Adding Accolade Objects to PowerPoint

Use field codes to pull objects such as charts, quick grids, and reports created in Accolade into PowerPoint slides. Upload the PowerPoint presentation as a template in Accolade, and associate it to a process model for use on projects. Additionally, you can upload the PowerPoint as a project related document or to a deliverable, activity, or gate. Users can download the PowerPoint from a project and interact with the object in PowerPoint, including resizing objects, modifying settings, and renaming labels. Accolade data displays as read only.

Settings defined in the Accolade item definition override the settings modified in the correlating PowerPoint object when the document is refreshed. For example, if the chart in Accolade has a specified color theme, and a team member downloads the PowerPoint file, changes the series color, and re-uploads and re-downloads the file from the project, the color theme set in Accolade overrides the change in the document.

Note:  If there is an error in the field code or the Accolade item referenced does not exist, the substitution token will not replace the PowerPoint shape placeholder with the current data when the user downloads from a project. Additionally, PowerPoint ignores the error and moves to the next substitution token in the document.

To add an Accolade item to a PowerPoint slide:

  1. Open a blank PowerPoint document and insert a shape to use for the field code and object placement in PowerPoint.
  2. Create or modify the PowerPoint objects that pull data from Accolade according to the specifications below:
Accolade Object Field Code Example PowerPoint Object Additional Notes

Chart

{*Chart:<SystemName>*}

{*Chart:TCost*} displays the chart with a system name of "TCost."

Chart

Data Form Pod

{*Pod:<LayoutSystemName> #PodSystemName=<PodSystemName>*}

{*Pod:ProjectHomeLayout #PodSystemName=DataFormForHome*} displays the pod with a system name of "DataFormForHome" within the layout "ProjectHomeLayout."

Table

Ensure a space is between the layout system name and the pound or hash sign indicating the specific pod.

The following settings may differ between the pod and the pod in PowerPoint:

  • Border settings defined in the pod are ignored in PowerPoint.
  • Data form pods with gate information display according to the gate metadata in the project. Documents downloaded from deliverables, activities, and related documents display gate information for the project's current gate. If downloaded from a gate document, the gate information for that gate displays, regardless of the current gate for the project. For example, if the current gate for project Alpha is gate 2, but a user downloads a gate document containing the data form pod field code from gate 1, the document will show gate details for gate 1.

Matrix Metric

{​*MatrixMetric:<MatrixSystemName> #MetricSystemName=<MetricSystemName>*}

{*MatrixMetric:FinancialMatrix #MetricSystemName=NPV*} displays the NPV metric contained within the Financial matrix.

Shape and Text Box

Ensure a space is between the matrix system name and the pound or hash sign indicating the specific metric.

  • Supports all data types except for rich text.

Matrix Metric Rich Text

{*MatrixMetricRichText:<MatrixSystemName> #MetricSystemName=<MetricSystemName>*}

{*MatrixMetricRichText:QuarterlyStatus #MetricSystemName=Overview*} displays the value of the Overview metric within the Quarterly Status matrix metric containing rich text.

Shape and Text Box

Ensure a space is between the matrix name and the pound or hash sign indicating the specific metric containing rich text.

  • Only applies to long string matrix metrics with rich text enabled.
  • All formatting applied to the text will be displayed in PowerPoint.
  • Images in rich text metrics will render in PowerPoint.
  • If an image in a rich text metric is removed from Related Docs, a broken image link will display in PowerPoint. See Rich Text Formatting for more information.
  • Slide breaks pulled into PowerPoint via a rich text matrix metric automatically insert a new slide after the slide break.

Metric Rich Text

{*MetricRichText:<MetricSystemName>*}

{*MetricRichText:ProductDetails*} displays the value of the Product Details metric containing rich text.

Shape and Text Box

  • Only applies to long string metrics with rich text enabled.
  • All formatting applied to the text will be displayed in PowerPoint.
  • Images in rich text metrics will render in PowerPoint.
  • If an image in a rich text metric is removed from Related Docs, a broken image will display in PowerPoint. See Rich Text Formatting for more information.
  • Slide breaks pulled into PowerPoint via a rich text metric automatically insert a new slide after the slide break.

Quick Grid

{*QuickGrid:
<QuickGridSystemName> #Grid=
<GridSystemName>*}

{*QuickGrid:RegionalProjections #Grid=QuarterOne*} displays the individual grid "QuarterOne" that is a component of the quick grid "RegionalProjections."

Autoshape and Table

Ensure a space is between the quick grid system name and the pound or hash sign indicating the specific grid within the quick grid. Only one grid can be specified per quick grid field code.

Quick Grid settings specific to web use are not supported in PowerPoint. Additionally, the following settings may differ between the online quick grid and the quick grid in PowerPoint:

  • JavaScript configured on quick grids will be ignored and not render in PowerPoint.
  • Collaboration icons and tool tips do not display in PowerPoint.
  • Collapsed and expanded quick grid settings are ignored.
  • The size may differ between the online quick grid and the quick grid in PowerPoint. Adjust the quick grid in PowerPoint accordingly.
  • Hyperlinks and configured links in quick grids are ignored in PowerPoint.
  • Border settings defined on the quick grid editor are ignored in PowerPoint.
  • Quick grids with more than 1000 rows are not supported in PowerPoint. Ensure quick grids do not exceed 1000 rows to successfully include the grid in PowerPoint.

Quick Grid Element

{*QuickGridElement:
<QuickGridSystemName> #Grid=
<GridSystemName> #Element=
<ElementSystemName>*}

{*QuickGridElement:RegionalProjections #Grid=QuarterOne #Element=COGS*} displays the COGS cell data from the individual grid "QuarterOne" that is a component of the quick grid "Regional Projections."

Autoshape

Ensure a space is between the system names and the pound or hash signs indicating the specific element and grid within the quick grid. Only one cell and one grid can be specified per quick grid element field code.

Elements will display the properties that are set in the quick grid, to include font family, size and style, border settings and cell sizing.

Quick Grid settings specific to web use are not supported in PowerPoint. Additionally, the following settings may differ between the element and the element in PowerPoint:

  • JavaScript configured on quick grid elements will be ignored and not render in PowerPoint.
  • Collaboration icons and tool tips do not display in PowerPoint.
  • The Quick Grid Element field code does not support rich text metrics. Use the Metric Rich Text field code to display rich text elements in PowerPoint.

Important! Matrix quick grids are not supported with the Quick Grid Element field code.

Report

{*Report:<ReportSystemName>*}

{*Report:FinancialStatus*} displays the report with a system name of "FinancialStatus."

Table

Only online reports created in Accolade are supported for use in PowerPoint.

The following settings may differ between the report in Accolade and the report in PowerPoint:

  • Reports with more than 1000 rows are not supported in PowerPoint. Filter reports to the appropriate data set to display.
  • Project names with links to the project are not supported in PowerPoint.
  • Project thumbnail images included in reports display as cell background fills. Adjust the column or row height to display the images with desired aspect ratios.

Trended Number Metrics Chart

{*Pod:<LayoutSystemName> #PodSystemName=<PodSystemName> #chart*}

{*Pod:TrendedNumberMetricsLayout #PodSystemName=TrendedNumberMetricsPod #chart*} displays the pod with a system name of "TrendedNumberMetrics" within the layout "TrendedNumberMetricsLayout."

Chart

Ensure a space is between the layout system name and the pound or hash sign indicating the specific pod.

The following settings may differ between the pod and the pod in PowerPoint:

  • Border settings defined in the pod are ignored in PowerPoint.

Trended Number Metrics Table or Trended Metrics Table

{*Pod:<LayoutSystemName> #PodSystemName=<PodSystemName>*}

{*Pod:TrendedNumberMetricsLayout #PodSystemName=TrendedNumberMetricsPod*} displays the pod with a system name of "TrendedNumberMetrics" within the layout "TrendedNumberMetricsLayout."

Table

Ensure a space is between the layout system name and the pound or hash sign indicating the specific pod.

The following settings may differ between the pod and the pod in PowerPoint:

  • Border settings defined in the pod are ignored in PowerPoint.
  1. Save the file and upload it to one of the following locations.
  • As a template to the Template Library for use on deliverables, activities, or gate documents within a model.
  • As a project related document or to a deliverable, activity, or gate document.

Notes:   

  • If a chart is configured to display more than 255 data points, PowerPoint only displays the first 255 data points due to Microsoft functionality. Modify the chart in Accolade and refresh to chart the necessary values. To acknowledge and clear the message that displays in PowerPoint, select the rectangle shape and delete it from the PowerPoint slide.
  • If the Replace Empty Value system parameter is set to 0, charts may render inconsistently due to empty or missing data returned by the report.
  • There are a few PowerPoint field codes that are specific to creating a portfolio PowerPoint template.