How to create Smart fields in PowerPoint

About this article

This article explains how to add smart fields to create a PowerPoint presentation with Dynamics, using shapes.

• Adding smart fields to a presentation
• Adding a smart field step by step
• Add a smart field to the Slide Master
• Add a smart field to a Slide layout
• Add a smart field to a Slide
• Add a smart field to a Slide element

Prerequisites

Adding smart fields to a presentation

When adding a smart field to a template in Word, Templafy automatically creates a content control for it.
PowerPoint doesn't have content controls, so that's why in PowerPoint we use shapes instead. However a shape is not automatically created by Templafy, you have to insert it yourself manually, before adding the smart field.

Smart fields (shapes) can be used in the Slide Master, Slide Layouts, Slides and Slide elements.
Follow the steps below for each option.

Adding a smart field step by step

Add a smart field to the Slide Master

If you want to show e.g. a logo on all slides, then you can insert a smart field on the Slide Master following the steps below.

1. On the View tab select Slide Master and then select the first slide (by default the 'Office Theme Slide Master'):
   
   
   
   
2. On the Insert tab select a shape, for example the Rectangle and create it at the position where you want to show the logo in the presentation:
   
   
   
   
3. Make sure the shape is selected, then select the image field. In this example it's an image field named 'Logo' that is part of the User profile, but it could also be a form field available under Form responses:
   
   
   
   

   A shape is just a placeholder. This means that if the logo is a rectangle, it will remain a rectangle, even if the type of shape is e.g. a triangle or star. Because the shape just a placeholder, it doesn't matter what the background color is, as the placeholder is replaced by the logo when the presentation is created. An image field is always aligned at the upper left corner of the shape. If the Template tab already contains smart fields, then you first need to click+ Add smart field to display User profile.

    
4. Click Add to template to create the binding:
   
   
   
   

   If the Add to template button is greyed out then you need to reselect the shape. You can expand the Advanced menu if you want to specify e.g. the width, height and visibility of the image (optional).

    

5. The smart field is now created (right pane) and the shape is visible on all layouts (left pane):
   
   
   
   

   If you don't want to use the shape on a specific layout, then select that layout and enable Hide Background Graphics:

    
6. Close the Master View and save the template.
   
   
7. When a user creates a presentation, the result looks like this:
   
   
   
   

   Tip: on the Home tab you can open the Selection Pane. When you select an object (e.g. a shape) in a slide, the selection pane will show you information about it. Now 'Rectangle 6' in the example doesn't say much, but you can rename it to e.g. 'Office logo'! This might be useful for easier recognition when a slide has many objects. You can also easily find an object by selecting a name in the selection pane (like 'Rectangle 6'). In the slide the object then will be selected.

Add a smart field to a Slide layout

If you want to show e.g. the current date and user name only on a specific layout, then you can insert the smart fields on that layout following the steps below.

1. On the View tab select Slide Master and then for example select the second slide (by default the 'Title Slide Layout'):
   
   
   
   
2. In the footer replace the placeholders showing a date (left corner) and showing <#> (right corner) by shapes:
   
   
   
   
3. Select the left shape. Then in the task pane select Custom text binding and insert a binding like {{FormatDateTime(Now(),"dd/MM/yyyy")}}. The result looks like this:
   
   
   
   
4. Click Save to create the binding.
   
   

   If the Save button is greyed out then you need to reselect the shape. You can expand the Advanced menu if you want to specify e.g. the visibility of the field (optional).

    

5. Select the right shape. In the task pane click Add smart field and select User Profile.
   Then select the field that represents the user name in your environment. In this example it's the field DisplayName:
   
   
   
   
6. The result looks like this:
   
   
   
   

   Note that the task pane only shows the fields on the current layout. The field UserProfile.Office.Logo is not shown, because that field is part of the Slide Master.

    

7. Close the Master View and save the template.
   
   
8. When a user creates a presentation, the result looks like this:
   
   
   
   

   Note that when a user wants add a new slide, then only the 'Title Slide' will contain the date and user name placeholders:

    

   Tip: you can use multiple bindings in one shape and even combine it with plain text as shown here (the field is created as Custom text binding):

    

Add a smart field to a Slide

If you want to show e.g. a title on a specific slide, then you can insert a smart field in the Normal View following the steps below. In this example we'll remove the default title placeholder from PowerPoint and create our own title placeholder instead, using a shape.

1. On the View tab select Normal to show the Normal View.
   
   
2. Remove the 'Click to add title' placeholder and replace it by a shape:
   
   
   
   

   In this example the 'Click to add title' placeholder is replaced by a shape, but with Slides you could also use the placeholder to create a smart field. Using a placeholder instead of a shape is only supported with Slides, not with the Slide Master or Slide Layouts (for these you always need to use a shape).

    

3. On the Form tab create a Title form field. 
   
   
4. Select the shape, then on the Template tab expand Form responses, select the Title form field and click Add to template:
   
   
   
   

   If the Template tab already contains smart fields, then you first need to click+ Add smart field to display Form responses. If the Add to template button is greyed out then you need to reselect the shape. You can expand the Advanced menu if you want to specify e.g. the visibility of the field (optional).

    

5. The result looks like this:
   
   
   
   

   Note that in the example the 'Title' has a small font size (Calibri, 18). If you want to change the font size to e.g. '48' then it's a good practice not to select the text 'Title', but to select the shape to change the font size.

    

6. Save the template.
   
   
7. When a user creates a presentation the Title form field is shown in the Composer and the value is inserted into the 'Title' shape. The result looks like this:
   
   
   
   

   Note that in the presentation the user is able to select the 'Title' shape (showing 'Hello world' in the example above). This means the user can change the location and content of the shape or can even delete it! This is possible because the 'Title' shape was created on a slide in the Normal View. If you don't want a user to (accidentally) change or delete a shape then create it in the Master View on the Slide Master or Slide layout (like the logo, date and user name fields).

    

Add a smart field to a Slide element

When you create a Slide element it's also possible to add Dynamics. In the example below we'll create a Slide element and add a form field to it.

1. Create a new template. Make sure Normal View is enabled.
   
   
2. On the Settings form disable Document content updater:
   
   
   
   

   Document content updater is not supported for slide elements.

 
3. Remove the 'Click to add title' and 'Click to add subtitle placeholders'.
   
   
4. Insert an icon. For example using Icons on the Insert tab:
   
   
   
   

   The option 3D Models on the Insert tab is not supported for Slides and Slide elements.

    
5. Change the size, color, position etc. of the icon (optional).
   
   
6. On the Form tab create a Description form field.
   
   
7. Add a (rectangle) shape an place it under the icon. Then on the Template tab expand Form responses, select the Description form field and click Add to template.
   
   
8. The result looks like this:
   
   
   
   

   You can decide to group the icon and placeholder (select both objects -> right-click -> Group), but then on the Template tab the smart field (marked red in the image above) will not be shown anymore! It will be shown again if you ungroup the objects, but if it's not necessary to group the objects don't do it.

 
9. Save the template.
   
   
10. When the user creates a presentation the Slide element will be available on the Slide elements tab. When it's selected the form field 'Description' will be shown. After answering the question the user can click Create to insert the Slide element:
    
    

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