Astrato transforms PowerPoint reporting with live-query capabilities, automating the workflows teams already rely on. Instead of manually filling in numbers, updating charts, or copy-pasting tables and visuals from Excel or other BI tools, Astrato takes care of it and keeps reports accurate and up to date.
Collaboration happens on live data, with the option to add commentary or let AI generate insights for you. Reports can then be exported to PowerPoint or PDF, always containing the latest data and presented in a professional format, all powered by Astrato’s continuous live data connections.
Upload predefined, branded PowerPoint templates into the Astrato Media Gallery and populate them directly with live data. No proprietary templating language, no syntax to learn. Just pure PowerPoint.
PowerPoint reports can be scheduled in the report section of Astrato lobby, the same way as PDF reports. See PDF reporting for more information
PowerPoint Report definition
The Report [Report name] template [Template name] Excel template (optional) [Excel Template name] block defines the PowerPoint report and triggers the execution of the connected block stack during report generation.
PowerPoint files (pptx) to use as templates are uploaded to the media gallery. Only .pptx file formats are supported.
Example of a report definition block with report parameters.
Example usage of a the Open report block with report parameters.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
Report name | The name of the report. |
Template name | Select an PowerPoint template (.pptx) that is added to the Astrato Media Gallery. Both Workbook-level and Tenant-level templates are supported. |
Excel Template name (optional) | Select an Excel template (.xlsx) from the Astrato Media Gallery. Both Workbook-level and Tenant-level templates are supported. This is required if you want to insert images of charts or sheets into the PowerPoint. When an Excel template is used, Excel blocks in the PowerPoint report definition can update the template before charts and sheets are copied into the final report. |
Public | Makes the report public. |
+ Report inputs | Add additional report inputs to pass inputs to the report that can be access during report generation. Inputs can be of String, Number, or Boolean type. Perfect if you want to reuse the same report for multiple schedules, by filtering on different dimensions and values. |
Report input block contains report inputs passed to the report from the scheduler or the Open report and the Send report blocks. The input blocks to be placed inside the Report definition block.
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | Yes (PowerPoint) |
Set text of shape
Sets the text content of a specific shape on a given slide in the PowerPoint presentation.
This is useful for dynamically updating text boxes, titles, or other text-based shapes during reporting.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
Shape | The name of the shape whose text should be updated. A shape can be any text-based object |
Slide number | The slide number where the shape is located. |
Text | The new text to insert into the shape. |
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | Yes, only inside PowerPoint Report block |
Replace text of shape
Preserves the formatting of placeholder text while replacing it with dynamic values in a specific shape on a PowerPoint slide.
This allows you to automate text substitution, for example replacing tags like `[DEPARTMENT]` with live data values, while keeping the template’s original fonts, colors, and styles intact.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
Placeholder | The placeholder text (e.g. `[DEPARTMENT]`) to search for within the shape. |
Text | The dynamic value to insert in place of the placeholder. |
Shape | The name of the shape or text box where the replacement should occur. |
Slide number | The slide number where the shape is located. |
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | Yes, only inside PowerPoint Report block |
Add line to paragraph
Adds a new paragraph line to the specified shape on a slide in the PowerPoint presentation.
The new line will follow the formatting of the existing paragraphs in the shape.
You can control the paragraph’s hierarchical depth (indent level) and optionally clear existing text before adding the new line.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
Line Text | The text to add as a new line. |
Shape | The name of the shape where the line should be added. A shape can be any text-based object (e.g., text box, chart label). |
Slide number | The slide number where the shape exists. |
Depth | The indent level of the line (e.g., `1` for top-level, `2` for sub-level). |
Remove existing lines | If set to True, clears all existing text lines before adding the new one. If False, the new line will be appended. |
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | Yes, only inside PowerPoint Report block |
Add lines to paragraph
Adds multiple lines of text as paragraphs to a specific shape on a given slide in the PowerPoint presentation.
Each new line follows the formatting of the existing paragraphs in the shape.
You can also choose to clear existing text before adding the new lines.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
List | A list of strings. Each string will be added as a separate paragraph line. |
Shape | The shape where the text will be added (e.g., text box, placeholder). |
Slide number | The slide number where the shape exists. |
Remove existing lines | If set to True, clears all existing text lines before adding the new one. If False, the new line will be appended. |
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | Yes, only inside PowerPoint Report block |
Set data of chart
Replaces the underlying data of a chart in a PowerPoint slide with new values from an table or chart in Astrato. This allows you to keep charts in your presentation dynamically updated, ensuring they always reflect the latest data without manual copy-paste.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
Chart | The name of the chart in PowerPoint whose data should be updated. |
Slide number | The slide number where the chart is located. |
Data | The dataset to use for updating the chart (e.g., data from a table, chart or list block). |
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | Yes, only inside PowerPoint Report block |
Update data of chart from external Excel template
Updates the data of a specific chart in a PowerPoint slide from the linked Excel template.
Optionally, you can specify a range in the Excel template to limit which data is pulled into the chart.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
Chart | The name of the external chart in PowerPoint whose data should be updated. |
Slide number | The slide number where the chart is located. |
Range (optional) | The Excel range to use as the data source (e.g. `Sheet1!A1:B10`). Leave empty to use the chart’s existing range. |
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | Yes, only inside PowerPoint Report block |
Update all charts from external Excel template
Refreshes the data for all charts in the PowerPoint presentation from the linked Excel template.
Ensures every chart is up-to-date with the latest Excel data without updating them one by one.
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | Yes, only inside PowerPoint Report block |
Replace image with Excel chart (as image)
Replaces an existing image in a PowerPoint slide with a chart from the Excel template, rendered as an image.
The Excel template can be updated dynamically using Excel action blocks before the chart is inserted.
This works just like copying a chart from Excel and pasting it as an image into PowerPoint — replicating the familiar manual workflow, but fully automated. It ensures the presentation always reflects the latest Excel data without manual copy-paste steps.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
Image | The name of the image placeholder or shape to replace. |
Slide number | The slide number where the image is located. |
Excel chart | The name of the Excel chart to use as the replacement image. |
Sheet | The sheet name in Excel where the chart is located. |
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | Yes, only inside PowerPoint Report block
|
Replace image with Excel chart (as image)
Replaces an existing image in a PowerPoint slide with a full Excel sheet, rendered as an image.
You can specify which sheet and which page of the sheet to capture.
This works just like copying a worksheet (or a section of it) from Excel and pasting it as an image into PowerPoint, replicating the familiar manual workflow, but fully automated. It ensures your presentation always reflects the latest Excel data without manual copy-paste steps.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
Image | The name of the image placeholder or shape to replace. |
Slide number | The slide number where the image is located. |
Sheet | The sheet name in Excel to capture as an image. |
Page | The page number of the sheet to capture (for multi-page sheets). |
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | Yes, only inside PowerPoint Report block |
Show/Hide shape
Shows or hides a specific shape on a given slide.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
Shape | The name of the shape to show or hide. A shape can be any object in PowerPoint, such as text, a chart, or an image. |
Slide number | The slide number where the shape is located. |
Show | Set to True to show the shape, or False to hide it. |
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | Yes, only inside PowerPoint Report block |
Delete shape
Deletes a specific shape from a given slide in the PowerPoint presentation.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
Shape | The name of the shape to delete. A shape can be any object in PowerPoint, such as text, a chart, or an image. |
Slide number | The slide number where the shape is located. |
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | Yes, only inside PowerPoint Report block |
Set notes
Sets the speaker notes from a specific slide in the template PowerPoint presentation.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
Notes | The text to set as speaker notes of the specified slide. |
Slide Number | The slide number to set notes of. |
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | Yes, only inside PowerPoint Report block |
Get notes
Retrieves the speaker notes from a specific slide in the template PowerPoint presentation.
Outputs: String - The notes text from the specified slide.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
Slide number | The slide number to fetch notes from. |
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | Yes, only inside PowerPoint Report block |
Copy slide
Copies a slide to new position within the PowerPoint presentation.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
Slide number | The slide to copy. |
New slide number | The new position where the duplicated slide should be placed. |
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | Yes, only inside PowerPoint Report block |
Move slide
Moves a slide from one position to another within the PowerPoint presentation.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
Slide number | The slide to move. |
New slide number | The new position where the slide should be placed. |
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | Yes, only inside PowerPoint Report block |
Delete slide
Deletes the specific slide in the template PowerPoint presentation.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
Slide number | The slide to delete. |
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | Yes, only inside PowerPoint Report block |
Open report
The Open report block downloads the report in the browser when the block is executed.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
Report | Specifies the report to send. |
Custom file name | Specifies the file name of the report. |
Filetype | Specify which document type the export will use.
|
Use applied filters | If the users applied filter and variable state should be passed along to the report generation or if they should be ignored. |
Max resolution (px) | The maximum resolution for the height and width of the browser window used for screen captures in reports. If a locked aspect ratio is applied on the sheet, the larger dimension, either height or width, will be set to this maximum resolution in pixels. For example, with a 16:9 locked aspect ratio on a sheet and a maximum resolution of 1700, the width will be set to 1700 and the height to 956. |
DPI factor | Enhances the pixel density of captured images. A DPI factor of 2 quadruples the total pixel count, enriching image quality. Note that a higher DPI factor extends the report generation time. |
Report Parameters | (Optional) Custom parameters that can be passed into the report. Supported types are string, number, and boolean. These are only required if the selected report is configured to accept parameters. |
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | No, not supported inside report blocks. |
Send report
The Send report block sends the report the specified email recipients when the block is executed.
Configuration
Inputs | Description |
Report | Specifies the report to send. |
Recipients | List of email recipients. |
Custom file name | Specifies the file name of the report. |
Subject | Email subject |
Email body | Email body. Supports HTML. |
Encrypt password | Password for file encryption. |
Filetype | Specify which document type the export will use.
|
Use applied filters | If the users applied filter and variable state should be passed along to the report generation or if they should be ignored. |
Max resolution (px) | The maximum resolution for the height and width of the browser window used for screen captures in reports. If a locked aspect ratio is applied on the sheet, the larger dimension, either height or width, will be set to this maximum resolution in pixels. For example, with a 16:9 locked aspect ratio on a sheet and a maximum resolution of 1700, the width will be set to 1700 and the height to 956. |
DPI factor | Enhances the pixel density of captured images. A DPI factor of 2 quadruples the total pixel count, enriching image quality. Note that a higher DPI factor extends the report generation time. |
Report Parameters | (Optional) Custom parameters that can be passed into the report. Supported types are string, number, and boolean. These are only required if the selected report is configured to accept parameters. |
Supports
Feature | Description |
Embeds | Yes, workbook embeds only. |
Reporting | No, not supported inside report blocks. |