the first cell or behaves unpredictably, rebuild the PowerPoint table from scratch and simplify table styling first.

Next reads by goal

• Need a PPTX overview? Read PowerPoint (PPTX).
• Need PPTX troubleshooting? Read Troubleshoot PPTX Generation.
• Need table wrapper syntax? Read Related List Structure In Microsoft Templates (DOCX, PPTX, XLSX).
• Need table setup examples? Read How to: Create a Table In Microsoft Templates (DOCX, PPTX, XLSX).
• Need conditional syntax? Read Conditional Logic In Microsoft Templates (DOCX, PPTX, XLSX).
• Need named query syntax? Read Named Queries In Microsoft Templates (DOCX, PPTX, XLSX).