---
name: PowerPoint Write
slug: powerpoint-write
category: Automation
description: PowerPoint Write generates new presentations, imitates existing templates, edits slide content and design, and performs local .pptx operations like delete, reorder, extract, and merge. Use it when working with PowerPoint files from a topic, template, or existing deck.
github: "https://github.com/SkyworkAI/Skywork-Skills/tree/main/skywork-ppt"
language: Python
stars: 203
forks: 27
install: "npx degit https://github.com/SkyworkAI/Skywork-Skills/tree/main/skywork-ppt ~/.claude/skills/skywork-ppt"
installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/skywork-ppt
source_path: skywork-ppt/SKILL.md
collection_size: 6
category_size: 1956
collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/SkyworkAI/Skywork-Skills"
added: 2026-09-05T05:29:43.496Z
last_synced: 2026-09-05T05:29:43.496Z
canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/powerpoint-write"
---

# PowerPoint Write

PowerPoint Write generates new presentations, imitates existing templates, edits slide content and design, and performs local .pptx operations like delete, reorder, extract, and merge. Use it when working with PowerPoint files from a topic, template, or existing deck.

**Install:**

```bash
npx degit https://github.com/SkyworkAI/Skywork-Skills/tree/main/skywork-ppt ~/.claude/skills/skywork-ppt
```

## README

# PPT Write Skill

Four capabilities: **generate**, **template imitation**, **edit existing PPT**, and **local file operations**.

---

## Prerequisites

### API Key Configuration (Required First)
This skill requires a **SKYWORK_API_KEY** to be configured in OpenClaw.

If you don't have an API key yet, please visit:
**https://skywork.ai**

For detailed setup instructions, see:
[references/apikey-fetch.md](references/apikey-fetch.md)

---

## Privacy & Remote Calls (Read Before Use)

- **Remote upload & processing**: Layers 1/2/4 upload local files and send the full, verbatim user query to the Skywork service. Avoid sensitive or confidential content unless you trust the remote service and its data handling policies.
- **Local-only operations**: Layer 3 (local ops) runs entirely on-device and does **not** call the remote gateway. Use Layer 3 if you need strict local processing.
- **Polling behavior**: The generation/edit workflows include periodic status polling (about every 5 seconds) while waiting for backend jobs. This is expected.

---

## Routing — Identify the user's intent first

| User intent | Which path |
|-------------|------------|
| Generate a new PPT from a topic, set of requirements or reference files | **Layer 1** — Generate |
| Use an existing .pptx as a layout/style template to create a new presentation | **Layer 2** — Imitate |
| Edit an existing PPT: modify slides, add slides, change style, split/merge | **Layer 4** — Edit |
| Delete / reorder / extract / merge slides in a local file (no backend) | **Layer 3** — Local ops |

---

## Environment check (always run this first)

**This skill requires Python 3 (>=3.8). Run the following before any script to locate a valid Python binary and install dependencies.**

```bash
PYTHON_CMD=""
for cmd in python3 python python3.13 python3.12 python3.11 python3.10 python3.9 python3.8; do
  if command -v "$cmd" &>/dev/null && "$cmd" -c "import sys; exit(0 if sys.version_info >= (3,8) else 1)" 2>/dev/null; then
    PYTHON_CMD="$cmd"
    break
  fi
done

if [ -z "$PYTHON_CMD" ]; then
  echo "ERROR: Python 3.8+ not found."
  echo "Install on macOS: brew install python3  or visit https://www.python.org/downloads/"
  exit 1
fi

echo "Found Python: $PYTHON_CMD ($($PYTHON_CMD --version))"

$PYTHON_CMD -m pip install -q --break-system-packages python-pptx
echo "Dependencies ready."
```

> After this check, replace `python` with the discovered `$PYTHON_CMD` (e.g. `python3`) in all subsequent commands.

---

## Layer 1 — Generate PPT

### Steps
0. **REQUIRED FIRST STEP** — Read [workflow_generate.md](workflow_generate.md) NOW, before taking any other action. After reading, output exactly: `✅ workflow_generate.md loaded.` — then proceed.
1. **Environment check** — run the check above to get `$PYTHON_CMD`.
2. **Upload reference files** (if the user provides local files as content source) — parse the file using tool in script/parse_file.py and pass the result to `--files`. See the `--files` note below.
3. **Web search** (required if no relevant content is already in the conversation) — call web_search tool in script to search the topic and distill results into a `reference-file` file of ≤ 2000 words.
4. **Run the script**:
   > **Important**: set exec tool `yieldMs` to `600000` (10 minutes).
5. **Deliver** — provide the absolute `.pptx` path and the download URL.

---

## Layer 2 — Imitate PPT (template-based generation)

### Steps
0. **REQUIRED FIRST STEP** - Read [workflow_imitate.md](workflow_imitate.md) immidiately before any action you do!!!
1. **Environment check** — run the check above to get `$PYTHON_CMD`.
2. **Locate the template** — extract the absolute path of the local `.pptx` from the user's message; ask the user if it's unclear.
3. **Upload the template** — upload it and extract `TEMPLATE_URL` from the output.
4. **Upload reference files** (if the user provides additional local files as content source) — parse the file using tool in script/parse_file.py and pass the result to `--files`. See the `--files` 
5. **Web search** (required if no relevant content is already in the conversation) — call web_search tool in script to search the new topic and distill results into a `reference-file` file of ≤ 2000 words.
6. **Run the script**:
   > **Important**: set exec tool `yieldMs` to `600000` (10 minutes).
7. **Deliver** — provide the absolute `.pptx` path, the download URL, and the template filename used.

---

## Layer 4 — Edit PPT (AI-powered modification)

Use this layer when the user wants to modify an existing PPT using natural language. Requires an OSS/CDN URL of the PPTX (from a previous generation or upload).

### Steps
0. **Detailed workflow** - Read [workflow_edit.md](workflow_edit.md) immediately before any action you do!!!
1. **Environment check** — run the check above to get `$PYTHON_CMD`.
2. **Get PPTX URL** — from the user's message or upload a local file first.
3. **Run the script** with `--pptx-url`:
   ```bash
   $PYTHON_CMD scripts/run_ppt_write.py "edit instruction" \
     --language Chinese \
     --pptx-url "https://cdn.example.com/file.pptx" \
     -o /absolute/path/output.pptx
   ```
   > **Important**: set exec tool `yieldMs` to `600000` (10 minutes).
4. **Deliver** — provide download link, local path, and summary of changes.

---

## Layer 3 — Local file operations

```bash
# Inspect slide count and titles
$PYTHON_CMD scripts/local_pptx_ops.py info --file my.pptx

# Delete slides (1-based index; supports ranges like 3,5,7-9; omit -o to overwrite in place)
$PYTHON_CMD scripts/local_pptx_ops.py delete --file my.pptx --slides 3,5,7-9 -o trimmed.pptx

# Reorder slides (must list every slide, no omissions)
$PYTHON_CMD scripts/local_pptx_ops.py reorder --file my.pptx --order 2,1,4,3,5

# Extract a subset of slides into a new file
$PYTHON_CMD scripts/local_pptx_ops.py extract --file my.pptx --slides 1-3 -o subset.pptx

# Merge multiple files
$PYTHON_CMD scripts/local_pptx_ops.py merge --files a.pptx b.pptx -o merged.pptx
```

Read [workflow_local.md](workflow_local.md) immidiately before any action you do!!!

---

## Error Handling

- **Insufficient benefit**: When calling scripts (generate, imitate, or edit), the script or log may show a message like `Insufficient benefit. Please upgrade your account at {url}`, meaning the user's benefit level does not meet the requirement for this skill.

### How to reply when benefit is insufficient

When you detect the above, **reply in the user's current language** — do not echo the English message. Use this pattern:

- Convey: "Sorry, PPT generation failed. This skill requires upgrading your Skywork membership to use." then a single call-to-action link.
- **Format**: One short sentence in the user's language + a link like `[Upgrade now →](url)` or the equivalent in their language .
- **URL**: Extract the upgrade URL from the log/script output (e.g. the `at https://...` part).

> Note: Only suggest upgrading when the error is **Insufficient benefit**. For auth errors like `NO_TOKEN` / `INVALID_TOKEN` / `401` / “invalid API key”, keep the error code / raw message and guide users to update `SKYWORK_API_KEY`. **Do not** suggest upgrading membership.

---

## Dependencies

- **Python 3.8+** (required) — `python3` / `python` must be on PATH
- Layer 3 local ops: `pip install python-pptx --break-system-packages`

(The environment check step installs all required dependencies automatically.)

---

## Which layer to trigger?

| Scenario | Use |
|----------|-----|
| Generate a PPT from a topic or existing reference files | Layer 1 |
| Imitate the layout/style of an existing .pptx | Layer 2 |
| Edit/modify an existing PPT via natural language | Layer 4 |
| Delete / reorder / extract / merge local .pptx files (no backend) | Layer 3 |