workflow-pptx-deck-structure

# Slide Deck Structure and Conventions ## What this skill covers The foundational structural conventions for authoring headless financial slide decks: slide-break syntax, mandatory slides and their canonical order, deck-type templates, core formatting principles, and slide-level quality gates. Numbers and content come from corp-finance-mcp tools; this skill governs structure only. ## Core principle One slide = one purpose. Each slide makes a single argument or presents a single artefact. The title summarises the slide's takeaway, not merely the section name. ## Slide-break syntax The horizontal rule `---` on its own line is the slide boundary. Every `---` separates exactly two slides. ``` # Title Slide (content) --- ## Agenda (content) --- ## Section 1: Topic (content) ``` This convention is compatible with pandoc, marp, reveal.js, and the `office_pptx_write` MCP tool. Do not place `---` inline with text. ## Mandatory slides Every deck type includes these slides in this order: | # | Slide | Required level | Notes | |---|-------|---------------|-------| | 1 | Title slide | All decks | H1 = project name/company; bold subtitle = document type; date; confidentiality notice | | 2 | Agenda | All decks | Numbered list matching the sections that follow | | 3 | Executive summary | All decks | 3-5 bullets, each with a metric; drives the reader's hypothesis | | Last | Appendix | All decks | Methodology, assumptions, tools used, legal disclaimer | ## Deck-type templates ### Pitch Deck (IB / PE) — 15-25 slides Compute via: `dcf_model`, `lbo_model`, `comps_analysis`, `merger_model`, `sensitivity_matrix`, `scenario_analysis`. Slide order: 1. Title 2. Agenda 3. Executive summary 4. Company overview 5. Industry and market 6. Financial profile 7. Operating model 8. DCF valuation 9. Trading comparables 10. SOTP (if applicable) 11. Bull / base / bear scenarios 12. Sensitivity analysis 13. Transaction considerations 14. Risk factors 15. Recommendation 16. Appendix (methodology, detailed financials, comp detail, assumptions) ### IC Deck (PE) — 12-18 slides Compute via: `lbo_model`, `returns_calculator`, `waterfall_calculator`, `sensitivity_matrix`. Slide order: 1. Title 2. Recommendation (one line) 3. Investment thesis (3-5 bullets) 4. Company snapshot 5. Industry context 6. Management team 7. Operating model 8. LBO returns (base / upside / downside) 9. Sensitivity analysis 10. Risks and mitigations 11. Diligence findings summary 12. Proposed transaction structure 13. Approval ask 14. Appendix (detailed LBO, comparable transactions, assumptions) ### Research Deck — 10-15 slides Compute via: `dcf_model`, `comps_analysis`, `target_price`. Slide order: 1. Title 2. Recommendation and price target 3. Investment thesis 4. Company snapshot 5. Near-term catalysts 6. Financial profile 7. Estimates vs consensus 8. DCF valuation 9. Trading comparables 10. Bull / base / bear 11. Key risks 12. Appendix ### Board Deck — 6-10 slides Condensed format for senior-audience consumption: 1. Title 2. Executive summary 3. Recommendation 4. Key financials 5. Valuation summary 6. Risks 7. Appendix ## Standard slide header format Each slide must begin with a heading: - Slide 1: `# Title` (H1 for the title slide only). - All other slides: `## Slide Title` (H2). - The title summarises the slide's **takeaway**, not just the topic. "Revenue Growing at 18% CAGR" is better than "Revenue". ## Title slide template ``` # [Project Codename or Company Name] **[Subtitle: Pitch Deck / IC Presentation / Research Note / Board Deck]** [Advisor Firm / Research House] [DD-Mon-YYYY] CONFIDENTIAL — FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES ONLY --- ``` ## Executive summary slide template ``` ## Executive Summary - $[X] revenue, [Y]% EBITDA margin, [Z]% three-year CAGR (Source: FY[year] 10-K) - Market leader with [n]% share of $[X]B addressable market - [n] near-term catalysts: [event 1], [event 2], [event 3] - Indicative valuation: $[X]B - $[Y]B ([A]x - [B]x LTM EBITDA) --- ``` ## Appendix slide template ``` ## Appendix: Methodology and Assumptions **DCF/LBO Assumptions** - Forecast period: [n] years - Revenue growth: [range] - EBITDA margin: [range] - WACC: [X]% (Rf=[a]%, beta=[b], ERP=[c]%, Kd=[d]%) - Terminal growth rate / exit multiple: [X] **Tools Used** - corp-finance-mcp: [list of tools called] - FMP: fmp_income_statement, fmp_balance_sheet, fmp_key_metrics **Legal Disclaimer** [Per `workflow-deal-documents` standard — confidentiality notice, not investment advice] --- ``` ## Footer requirement Every slide carries a footer (rendered as the final line of the slide body, below a blank line): ``` *Source: [corp-finance-mcp tool / data provider] | CONFIDENTIAL* ``` ## Quality gates - `---` slide breaks on their own line — never inline. - Every slide has an H1 or H2 title. - Title summarises the takeaway, not just the topic. - Confidentiality notice on title slide and final appendix slide at minimum. - Every numeric value cites `corp-finance-mcp <tool>` or a stated data provider. - Appendix carries methodology, full assumption list, and tools used. ## Related skills - `workflow-pptx-valuation-layout` — bull/base/bear valuation slide conventions - `workflow-pptx-comps-table` — comps table and sensitivity slide conventions - `workflow-pptx-mcp-writer-binding` — mapping the markdown deck to `office_pptx_write` SlideDeckSpec ## Routing **Primary agent:** `cfa-private-markets-analyst` (pitch and IC decks) **Secondary agent:** `cfa-equity-analyst` (research decks)