Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for PowerPoint Mail Merge Service

What is the PowerPoint Mail Merge Service?

The PowerPoint Mail Merge Service is a tool designed to automate the creation of personalized PowerPoint presentations. By using a PowerPoint template with placeholders and a CSV, JSON or an Excel(XLSX) file containing data, you can generate customized, data-drive presentations.

What file formats are supported for PowerPoint presentations?

We currently support PowerPoint files in .pptx format. Please ensure your file is in this format before uploading.

What file formats are supported for data files?

We currently support three formats of data files:

• Excel (XLSX) files - these are Excel worbooks created in Excel 2007 an onwards
• CSV files - text files with tabular structure, with header names in the first row; We support multiple field separators, e.g. comma (,), semicolon(;), pipe(|) and tab and space
• JSON files - text files with hierarchical structure, often produced by APIs of various software systems

I need to create more than 5 slides - what do I do?

We've got you covered - take a look at our Pricing page to find a plan which fits your needs. If you need anything more specific - bigger slide limits, custom PowerPoint templates, more features or custom data & PowerPoint auomation tasks - feel free to contact us.

How does the placeholder syntax work?

Placeholders are used in your PowerPoint template to denote where data from the CSV file should be inserted. We support three types of placeholders:

• String Values: Use double curly braces for text placeholders, e.g., {{name}}.
• Image URLs: the same as for string values, but place them in the Alt-text field of the image, {{profile_picture}}.
• QR Codes: use the following syntax (place it in the Alt-text of the dummy / placeholder image), {{data=contact_info type=qr}}.
• Tables: use the following syntax (place it in the name of the placeholder table):
  • Data in Excel table: {{xlsx.Sheet1!Table1}}
  • Data in JSON array: {{json.someObjectName.tableOfObjects}}

How do I upload my PowerPoint presentation?

You can upload your presentation by dragging and dropping your .pptx file into the designated area on the form. Alternatively, you can click the "Browse Files" button to select your file.

What should my CSV, XLSX or JSON file look like?

Your CSV file should have a header row with column names matching the placeholders in your PowerPoint slide. Each subsequent row should contain the corresponding data for each placeholder.

Example CSV Format:

name,company,title,profile_picture,contact_info
John Doe,Example Corp,Manager,https://pptxmailmerge.com/john.jpg,"John Doe, Example Corp, Manager, john.doe@example.com"
Jane Smith,Another Inc,Director,https://pptxmailmerge.com/jane.jpg,"Jane Smith, Another Inc, Director, jane.smith@example.com"

You can find sample data for each of the tools on their respective pages:

• Merge JSON data with PowerPoint template
• Merge XLSX data with PowerPoint template
• Merge CSV data with PowerPoint template

How do I handle special characters in my CSV file?

Ensure your CSV file is encoded in UTF-8 to support special characters.

I received an "Invalid Data" error. What does this mean?

This error typically occurs when there is a mismatch between the headers and the placeholders in your PowerPoint slide. Make sure that:

• Every placeholder in your slide has a corresponding column in your CSV file.
• The CSV data is properly formatted, with consistent columns across all rows.

Why is the image not showing in my presentation?

This issue can arise if the image URL provided in the data file is incorrect or inaccessible. Ensure that:

• The image URL is correctly entered and leads to a valid image file.
• The image is publicly accessible and not behind authentication barriers.
• The image format is supported by PowerPoint (e.g., JPG, PNG).

I got an error saying "Image File Not Found." What should I do?

This error indicates that the specified image URL could not be reached or is invalid. Check that:

• The URL is correctly spelled and leads to a valid image.
• The image exists at the specified URL and is not moved or deleted.
• The URL uses the correct protocol (http or https).

How do I generate QR codes in my presentation?

Use a special type of placeholder in your PowerPoint template (called component), insert a dummy image and place the following placeholder in the alternative text of the image: {{data=website_url type=qr}}. Our service will automatically generate a QR code for each value in the spewcified column in the CSV file.

Example (data file):

website_url
https://example.com/john-profile
https://example.com/jane-profile

The QR code in my presentation is not working. How can I fix this?

This might happen if the data for the QR code is invalid or incomplete. Make sure that:

• The data is correctly formatted and provides a complete URL or text for QR code generation.
• The placeholder in your slide matches the data file column header exactly.

How is my data protected during the upload process?

We use CSRF protection and file validation to ensure that your data is handled securely. All uploaded files and data are processed on secure servers, and we do not store your data longer than necessary for processing.

Is my uploaded data shared with third parties?

No, your uploaded data is strictly used for the purpose of generating your PowerPoint presentations and is not shared with any third parties. Our privacy policy ensures that your data remains confidential.

Can I use this service for multiple slides?

Yes! You can upload a PPTX file with multiple slides, with defined placeholders, upload your data file and merge.

What should I do if I encounter a different error?

If you experience an error not covered in this FAQ, please contact our support team with details of the issue, including any error messages you received. We're here to help resolve any problems you encounter.

Contact Us

If you have further questions or need assistance, please feel free to reach out to our support team via Contact page: Contact.