How to make PPT template: steps and tools for making your own simple template

Key points of this article

Before making a template, make a list of layouts, including one for cover, table of contents, chapter page, main text, chart page, and ending, to avoid missing pages only to be discovered after finishing the work.
The color matching is controlled to one main color, one auxiliary color, and one accent color, plus two text colors, dark and light, and write down the color values for future reuse.
Choose a font for the title and text, and make sure the computer used for projection or printing has these fonts installed, otherwise the typesetting will be misaligned after changing the computer.
All unified elements are placed in the master layout, and only placeholders are placed in the layout. New pages can automatically inherit the style without having to modify it page by page.
Use a real long document to try out the template, check whether the long titles and tables overflow, and then save it as a fixed file for long-term use.

When many people make PPT, they start from a blank page every time and have to readjust the fonts, colors, and footers. If you cook the same ingredients three times, the style may be different. Instead of looking for ready-made templates every time, it is better to make a set of templates that can be used repeatedly, set the layout, color matching and fonts once, and apply them directly to new files in the future.

This article is written for readers who often make reports, weekly reports or course materials and need to maintain a unified style for a long time. It talks about how to design a set of simple PPT templates from scratch, including master, color and font settings, as well as how to check after completion. As for where to download ready-made templates, it is beyond the scope of this article. After reading this, you should be able to independently make your own set of templates and know where problems are likely to occur.

How to choose a PPT template: start from blank or change the existing layout? One sentence conclusion

In most cases, modifying the existing layout first is faster and less error-prone than drawing from scratch. It is only worth designing from scratch when the style has special requirements or when it will serve the team for a long time. Below are suggestions based on your situation.

your situation	Recommended practices	reason
Only a one-time report	Just use the existing layout and change the color and font	Spending time building templates is not worthwhile
Make similar weekly reports every week	Fixed title, footer and page number in master	Only fill in the content each time, and the layout will not be distorted.
The team or company should have a unified style	First determine the color palette and fonts, and then make several fixed layouts	Members have consistent styles when applied
Material from PDF document	Organize the content first, then import the template for layout	Avoid dislocation after the original text layout is brought in
Requires bilingual content in Chinese and English	Leave enough space in the text box, the translation is usually longer than the original text	Bilingual content is prone to overflow

Before you start: Confirm these points first

Think about a few things before you start, otherwise you will often have to start over halfway through.

Purpose and page range. Reports, courseware, and roadshows have different format requirements. Whether the number of pages is roughly a dozen or dozens of pages depends on how many layouts you need.
Brand colors and fonts are available. If you want to use a specific font, make sure you have permission to use it and that the font is installed on the computer you are showing. When the font is missing, the system will replace it with the default font, the title length will change accordingly, and the layout may be misaligned.
Show and print scenes. The projector will make light-colored text fade, and the light gray background may become blurred when printing. These two scenarios determine how the contrast should be set.
File format. Saving in pptx format is universal and easy to open and reuse in different software. If the other party wants to use an older version of the software, you must also confirm compatibility.
Copyright of material. If you put icons, pictures or web fonts in the template, you need to confirm that they can be used in your scene.

Steps to create a set of simple templates in desktop office software

The following steps are general practices and apply to the master view of most desktop productivity software. If you edit a presentation in the OmniDoc desktop client (Download link), you can also use the same idea, set up the layout first, and then fill in the content.

List the layout list. Write on paper the types of pages required, such as cover, table of contents, chapter pages, text, figure pages, and conclusion. Reserve only one purpose for each layout and don’t mix them together.
Determine color matching. Choose a primary color for titles and highlights, a secondary color for graphics or decorations, and an accent color. Use dark colors for main text and prepare a light gray for comments. Write down the color value of each color so you can reuse it later.
Determine the font. Choose a font for the title and text, and the Chinese and English fonts should be matched appropriately. Make sure the font size hierarchy is clear: there are obvious differences between titles, subtitles, main text, and comments.
Enter the master view and unify the common elements. Place the title position, footer, page number and logo on the master, and set the background color. All layouts will inherit these settings, and changing them once will take effect globally.
Make layouts one by one. Only placeholders are placed in each layout, and no specific content is placed to avoid introducing irrelevant text when creating a new page. Placeholders should be positioned and sized according to your list.
Try filling in with real content. Find an existing material and put long titles, long tables, and multiple lists into it to see if it will overflow or squeeze. When you find problems, go back to the master or layout and make adjustments. Don't just change a single page.
Save and name the template file. The file name contains the version number and date, such as "Weekly Report Template_v2". Put it in a fixed folder. When creating a new file, start from this file. Do not directly overwrite the original file.
Do a complete screening test. Read it from cover to cover, checking the font size, contrast, and page number on each page. If you want to project, try to watch it once on a projector or a big screen.

Check each item after completion

Once the template is ready, don't rush to use it long-term. The following items are prone to problems; inspecting each one can save a lot of rework.

Inspection items	How to see it	What should you do if there's a problem?
Does the new page automatically display placeholders?	Create a new page and check if the title and footer already exist	Return to the master board for editing; do not manually adjust on a single page
Check if the font displays correctly	Open it on another computer and check if the font has changed	Embedded fonts, or replaced with the system's built-in universal fonts
Whether the text is overflowing	Check pages with long titles and maximum entries	Shorten text or set a unified font size limit
Whether the color contrast is sufficient	Check whether the main text and annotations are clear on a projection or large screen	Darken the text color and avoid light gray small text
Check whether the translation and the identified content are accurate	Compare with the original text to verify terms, numbers, and personal names	Both machine translation and OCR results require manual verification of important content

📊 Core Comparison

There are three common ways to make homemade templates. They differ in speed, flexibility, and investment.

Method	Whoever it suits you	The main cost
Design starts with a blank layout	People with fixed style requirements and willing to spend time	The initial stage takes a long time and requires some knowledge of layout
Change the color scheme and font on an existing master	Most daily and weekly reporting scenarios	Layout is limited by the original template, limiting the room for customization
Automatically generated using online tools or software	People who need to quickly produce a first draft	The generated results often require manual mastering, and the details may not meet your requirements

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What software is needed to create PPT templates?

Ordinary desktop office software can do this; its master and layout features are already sufficient. If you need to collaborate across multiple devices or prefer to handle multiple documents in one tool, you can try the OmniDoc desktop client, which includes UniPPT presentation editing features.

2. How to choose free materials for PPT template creation tutorials?

When choosing, check the following points: whether there are file size restrictions, whether the downloaded content has watermarks, whether registration is mandatory, whether the master structure is complete and editable, and whether the privacy policy is clear. Only when you can see the structure of the master and layout can you truly make changes yourself.

3. Is there a tool for generating templates with one click?

Some tools can automatically generate a first draft, making it suitable for getting started quickly. However, the generated color scheme and layout usually need to be checked by yourself and manually modified to meet your actual needs.

4. Can you share the templates you make with others?

You can share your own layout and color schemes. However, if the template uses someone else's font, image, or icon, authorization must be confirmed before sharing externally.

5. After making the template, how can it be quickly applied?

Place the template file in a fixed folder, save it as a new file whenever needed, and edit it directly. Do not open the original file directly for modifications. This keeps the original formwork clean and can be directly reused when making new materials later.

📝 Summary

The key to making a DIY PPT template is to first think about the layout and purpose, then unify the colors, fonts, and common elements into the master board. After completing it, test the template with real content and check the contrast and overflow before it can truly be used. Once you master this method, whether it's weekly reports or courseware, you can quickly create PPTs with consistent style.

Open OmniDoc to translate and edit your presentation