Automating Presentations with Claude Cowork

The End of "Pixel Pushing"

In finance, the "value add" is the story, the valuation, and the strategy. The "waste" is the six hours spent aligning text boxes and manually copying Excel charts into PowerPoint.

Claude Cowork is not just a text generator. With its new pptx agent skill, it can build native PowerPoint files. It doesn't just give you a text outline; it gives you a downloadable .pptx file with slides, headers, and bullet points already formatted.

This guide replaces the "Junior Analyst" function of setting up the shell, allowing you to focus on the narrative.

The Workflow: From "Blank Slide" to "Client Ready"

To get results that don't look like generic AI slop, you need to provide Assets (Data) and Constraints (Templates).

Phase 1: The "Golden Master" (Solving the Branding Problem)

The biggest barrier to AI in banking is branding. You can't send a generic blue-and-white slide to a client. Cowork solves this by reading your existing files.

1. The Setup: Create a folder named Pitch_Draft_Alpha.
2. The Template: Drop in your firm's Master_Template.pptx. This file should have your logos, fonts, and color palette defined in the Master Slide settings.
3. The Context: Drop in the "Deal Memo" (Word/PDF) or the "Financials" (Excel) you created in the previous step.

Phase 2: The "Skeleton" Build

Do not ask Cowork to "write a presentation." Ask it to transform content.

Prompt:

"Read Investment_Memo.docx and Master_Template.pptx.

Create a 10-slide presentation named Project_Alpha_Draft.pptx based on the memo.

Constraint: You MUST use the layout and fonts from the Master Template.

Structure:

1. Title Slide (Use the 'Title' layout from the template)
2. Executive Summary (Bullet points)
3. Market Overview (Summarize the 'Market' section of the memo)
4. Financial Highlights (Leave placeholders for charts)
5. Investment Merits
6. Risks & Mitigants"

Phase 3: The Data Injection (Excel to PPT)

Cowork can bridge the gap between your model and your deck.

Prompt:

"Open LBO_Model.xlsx. Extract the 'Base Case' EBITDA projections for 2026-2030.

Open Project_Alpha_Draft.pptx. On slide 4 ('Financial Highlights'), create a data table with these figures. Add a bullet point list below the table summarizing the CAGR."

Note: Currently, Cowork is better at creating tables and text in PPT than complex charts. For complex waterfall charts or football fields, ask Cowork to "Leave a placeholder box labeled 'Insert Football Field Here'" and paste the chart manually from Excel to ensure perfect formatting.

The Limitations: What It Struggles With (For Now)

To avoid frustration, manage your expectations:

• Complex Charting: It cannot natively draw a "Marimekko Chart" or a complex "Bridge" inside PowerPoint. It is best at text, tables, and basic bar charts.
• Animations: Do not ask it to "fade in bullet points." It builds static slides.
• Pixel Perfection: It might slightly misalign a logo. You will still need to do a "formatting check" before printing.

Summary: The New Standard

Your job is no longer to type bullet points. Your job is to:

1. Define the Narrative (The Memo).
2. Prompt the Agent (The Draft).
3. Refine the Output (The Polish).