Guide · Agent skill
How to use the OfficeCLI PowerPoint Skill (officecli-pptx)
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The officecli-pptx skill is an agent skill for working with PowerPoint (.pptx) files. Once it is installed, an agent that supports skills can create slide decks, read text from existing presentations, edit or combine slides, and handle templates, speaker notes and comments. This guide explains what the skill does, how to install it, how to phrase requests so it triggers, and what to check for safety before you run it.
OfficeCLI PowerPoint SkilliOfficeAI/OfficeCLI · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Install OfficeCLI. Run the install script for your system from d.officecli.ai, or download a binary from the GitHub releases page. Then run officecli --version to confirm it works.
- 2Download the skill ZIP. Get the officecli-pptx ZIP from this page and unzip it so the officecli-pptx folder is available.
- 3Place the skill folder. Copy the folder to ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or to a project's .claude/skills/ folder. Alternatively, upload it in the Claude apps under Settings, Capabilities, Skills.
- 4Ask for a deck in plain language. Mention deck, slides, presentation, pitch or a .pptx file name, and state the audience, slide count and any brand or template to match.
- 5Review the output. Check the text, font sizes and speaker notes. Use the view commands to confirm that text, such as dollar amounts, was written correctly.
What the officecli-pptx skill makes the agent do
The skill is a SKILL.md instruction file. It tells the agent when to use it and how to work with PowerPoint files. It is triggered whenever a .pptx file is an input, an output or both. That covers creating slide decks, pitch decks or presentations, reading or extracting text from a .pptx, editing existing decks, combining or splitting slide files, and working with templates, layouts, speaker notes or comments.
The agent does the work by driving a command-line program called OfficeCLI. The skill also sets layout rules the agent must follow, such as minimum font sizes, one idea per slide, a limited colour palette and speaker notes on content slides.
- Build new slide decks and pitch decks
- Read and extract text from existing .pptx files
- Edit, modify or update existing presentations
- Combine or split slide files
- Work with templates, layouts, speaker notes and comments
Install the OfficeCLI command-line tool first
The skill depends on OfficeCLI, so install it before using the skill. On macOS or Linux, run the install script from the official site. On Windows, run the PowerShell install script. If installation fails, download a binary from the OfficeCLI GitHub releases page.
After installing, check that it works. If the command is not found, open a new terminal so your PATH updates.
- macOS / Linux: install via the curl script from d.officecli.ai
- Windows (PowerShell): install via the install.ps1 script from d.officecli.ai
- Fallback: download a binary from github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/releases
officecli --versionInstall the officecli-pptx skill folder
Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it. For a personal install, place the skill folder in ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, place it in that project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps you can instead upload the skill under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills.
The skill's only file in this package is SKILL.md, which contains the instructions the agent reads.
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/
- Project only: .claude/skills/ inside the project
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload
Trigger the skill with natural requests
You do not need a special command. The skill triggers when your request mentions a deck, slides, a presentation, a pitch, or a .pptx filename. Describe the outcome you want and include the file name if one exists.
Name the audience, the number of slides and any brand colours or fonts. If you have a template, say so, because the skill is written to match an existing theme and masters.
- Create a 10-slide pitch deck for a seed round, with speaker notes
- Extract all the text from quarterly-review.pptx and list it by slide
- Update the title and footer in board-update.pptx to match template.pptx
- Combine these two .pptx files into one deck, removing duplicate slides
Follow the layout rules and check the help before guessing
The skill sets type sizes for every text element. Slide titles are at least 36pt bold, body text is at least 18pt, and captions are at least 10pt. It asks for one idea per slide, a visual that carries meaning on each content slide, and speaker notes on every content slide. Theme defaults are not relied on, so sizes are set explicitly.
When the agent is unsure of a property name, enum value or alias, the skill tells it to check OfficeCLI's built-in help first rather than guess. Help output reflects the installed version, and the skill says help overrides the skill when they disagree.
- Slide titles: at least 36pt bold
- Body text: at least 18pt
- Captions and axis labels: at least 10pt
- One idea per slide; speaker notes on content slides
- Check help when a property or animation preset is uncertain
officecli help pptx
officecli help pptx <element>
officecli help pptx <verb> <element>
officecli help pptx <element> --jsonSafety notes: scripts and network access
This skill runs shell commands and needs internet access during setup. The install step downloads and runs a remote script from d.officecli.ai. Before you run it, read the script, especially if the deck is sensitive or confidential. The skill also asks the agent to quote element paths and currency values carefully, since unquoted shell characters can silently change text such as dollar amounts.
If you cannot install a command-line tool on your machine, this skill will not work for you.
- Setup runs a remote install script; review it first for confidential decks
- The agent runs shell commands on your machine
- Check text such as currency values after writing, using the view text command
What people use it for
- Generating a first-draft pitch deck quickly from a short brief
- Extracting text from a folder of existing .pptx files for review or search
- Batch-editing titles, notes or footers across an existing presentation
- Combining or splitting slide files while keeping an existing template's look
Frequently asked questions
Is the officecli-pptx skill free to use?
The skill is published under the Apache-2.0 licence, as listed for the iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI repository. Check the licence file in the repository for the full terms before using it commercially.
What do I need to install before the skill works?
You need the OfficeCLI command-line tool, a POSIX shell such as zsh or bash, or PowerShell on Windows, and internet access during installation. The skill runs shell commands, so it cannot work on a machine where you cannot install a command-line tool.
How do I install the officecli-pptx skill?
Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. You can also upload it in the Claude apps under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills.
Why does the skill need to download a script?
OfficeCLI is installed with a script downloaded from d.officecli.ai using curl on macOS and Linux, or PowerShell on Windows. If you handle sensitive decks, read the script before running it. You can also download a binary from the GitHub releases page instead.
What should I do if officecli is not found after installing?
Open a new terminal so your PATH can update, then run officecli --version again. If installation still fails, download a binary from the OfficeCLI GitHub releases page.
Can the skill read text from a .pptx without editing it?
Yes. Reading, parsing and extracting text from any .pptx file is one of the tasks the skill covers. You can ask for the text of a named file, and the agent will use OfficeCLI to read it.
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Our verdict
This skill suits people who want a quick first draft of a deck, batch text extraction, or consistent typography applied by an agent, and who can install a command-line tool. Skip it if you cannot run shell commands on your machine, or if you need to keep sensitive decks away from a remote install script you have not reviewed.
Download the skill