What are Presentation Templates?
A presentation template is a saved presentation configuration that includes:- Slide structure: The order and arrangement of global slides
- Layout choices: How content is organized and displayed
- Navigation setup: Menu structure and flow between slides
- Design patterns: Consistent styling and formatting choices
Why Use Templates?
Save Time
Build new presentations in minutes by starting with a proven structure instead of from scratch.
Ensure Consistency
All presentations based on the same template maintain consistent structure and quality.
Easy Variants
Create variations for different audiences (investors, buyers, brokers) from a single base template.
Quick Iteration
Test different presentation structures and keep the ones that work best.
How Templates Work
Templates leverage the power of data-driven presentations and global slides:The Template Contains:
- A list of global slides in a specific order
- Navigation and menu configuration
- Layout and display settings
- Any custom styling or arrangements
The Template Does NOT Contain:
- Specific property names or data
- Individual unit information
- Property-specific images
- Hard-coded prices or dates
- Copies the structure from the template
- Connects to your property data for the specific project
- Populates global slides with the correct property information
- Creates a new presentation ready for customization
Creating a Template
Build a template by creating an exemplary presentation first:1
Build a complete presentation
Create a full presentation for any property in your portfolio with all the slides and structure you want.
2
Refine and perfect
Test the presentation, get feedback, and make improvements until it’s exactly what you want.
3
Save as template
Use the “Save as Template” option to convert your presentation into a reusable template.
4
Name and describe
Give your template a clear name (e.g., “Full Sales Presentation”) and description of its purpose.
5
Tag appropriately
Add tags to help you find this template later (e.g., “Sales”, “Complete”, “Residential”).
Using Templates
Once you have templates, creating new presentations becomes incredibly fast:1
Navigate to your project
Go to the property where you want to create a new presentation.
2
Create from template
Click “New Presentation” and select “From Template” option.
3
Choose your template
Select the template that best fits your needs from your template library.
4
Name your presentation
Give the new presentation a descriptive name for this specific property.
5
Customize if needed
The presentation is created with your template’s structure but your property’s data. Adjust as needed.
Template Variants
Create multiple template variants to address different use cases:By Audience
Buyer Template
Buyer Template
Focus on lifestyle, amenities, unit features, and neighborhood. Include emotional appeals and visual content.
Investor Template
Investor Template
Emphasize ROI, market analysis, financial projections, and rental yields. Include data-heavy slides and charts.
Broker Template
Broker Template
Provide quick facts, competitive advantages, commission structure, and sales materials. Focus on selling points.
Internal Review Template
Internal Review Template
Include project status, timeline updates, budget information, and team notes. More detailed and technical.
By Length
- Quick Overview (5-8 slides): Hero, location, key features, units available, contact
- Standard Presentation (12-15 slides): Full property showcase with all major sections
- Comprehensive Deck (20+ slides): Deep dive with detailed specifications, floor plans, amenities, etc.
By Purpose
- Launch Presentation: Focus on grand opening, early bird offers, project vision
- Mid-Project Update: Status updates, percentage sold, remaining inventory
- Final Phase: Last units, move-in ready, immediate availability
Template Best Practices
Use Descriptive Names
Name templates clearly: “Residential Sales - Full” instead of “Template 1”.
Document Purpose
Add a description explaining when and how to use each template.
Keep Templates Updated
When you improve a presentation, update the template so future uses benefit.
Version Your Templates
If making major changes, consider versioning (e.g., “Sales Template v2”).
Test Before Templating
Only save presentations as templates after they’ve proven successful.
Share with Team
Make sure team members know which templates to use for different scenarios.
Editing Templates
Templates can be updated to reflect improvements and changes:Updating a Template
1
Open the template
Navigate to your template library and select the template to edit.
2
Make changes
Add, remove, or reorder slides. Adjust settings as needed.
3
Save changes
Save the updated template.
4
Note the impact
Existing presentations created from this template are NOT automatically updated. Only new presentations will use the updated template.
Templates vs. Global Slides
Understanding the difference helps you use both effectively:| Aspect | Global Slides | Templates |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Individual reusable slide designs | Complete presentation structures |
| Contains | Layout and data placeholders | Collection of global slides in order |
| Updates | Changes apply to all uses | Changes don’t affect existing copies |
| Best for | Consistent slide design | Consistent presentation structure |
| Reusability | Used across many presentations | Starting point for new presentations |
| Data binding | Automatic from portfolio | Automatic when creating from template |
Real-World Template Workflow
Scenario: New Property Launch
Without Templates:- Remember which slides you used last time
- Recreate the structure manually
- Hope you didn’t miss anything
- Adjust for the new property
- Time: 2-3 hours
- Select “Full Sales Presentation” template
- Apply to new property
- Data populates automatically
- Make any property-specific adjustments
- Time: 20-30 minutes
Scenario: Creating Variant for Different Audience
Without Templates:- Copy existing presentation
- Manually remove or add slides
- Reorder content
- Update all references and navigation
- Time: 1-2 hours
- Select appropriate audience template (e.g., “Investor Deck”)
- Apply to your property
- Ready to present
- Time: 10 minutes
Managing Your Template Library
Keep your templates organized and useful:Regular Review
Regular Review
Quarterly, review your templates. Remove ones you don’t use, update ones that need improvement.
Clear Naming Convention
Clear Naming Convention
Use a consistent naming pattern: “[Audience] - [Purpose] - [Length]” (e.g., “Buyer - Sales - Full”).
Tag Effectively
Tag Effectively
Use tags to categorize templates by audience, property type, length, and purpose.
Document Usage
Document Usage
Maintain a simple guide showing your team which templates to use in which situations.
Archive Old Versions
Archive Old Versions
Don’t delete old templates immediately. Archive them in case you need to reference them.
Getting Started with Templates
Start building your template library today:- Identify common patterns: Which presentations do you create repeatedly?
- Create your first template: Take your best presentation and save it as a template
- Use it: Create a new presentation from your template to test it
- Refine: Adjust the template based on what worked and what didn’t
- Expand: Add more templates as you identify other common needs
The Power of Templates
Templates transform your workflow:- Consistency: Every presentation starts with a proven structure
- Speed: New presentations in minutes instead of hours
- Quality: Build from your best work, not from scratch
- Flexibility: Easy to create variants for different needs
- Scalability: Handle more properties without more work
Ready to create your first template? Start by building an excellent presentation, then save it as a template to reuse across your portfolio.