Powerpoint 2010, Windows 7

We have created company templates in PowerPoint 2010 and deployed to all employees in the office. After creating the templates users were unable to apply the template using Themes. The PPT template was added to the Themes group to make it easier to apply the template to an existing presentation. However, when we apply the company theme it is inserted as a new master in the presentation.

For example:

• Create a presentation
• Apply a theme (view the slide master and there is only one)
• Apply the company theme (view the slide master and it has changed to the company theme)
• Change to another theme
• View the slide master and there are two themes. The company theme is theme 1 and the second theme is 2.

Any suggestions on how we can fix this issue.

If it a theme (.thmx) or a template (.potx)?

Usually the problem is caused by the author adding images or shapes directly onto layouts.

PowerPoint automatically marks these as userDrawn='1' in the XML. It interprets this as the user really really wants to retain this item and then thinks of silly ways to achieve this (like duplicate masters). There is no way to prevent PowerPoint marking them as userDrawn but you can (with difficulty) delete it.

If you know how to edit the XML for the layouts search for userDrawn="1" and either delete or change to ="0". Don't do this (or at least use a copy) if your XML skills are poor because XML is not forgiving of mistakes.

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Microsoft PowerPoint MVP 2007-2023
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