SlideFab contains lots of features for all kinds of Excel to PowerPoint automation needs
Creating PowerPoint slides from Excel automatically can mean everything.
Fortunately, SlideFab contains many features to support all kinds of requirements.
Some might just need to write some texts into shapes.
Others might need to create a whole presentation involving charts, tables and even logical conditions.
Let’s find out what’s included.
Loops play an important role for creating one template slide more than once with different data
SlideFab has the ability to work a little like mail merge: Fill-in different data into a template slide over and over again.
To get this working, SlideFab uses loops
Iteration Loop
When your template presentation contains more than one template slide, this is the SlideFab feature to use.
Given an Excel range, this feature will iterate all its cells and create for each cell the template slides.
Learn how the Iteration Loop works
Slide Loop
When a template slide needs to be created more than once, this feature makes sense.
It is possible to combine the Slide Loop feature with the Iteration Loop feature for even more possibilities.
Learn how the Slide Loop works
There are many SlideFab features to connect Excel contents with elements in PowerPoint
This is about the SlideFab features which bring content from Excel to PowerPoint. Depending on what it is, there are different Export Modes available.
TEXT
SlideFab writes text from Excel cells into PowerPoint shapes
It preserves the formatting
Conditional formats of the Excel cell will be applied to the shape
Learn how to use the TEXT Export Mode
TABLE
SlideFab fills in data from Excel ranges into existing PowerPoint tables
It preserves the formatting (e.g. for ppt heatmaps)
SlideFab can even manage rows and columns if the Excel range differs
Learn how to use the TABLE Export Mode
SCREENSHOT
SlideFab can paste screenshots of Excel ranges into PowerPoint.
It can smartly preserve the aspect ratio
So if the screenshot does not fit, aligning it is supported, too.
Learn how to use the SCREENSHOT Export Mode
CHART
SlideFab supports the automation of charts as well.
There are 5 different ways to automate charts included.
Linking charts, fill-in data to charts, re-creating charts, etc.
Learn how to use the CHART Export Mode
IMAGE FROM FILE
SlideFab can read image files and put them in the presentation
It preserves aspect ratios and supports alignment
As file names come from Excel cells, this allows lots of flexibility
Learn how to use the IMAGE FROM FILE Export Mode
INDIRECT SHAPE
Excel can contain shapes as well, for example images or charts
SlideFab can copy these shapes from Excel to PowerPoint
As shape names come from Excel cells, this allows lots of flexibility
Learn how to use the INDIRECT SHAPE Export Mode
Conditions and slide sorting are helpful SlideFab features, too
The following set of SlideFab features helps the user to create even better output slides and presentations.
Slide Condition
Sometimes it does not make sense to create all template slides
For these cases, an Excel formula can be used to make this decision
Learn how the Slide Condition works
Shape Condition
Sometimes shapes shall appear on a slide and sometimes not
For these cases, an Excel formula can be used to make this decision
Learn how the Shape Condition works
Slide Sorting
The output slides might require a certain order
Calculate a score for each in Excel and let SlideFab sort the output
Learn how the Slide Sorting works
These additional SlideFab features cover even more requirements
There are many SlideFab features which did not fit in the categories above.
Filter Pivot Tables
Data from a Pivot Table might be required during the Iteration Loop
SlideFab can set the filters of Pivot Tables on the fly
Learn how Filter Pivot Tables works
Adding Sections
When using the Iteration Loop feature,
SlideFab can create PowerPoint sections in the output
Learn how Adding Sections works
File Decomposition
When using the Iteration Loop feature,
SlideFab can put the output slides of each round into a separate file
Learn how File Decomposition works
Saving as PDF
SlideFab can save the created output files as PDF as well
This also works in combination with File Decomposition
Writing Notes
When additional information is useful on the output slides
SlideFab can write Excel cells into the notes area of each slide
Executing VBA
For users who use custom VBA calculations,
SlideFab can execute the VBA during the Iteration Loop
Scaling Shapes
Sometimes the size of a shape needs to be data-driven
SlideFab can scale shapes in X and Y direction from different anchors
Learn how Scaling Shapes works
Exclude Hidden Slides
To stop SlideFab from creating certain template slides,
hiding them can optionally be used as exclusion marker
Logical Audit
When running the slide automation takes some time
the Logical Audit feature can help find issues faster upfront
Learn how the Logical Audit works
Smart Referencing
Whenever possible SlideFab avoids using cell references like C3
SlideFab prefers named ranges and table references to increase robustness
Preview Mode
To give information about the PowerPoint slide automation activity
SlideFab offers a slide preview and a progress bar
UX Optimization
SlideFab follows a friendly WYSIWYG scheme for its user interface
The software concept aims to keep using the software simple
Hyperlink support
SlideFab supports hyperlinks in the template presentation
It ensures these links point to the right slide within the respective loop output
Table Stretching
To perfectly align dynamic tables behind vertical line charts,
SlideFab can stretch the table back to its initial height
Frequently asked questions
Are these really all SlideFab features?
No, there is even more included in the software. Discover this yourself with the free SlideFab Lite license.
I am not sure whether the SlideFab features cover my needs.
You can find out by testing the free SlideFab Lite version. Alternatively, get in touch to discuss your requirements.
I feel a little overwhelmed with so many features here in SlideFab. How do I cope with that?
Don’t worry. You can make use of the features step by step. The SlideFab Learning Area is also a good starting point for you.
Build it yourself — or have it built
You can set up the automation with these features yourself — or we build the model and linking for you.