Overview: I am working on a template for PowerPoint presentations. These presentations are used by many of our offices worldwide, so there is a need for conformity. However, our slideshows are much more graphic and custom to each client, so there is also a need for editability at a high level. I am trying to create a "template slide" for every possible layout they could use from our common slides. Then the user could choose one of those layouts as a "new slide" and all they would need to edit is the text--which of course must already be the correct font, size, etc. We don't want them messing with the look and feel at all; only content.

This is where I complain: I am creating the templates using the master slide page, of course ... which is not as intuitive and useful as, say, InDesign's master pages... it's been frustrating to go regress back into M.S. Office It doesn't seem like anything works the way it should, and this template method seems designed only for boring, bulleted presentations.

Current Issue: The issue I'm currently facing is this: I finally figured out the placeholder text thing--that if I put placeholder text boxes in the individual Slide Layouts (under SlideMaster), then I can edit it. HOWEVER, when I create an actual slide outside of SlideMaster, the placeholders do not maintain the font size, color, settings, or anything. Instead they default to a totally random style (which I imagine it's pulling from the SlideMaster... but it's not even accurate to that!). I'm so lost. Why isn't it maintaining the style I put in the Master Slide Layouts? It shows up fine up there.

The Question: How can I maintain the styling of the placeholder text from the Slide Layouts? (I will need to do this for many layouts)

Example screenshots: (see attached)

Attached Images

	Screen Shot 2015-03-25 at 10.55.47 AM.png (213.4 KB, 14 views)
	Screen Shot 2015-03-25 at 10.56.53 AM.png (222.3 KB, 14 views)

Hm... I have been playing with it all day and I keep having inconsistent results. I really think that there's no rhyme or reason to this. This is how I've gotten the correct results (refer to screenshot above): I insert "placeholder text," delete the default text that appears, apply my formatting, and cross my fingers. Seriously. The changes didn't work the first time, but then it worked the next time, without me doing anything differently. I think that if you add more placeholder text with formatting, it forces the previous one to apply its formatting. I wish I had a better answer. Just praying this lasts.... and if anyone has a better solution, please shout.