Present with a point

Templates and examples

The presentation reference is 16:9. It pairs Spruce cover slides with quiet Paper content slides, expressive Fraunces titles, and readable Inter body text. The built-in Pandoc layout names and placeholders are preserved.

Download the reference and sample Markdown into your own working folder. The sample also uses workflow.png; save it next to deck.md. No repository or toolkit folder layout is needed.

Generate from Markdown with Pandoc

Install the tools

Install Pandoc 3.x to generate PPTX and PDF. Install the desktop fonts: Inter, Fraunces 72pt, and JetBrains Mono. Google Fonts CSS does not install desktop fonts.

For PDF slides, also install XeLaTeX and Beamer through MiKTeX on Windows, MacTeX on macOS, or TeX Live on Linux. Minimal TeX installations may need additional packages. On Debian/Ubuntu, the usual packages are texlive-xetex, texlive-latex-extra, texlive-pictures, and texlive-fonts-recommended; Beamer is included through the LaTeX packages.

Check installation:

pandoc --version
xelatex --version

PPTX needs Pandoc; PDF additionally needs the engine and Beamer. Neither workflow requires LibreOffice, Python, Node.js, or a helper script.

Create an editable PowerPoint presentation

Save the downloaded template as reference.pptx. Run in the folder containing it and deck.md:

pandoc "deck.md" --standalone --slide-level=2 \
  --reference-doc="reference.pptx" --resource-path=. -o "deck.pptx"

# creates section slides and ## creates content slides. Speaker notes use ::: notes blocks.

Create PDF slides directly from Markdown

pandoc "deck.md" --standalone -t beamer --slide-level=2 \
  --pdf-engine=xelatex -V aspectratio=169 -V fontsize=20pt \
  -V geometry:paperwidth=10in -V geometry:paperheight=5.625in \
  -V mainfont="Inter" -V sansfont="Inter" -V monofont="JetBrains Mono" \
  --resource-path=. -o "deck.pdf"

Beamer creates PDF slides, rather than a continuous document. The command uses a 10 × 5.625-inch canvas (16:9) and 20pt base font. The explicit canvas size gives the sample’s columns and tables room to fit at that size. PDF uses Beamer’s layout, not the PowerPoint reference; its cover, colors, placeholders, notes behavior, and spacing can differ. Matching the full PowerPoint design requires a separate Beamer template. The preview below shows the Office reference design. Inspect the PDF independently and split dense slides rather than shrinking text.

Replace filenames with your own and quote paths containing spaces. Keep images next to the Markdown or adjust --resource-path. See Pandoc’s slide documentation.

Write a presentation, not a report

Give each slide one point and a title that states it. Keep supporting content concise. Use speaker notes for detail. Body text should remain at least 20pt; split content before making it smaller.

---
title: Work, well made.
subtitle: People, agents, and connected tools.
author: Teamwright
---

# A shared thread of work

## Keep the decision visible

- Show what is proposed.
- Identify the target and consequence.
- Keep sources within reach.

::: notes
Explain one approved product example here.
:::

Choose layouts through structure

## People and agents contribute different things

:::::: columns
::: column
### People

- Context
- Judgment
:::
::: column
### Agents

- Execution
- Inspectable outputs
:::
::::::

Pandoc decides layout from structure. A written layout name is not a universal slide-layout selector. Inspect the rendered result rather than assuming a layout from an informal description.

Customize in PowerPoint

Edit fonts, colors, and placeholder positions under View → Slide Master. Keep the layout names and content placeholders Pandoc expects. The major theme font is Fraunces 72pt; the minor font is Inter. Install the bundled TTFs before editing. Public slides do not carry an unconditional Confidential label.

Avoid dense tables, tiny captions, and full application screenshots shrunk beyond readability. Put essential labels directly into diagrams and use patterns or markers alongside chart colors.

Preview and inspect

Open PDF · Download PPTX · Read sample Markdown

Inspect every slide for clipping, wrapping, caption placement, contrast, and consistent typography. PDF uses a separate Beamer layout; inspect it alongside the PPTX. Direct Microsoft PowerPoint validation remains a separate check.