Text Boxes in PPTX Template

Text boxes are one of the most common elements in PowerPoint presentations. Learn how to use placeholders in text boxes to create dynamic content.

Using Placeholders in Text Boxes

Text boxes in PowerPoint can contain placeholders that will be replaced with data during the merge process. Simply type your placeholder syntax directly into the text box.

Basic Usage

  1. Insert a text box in your PowerPoint slide
  2. Type your text with placeholders: Hello {{name}}, welcome to {{company}}!
  3. The placeholders will be replaced with actual values from your data source

Example

Template Text Box:

Dear {{first_name}} {{last_name}},

Thank you for your interest in {{product_name}}.
Your order number is {{order_id}}.

Data:

{
  "first_name": "John",
  "last_name": "Doe",
  "product_name": "Premium Widget",
  "order_id": "ORD-12345"
}

Result:

Dear John Doe,

Thank you for your interest in Premium Widget.
Your order number is ORD-12345.

Formatting

Text formatting in your template is preserved in the merged result:

  • Bold, italic, and underline formatting
  • Font sizes and colors
  • Text alignment (left, center, right, justify)
  • Line spacing and paragraph spacing

Preserving Formatting

When you format text in your template, that formatting is applied to the entire placeholder replacement. For example:

  • If you make {{name}} bold, the entire name will be bold in the output
  • If you color {{status}} red, the entire status text will be red

Multi-line Text

Text boxes support multi-line content. You can use line breaks in your data, and they will be preserved in the output.

Example

Data:

{
  "description": "This is line one.\nThis is line two.\nThis is line three."
}

Template:

{{description}}

Result:

This is line one.
This is line two.
This is line three.

Text Box Properties

The following text box properties are preserved during merging:

  • Position and size
  • Background color and fill
  • Border style and color
  • Text wrapping
  • Rotation

Best Practices

  1. Use Descriptive Placeholders: Use clear names like {{employee_name}} instead of {{n}}

  2. Test Text Length: Consider how long your data might be - very long text might overflow the text box

  3. Handle Empty Values: If a data field might be empty, consider adding default text or handling it in your template design

  4. Consistent Formatting: Apply consistent formatting across similar text boxes for a professional look

Common Issues

  • Text Overflow: If merged text is longer than expected, it may overflow the text box. Consider using auto-fit text options or larger text boxes.

  • Formatting Lost: Ensure you're applying formatting to the entire placeholder, not just part of it.

  • Line Breaks Not Working: Make sure your data contains proper line break characters (\n for JSON, actual line breaks for CSV/Excel).

For more information, see Basic Placeholders.