Importing Power Point and maintaining the .pptx headers into Storyline headers - to also populate the TOC

May 11, 2020

I tried searching for this, but couldn't find this topic.  Apologies if discussed elsewhere.  Sometime when I import PowerPoint files, the headers transfer into Storyline and sometimes not.  It is nice because it automatically builds the TOC/menu as well. What allows the headers in .ppt file to transfer over to the Storyline file headers?  It was working, but now it is not.  Can someone explain what the trick is?  I thought it had something to do with the header set up in the .pptx file.  

3 Replies
Lauren Connelly

Hi Susan!

I'm happy to help answer your question! 

When importing a PowerPoint to Storyline, you'll find that Slide Numbers aren't supported which is included in the Headings & Footers section of PowerPoint. 

Does that sound similar to what you're noticing with your projects, or are you seeing other parts of the slide not importing into Storyline? If so, would you mind sharing an example so that I can see which elements aren't consistently importing into Storyline?

Susan Alderson

Let me clarify question.  I have .ppt file that imports the headers from .ppt to Storyline just fine and other times the headers do not import.  The advantage is that when that happens it also auto populates the TOC/Menu.  There must be a set up in .ppt that allow the header to effectively translate to the slide header that then automatically populates the TOC.  I can send you a sample of one that does work and one that does not.  I am trying to understand what makes it work vs. not.  I attached a word document with screen shots to better explain.  I can also send a sample .ppt file that works and one that does not if that will help.  I will attach screen shot examples first, let me know if you need the .ppt files too.  (Without the auto population it can be manually fixed, but why do that if it can be automatic.)

Ren Gomez

Hi Susan,

Thanks for clarifying your experience! I did a quick test in PowerPoint and noticed that only slides with a Title slide placeholder box imported the title into Storyline.

If I added a blank slide, inserted a text box as my title, it would import as Untitled Slide.

Unfortunately, there's not a way to convert a regular text box into at title slide textbox in PowerPoint. You'll have to:

  1. Duplicate the slide.
  2. In the new slide, right-click to Layout.
  3. Apply a Layout such as Title Only.
  4. Reformat the placeholder to be your new title.
  5. Delete any extra items on your slide and remove the old slide.

Once every slide has been formatted with the correct slide title textboxes, it should import all titles into Storyline. 

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