This entire deck was created by PowerPoint's Copilot.
All I used was a template in the Brand Kit and one prompt. No skill configuration, no long prompt engineering.
There is only one trick:
Write the purpose of each slide directly into the template.
What you will learn in this article:
- Why writing purposes in templates changes Copilot's output
- How to write those purposes, with ready-to-use examples
- Steps to add them to the Brand Kit and generate decks with a 4-line prompt
- How to register templates in PowerPoint if you don't have access to Brand Kits
Chapter 1: Why "Just Use Skills" Doesn't Work
Recently, people often suggest using "Skills" to improve the quality of PowerPoint Copilot decks. Skills teach Copilot your creation process.
However, many people get stuck here because they don't know what to write in a Skill. Describing the process in words is difficult even for experienced creators.
Furthermore, Skills have a 1,024-character limit, making it hard to fit all necessary instructions.
So, I propose a method that doesn't use Skills. Instead of writing steps in words, write the "use case" directly on the sample slides themselves.
Chapter 2: Writing Purposes Stops Copilot from Guessing
Official support pages state that when you ask Copilot to create a deck using a template, it uses that design and layout. The sample slides become Copilot's reference.
But if samples are just lined up without context, Copilot has to guess which sample to use based on appearance alone. This leads to errors like using comparison tables for trend explanations or skipping conclusion pages.
The solution is to write the use case on each sample slide.
"Use this slide when comparing two options."
"Use this slide to list three conclusions."
If the purpose is written on the sample, Copilot selects based on the text rather than guessing.
It's like delegating work to a person. It's better to say "Use this for the start of the report" than just handing over a blank form.
Chapter 3: How to Write the Purpose
Where to write: The Notes section
Write the purpose in the Notes field of each slide. Think of it as an instruction manual that only Copilot reads, keeping the visual clean.
My template uses these 8 fields. Here is the note for the title slide:
1【Slide ID】S0012【Category】Title3【Pattern】Title4【Purpose】First page of the document5【Example Instruction】Create a title / Title page6【Suitable Content】Document name, date, department, presenter7【Do Not Use For】Section dividers (use Section Cover instead)8【Note】Text is placeholder; rewrite according to content.
Role of the 8 Fields:
- Slide ID, Category, Pattern: Identifiers for alignment between Copilot and humans.
- Purpose: What message to convey (not visual description).
- Example Instruction: Trigger phrases for selecting this slide.
- Suitable Content: What goes on this slide.
- Do Not Use For: Guardrails against misuse, pointing to alternatives.
- Note: Instructions like rewriting placeholders.
"Do Not Use For" is surprisingly effective. Writing "Don't use for section dividers (use Section Cover)" prevents title slides from appearing in the middle of the deck.
Copy-Paste Template for Notes
Paste this into your template's notes and fill in the details:
1【Slide ID】2【Category】3【Pattern】4【Purpose】5【Example Instruction】6【Suitable Content】7【Do Not Use For】8【Note】
Also, put placeholder text in the slide's text boxes indicating what belongs there (e.g., "Enter one-line message here"). With both the note explanation and placeholder text, Copilot won't hesitate about where to put what.
Let Copilot Write the Purposes Too
Writing purposes for 100 slides manually is tough. Ask Copilot to do it.
Open your formatted file in PowerPoint and ask Copilot:
1For each slide, explicitly state its purpose so that the optimal slide is selected when registered in the Brand Kit.
Copy the prompt from the top-right button and send it.
Key point: Mentioning "so the optimal slide is selected when registered in the Brand Kit" tells Copilot the goal. It reads each sample and writes purposes optimized for selection.
Review the generated purposes once. If any need adjustment, especially adding "Do Not Use For," edit manually. It's much faster than starting from scratch.
Ready-to-Use Templates Provided
For those who find it too tedious, I created two template patterns ready for Brand Kit registration, plus over 350 pictograms for slide accents.
These are free gifts for Open Chat members. Join to try them yourself. Details at the end of the article.
Chapter 4: Add Templates to Brand Kit and Generate with One Prompt
What is a Brand Kit?
A Brand Kit lets Copilot use company logos, colors, fonts, templates, images, and icons collectively. Adding purpose-driven templates and pictograms here saves you from searching for files every time.
Who Registers It?
Only designated Brand Managers can create/edit official Brand Kits. Location: Copilot App > Create > More > Brand Kit.
Official Info: Create and manage official Brand kits in the Microsoft Copilot app
The management screen has 8 sections: Logo, Template, Font, Color, Image, Icon, Brand Tone, Skills.
Add your purpose-written file to the Template section.
Enable "Strict Brand Compliance" so Copilot only uses approved layouts and doesn't invent new ones.
You can share the kit with colleagues, ensuring consistent quality across departments.
User Steps
- Open new presentation in PowerPoint, click "Copilot" in Home tab.
- Click "+" in input box, select "Choose Brand," pick your kit.
- Send prompt, verify result using Chapter 7 checklist.
The 4-Line Prompt Used
Surprisingly, this is all I sent to create the deck in this article. It compares new vs old products for executive proposal.
1Compare new and old products, highlight benefits of new product2Content for customer executives310-15 slides4Mark uncertain info as "To Be Confirmed"
Copy via top-right button, adjust lines 1-2 for your needs. I didn't say "read purposes" or "use this slide." That logic is in the template.
Keep prompts short. Let the template handle thinking.
Roles of the 4 Lines:
- Line 1: Topic (what to compare/convey)
- Line 2: Audience (dictates tone/depth)
- Line 3: Slide count range
- Line 4: Flag uncertainties instead of hallucinating
Line 4 is crucial. "To Be Confirmed" marks spots needing human verification.
Copilot Asks 3 Questions Before Starting
After sending the 4 lines, Copilot returned 3 multiple-choice questions instead of immediately generating.
- Q1: Which products to compare? → "Create fictional example"
- Q2: Any source docs? → "Research public info"
- Q3: Key points for execs? → "Cost reduction / ROI"
Selecting "Search internal docs" in Q2 allows pulling data from emails/files. I chose Claude Opus 5.5 model for higher text quality.
Pull Data from Connected Services
Since September, PowerPoint Copilot supports "Connectors." You can pull external service data into decks without leaving PowerPoint.
Officially, external data isn't saved in the deck but fetched live. Sources are cited, reducing verification effort.
Official Info: Use connectors with Copilot in PowerPoint
Note: Requires paid Microsoft 365 Copilot license and admin permission. If unavailable, paste materials into prompt.
Close PowerPoint While Generating (Oct Update)
Large decks take time. According to Microsoft roadmap, from October, you can close PowerPoint while Copilot works. Notifications arrive upon completion or when input needed.
Planned for Windows, Web, Mac versions.
Official Info: Microsoft 365 Roadmap (570437)
No Brand Kit? See Next Chapter
Even without Brand Kits, the concept works. Register templates in PowerPoint as shown below.
Chapter 5: Register Templates in PowerPoint Without Brand Kit
Many users have Copilot but no Brand Kit/Skills due to company restrictions.
In this case, register your purpose-written template directly in PowerPoint.
Ask Copilot within the opened template file for similar results.
Step 1: Save as Template
Open your file, go to File > Save As.
Choose "PowerPoint Template (*.potx)." Save location auto-changes to "Custom Office Templates." Done.
Step 2: Access via New
Go to File > New. Your template appears under "Personal." Selecting it opens a fresh file with sample slides and notes. Original template remains unchanged.
Step 3 (Optional): Set as Default Theme
To apply this design to blank presentations, right-click your theme in Design tab > Set as Default Theme. Colors/fonts become standard for new blanks.
Step 4: Send Prompt via Copilot
Open file via "New," click Copilot, send Chapter 4 prompt. Copilot uses open template's samples and notes as guides.
Instead of selecting Brand Kit, you just open the template.
Chapter 6: Actual Generated Deck
Here is the deck created solely with purpose-written templates and the 4-line prompt. It proposes HVAC upgrades to executives (fictional names).
Observe slide selection: Comparison, Conclusion, and To-Confirm pages appear exactly where intended.
Notice "(Assumed - To Confirm)" under numbers. Line 4 of prompt worked, marking verification spots.
No Skills used. Difference came purely from purposes written in notes.
Chapter 7: 3 Checks Before Sharing
- Numbers: Cross-check source vs slide figures.
- Notes: Ensure template instructions (【Purpose】etc.) aren't left in final deck notes.
- Scope: Check for internal data/names if sharing externally.
Second check is unique to this method. Review all speaker notes before publishing.
What Happens Without Purposes in Notes?
Without purposes, Copilot guesses usage from visuals. Same 4-line prompt may yield misused slides (e.g., comparison table in wrong section).
Notes eliminate guessing. Same template/prompt, difference is whether usage was defined.
How to Get These Templates
Open Chat members receive:
- Ready-to-use Brand Kit templates (2 patterns, purposes included)
- 350+ Pictograms (general & industry-specific)
Works for both Brand Kit and PowerPoint registration methods. Join link at bottom.
Summary: Just Write Usage on Samples
Core message:
Before writing Skills, define usage on each template slide.
No need for 100 slides initially. Pick one conclusion slide from current work, add 【Purpose】and 【Do Not Use For】to notes. Ask Copilot. First slide generation will differ.
Once you see the gap, you won't return to undefined templates.
Info as of Sept 30, 2026. Availability varies by contract/admin settings.
Copilot evolves fast. Learning from practitioners is quicker than solo tracking.
Thanks for reading.
Daily Copilot tips shared. Follow @haruki_copilot for practical techniques.
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