> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://wiki.pptxbuilder.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://wiki.pptxbuilder.com/getting-started-1/preparing-powerpoint-templates/general-set-up.md).

# General Set-Up

PPTX Builder uses PowerPoint templates to generate new reports. It does this by populating `Placeholders` found on `Slide layouts`. The look and feel of your reports are therefore determined by the formatting choices in the hands of the template designer. This speeds the report development process while encouraging visual consistency in slides created from the same template.

There are three things that the platform is looking for when you import a new PowerPoint template:

1. Somewhere to place the chart
2. Somewhere to place the “question” text
3. Somewhere to place the “base” text

![View > Slide Master](/files/-MIKb77S1b0YVuj5uiX_)

When working with an existing `Slide master`, we recommend first creating a duplicate and the deleting any of the slides that aren’t set up for charting – then moving that slide master to the top of the list.

The aim is to ensure that the first `Slide layout` that the platform finds in your template is one that is set up for charting.

Below you can see here that my 1st `Slide master` only contains `Slide layouts` that are set up with charting in mind.

![Slide Master and Slide Layouts](/files/-MI-bFeRUk1XMd-I1DNC)