Headless PowerPoint Builder
Generate deliverable PPTX files without an open Office application.
The skill limits its side effect to writing ./out/<name>.pptx, explicitly states that it does not email or upload files, and requires figures to trace to model cells, making data flow and external effects reasonably transparent. It lacks user-confirmation rules, sensitive-data handling, dependency isolation, rollback, and overwrite protection, so points are deducted.
The instructions, example, and output path are internally consistent, and the Python/python-pptx happy path is understandable. However, dependency installation and pinning, malformed input, broken templates, save failures, permission errors, and diagnostic feedback are unspecified, with no dedicated tests, so points are deducted.
The target is clear: headless managed-agent/CMA sessions without an open Office application, with an explicit non-fit when Office tools are available. Input boundaries, semantic trigger details, broader non-fit cases, Chinese-language support, and environment compatibility remain undocumented, so points are deducted.
The document has clear sections for the output contract, build example, conventions, and non-use case. The repository supplies Apache-2.0 licensing and official organizational provenance, but the skill lacks its own version, changelog, dependency-install notes, maintenance owner/update path, and troubleshooting guidance, so points are deducted.
The core goal is explicit: create a collectable .pptx artifact, and the example shows a directly usable basic save flow. Static materials contain no representative finished deck, completeness checks, or comparison with manual/alternative methods, so complex outputs cannot be shown to need only light review; the static cap limits this score.
Repository CI provides plugin-validation and secret-scanning governance signals, but there is no committed test suite covering the skill's key path, executed output, or third-party reproduction evidence. Points are deducted and the static ceiling applies.
- Users must provide and preferably pin python-pptx and its runtime; dependency failures are not given a defined handling path.
- There is no confirmation or recovery policy for overwriting an existing output, invalid templates, or save failures.
- Chinese typography, font availability, chart rendering, and cross-environment compatibility are not guaranteed; financial data and final decks still require human review.
What it does & when to use it
pptx-author is designed for managed-agent and other headless sessions where no Office application is open. It directs the agent to use Python and python-pptx to create a PowerPoint deck and save it to disk. The required artifact path is ./out/<name>.pptx, with optional support for a mounted firm template. It fits workflows that need a collected file artifact rather than live PowerPoint editing.
Writes and runs a short Python script when a presentation is required, using python-pptx to create or open a deck, add slides, titles, tables, charts, or text boxes, and save the result as ./out/<name>.pptx. If a template is mounted in ./templates/, it uses that template; otherwise it uses default layouts. The skill also requires one idea per slide and source footnotes for figures taken from model files.
- An investment-banking team needs a pitch-deck file from a managed-agent session without an open Office app.
- A financial analyst needs valuation summaries, tables, or charts packaged as a deliverable PPTX.
- An orchestration workflow needs the presentation written to disk for later collection.
- A firm wants headless deck generation while reusing a mounted PowerPoint template.
Pros & cons
- Defines a clear PPTX output location and relative-path return contract.
- Supports reuse of a mounted firm template.
- Targets headless managed-agent workflows without requiring an open Office application.
- Includes conventions for slide structure, number traceability, and chart embedding.
- The source provides no standalone installation steps or version requirements.
- The source provides no test suite, sample outputs, or platform validation record.
- The skill does not send or upload generated files.
- When live Office PowerPoint tools are available, the source directs users to use the live-editing alternative.
How to install
The source does not document a standalone installation procedure for this skill. It is located at plugins/agent-plugins/pitch-agent/skills/pptx-author/ in the repository. The repository documents adding https://github.com/anthropics/financial-services in Cowork and selecting the relevant agent or plugin. For Claude Code, the documented commands are: claude plugin marketplace add anthropics/financial-services, followed by claude plugin install pitch-agent@claude-for-financial-services.
How to use
In a managed-agent session without an open Office application, request a file artifact, for example: “Create a valuation-summary PowerPoint and save it as ./out/valuation-summary.pptx.” The environment must be able to run Python, provide python-pptx, and expose a writable filesystem. Place a firm template in ./templates/ when one is required. Return the generated file's relative path.
Compared to similar skills
The source explicitly positions live Office PowerPoint tools as the alternative: pptx-author creates a disk-based file, while the live tools edit an open PowerPoint document.