You can upload your own PowerPoint templates in Meisterplan to export project data using a customized layout.

• Required User Rights
• Exporting Data to PowerPoint
  • Exporting a Single Project's Data
  • Exporting Data of Several Projects
  • Meisterplan Default Template
• Preparing Your Templates
  • Uploading Your Templates
  • Deleting Your Custom Templates
• Dos and Don'ts
  • Formatting Tips
  • Don'ts
  • Troubleshooting

Required User Rights

To export data to PowerPoint templates, users need to have the Export Data right under Manage > User Groups > Integrations. They will only see data for which they have user rights in the PowerPoint file.

To upload custom templates, users must have the Upload PowerPoint Templates right enabled under Manage > User Groups > Integrations.

Exporting Data to PowerPoint

To share Meisterplan data outside the tool - for example, in board or status meetings -, you can quickly export your project data to a predefined PowerPoint template.

Exporting a Single Project's Data

To export the data of one project, open its project details and in the toolbar, click Export to PowerPoint:

If you have multiple PowerPoint templates on your system, you can select the appropriate template from a drop-down list.

The PowerPoint file will automatically download to your computer. You can edit the exported file to further customize the content and layout.

Exporting Data of Several Projects

You can also export the data of several projects into a template. Open the List view, select the projects, and click Export to PowerPoint:

If you have multiple PowerPoint templates in your system, you can select the appropriate template from a drop-down list.

For each selected project, the template slides with placeholders (except for the timestamp and title placeholders) will be duplicated and populated with the project's data.

The PowerPoint file will automatically download to your computer. You can edit the exported file to further customize the content and layout.

Meisterplan Default Template

If no custom templates are uploaded or if all custom templates have been deleted, Meisterplan will automatically use the default template. The default template is only available in English and includes a selection of supported fields. In this article, you will find a complete overview of fields, placeholders, and those included in the default template.

In Pro and Premium editions of Meisterplan, you can upload up to ten custom templates to ensure your exports match your company’s branding and include only the relevant details.

In Basic editions and systems where no custom templates are uploaded, data will be exported to the Meisterplan Default Template. 

Preparing Your TemplatesProPremium

Your PowerPoint templates (.pptx) can include any text, formatting, and layout, as long as the file size does not exceed 5 MB. Each template can have up to 10 slides and 200 placeholders.

To export project data to your file, insert placeholders for the desired fields as editable text. These can be placed in text boxes or tables,. For an overview of all available fields and their placeholders, see the article List of Available Fields for PowerPoint Export Templates.

1. Under Integrations > Microsoft PowerPoint, click the Meisterplan Default Template to download it to your computer.
2. Customize the default template with your preferred layout and fields by adding their placeholders, then save it under a new name.
3. Upload your template (see below).
4. Open a project's details and click Export to PowerPoint in the toolbar to review the results.
5. Repeat as needed until the configuration meets your requirements.

If you delete your custom template, the Meisterplan Default Template will be automatically restored.

Uploading Your Templates

1. Under Integrations > Microsoft PowerPoint, click Upload New Template:
   
2. Drag and drop your file or select it from your computer, then click Validate in the top right.
3. On the right side, you will see a list of all invalid placeholders in your file. When you click through the file preview, the incorrect placeholders are displayed in red. When you download the uploaded file, the red highlighting remains.
   
4. Correct the errors in your file.
5. Re-upload the corrected file and validate again.
6. When your file has no errors, click Upload in the top right.

Your template will now be used to export data to PowerPoint. You can test it both in the Project Details and the List view.

Deleting Your Custom Templates

To delete an uploaded template, hover over the file name under Integrations > Microsoft PowerPoint and click the trash can icon. If you delete all PowerPoint templates, the Meisterplan Default Template will be uploaded again. You cannot delete the Meisterplan Default Template, but you can replace it by uploading a new template.

Dos and Don'ts

Formatting Tips

For best layout results, follow these recommendations:

• Add one text box per text or URL field placeholder.
• Remove all empty lines from text boxes after the placeholders, because additional empty lines unnecessarily enlarge the text box and can lead to overlapping boxes.
• Make sure that text boxes in your template are designed for the maximum expected amount of text. Alternatively, structure longer content across larger fields or multiple slides. The “Automatically fit text” setting is ignored during export to protect the layout. This means that text is inserted until the text box is full, and any remaining text that exceeds the available space in the text box is truncated with an ellipsis (“...”).
• To prevent long text in text boxes from being cut off, enable the “Shrink text on overflow” option for multi-line text boxes under Format Shape > Text Options > Text Box.
• If you need multiple milestone or risk tables, we recommend putting each one on a separate slide to ensure a consistent layout. This way, if a table is too big for its slide, a new slide is simply created instead of rows overlapping with the next table.
• If your template contains slides without placeholders, such as explanations or descriptions, place them at the end of your template. This way, they will remain at the end of the exported file even if you export multiple projects.

Don'ts

• Always place milestone and risk placeholders in table columns, not in text boxes.
• Do not include the following PowerPoint elements in your custom templates as they may cause problems when uploading your templates or exporting data:
  • Cameos
  • 3D Models
  • Charts
  • Complex Groupings
  • Complex Diagrams
  • Add-Ins (Exception: Trusted add-ins such as Tableau, Power BI, Visio, Think Cell, Office Timeline, OnePager, MekkoGraphics, and Efficient Elements are allowed.)
• Remove all unnecessary slides from your templates, expecially the slide master.

Troubleshooting

• How to remove hidden unsupported content:
  1. Go to File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document. Click Inspect and then 'Remove All" for the following elements: 
     • Content Add-Ins
     • Task Pane Add-Ins
     • Embedded Documents
     • Macros, Forms, and ActiveX Controls
     • Custom XML Data
     • Invisible On-Slide Content
  2. Go to Home > Arrange > Selection Pane. For each slide, remove any objects that are not text boxes, rectangles, tables, or images. 
  3. Save the file.