Tables

Build data tables with Podium.add_table/3. Tables support plain strings, rich text, cell merging, borders, padding, fills, and custom column widths.

slide = Podium.add_table(slide, [
  ["Region", "Q1", "Q2"],
  ["North America", "$12.5M", "$14.1M"],
  ["Europe", "$8.2M", "$9.0M"]
], x: {1, :inches}, y: {1.5, :inches},
   width: {11, :inches}, height: {3, :inches})

Basic Tables

Pass a list of rows to Podium.add_table/3. Each row is a list of cell values. In the simplest case, every cell is a plain string.

prs = Podium.new()
slide = Podium.Slide.new()

slide = Podium.add_table(slide, [
  ["Department", "Headcount", "Budget"],
  ["Engineering", "230", "$4,200K"],
  ["Marketing", "85", "$2,100K"],
  ["Sales", "120", "$3,500K"]
], x: {1, :inches}, y: {1, :inches},
   width: {11, :inches}, height: {3, :inches})

prs = Podium.add_slide(prs, slide)
Podium.save(prs, "table_demo.pptx")

Column widths are distributed evenly across the total width by default. Row heights are distributed evenly across the total height.

Rich Text in Cells

Cells accept the same rich text format as Podium.add_text_box/3. Wrap the rich text list in an outer list to form a cell value:

slide = Podium.add_table(slide, [
  [[[{"Department", bold: true, color: "FFFFFF"}]], [[{"Score", bold: true, color: "FFFFFF"}]]],
  ["Engineering", [[{"92%", bold: true, color: "228B22"}]]],
  ["Marketing", "87%"]
], x: {1, :inches}, y: {1, :inches},
   width: {8, :inches}, height: {2.5, :inches})

The header row uses bold white text via rich text formatting, while the Engineering score cell uses bold green text.

Cell Formatting

To apply formatting to a cell, use a {text, options} tuple. The text can be a plain string or a rich text list.

{"Header", fill: "4472C4", borders: [bottom: "003366"]}

Cell Fill

Set a background color on individual cells with the :fill option:

slide = Podium.add_table(slide, [
  [{"Department", fill: "4472C4"}, {"Budget", fill: "4472C4"}],
  ["Engineering", "$4,200K"],
  ["Marketing", "$2,100K"]
], x: {1, :inches}, y: {1, :inches},
   width: {8, :inches}, height: {2, :inches})

Cell fills support the same formats as shape fills -- solid colors, gradients, and patterns:

# Solid fill
{"Revenue", fill: "4472C4"}

# Gradient fill
{"Gradient", fill: {:gradient, [{0, "4472C4"}, {100_000, "002060"}], angle: 5_400_000}}

# Pattern fill
{"Pattern", fill: {:pattern, :lt_horz, foreground: "ED7D31", background: "FFFFFF"}}

Cell Borders

Set borders per side with the :borders option. Each side accepts a color string for a simple border or a keyword list for full control:

slide = Podium.add_table(slide, [
  [{"Cell", borders: [
    bottom: "000000",
    top: [color: "FF0000", width: {2, :pt}]
  ]}]
], x: {1, :inches}, y: {1, :inches},
   width: {4, :inches}, height: {1, :inches})

Available sides: :left, :right, :top, :bottom.

Cell Padding

Control the internal margin on each side of a cell:

{"Padded text", padding: [left: {0.1, :inches}, top: {0.05, :inches}]}

Available sides: :left, :right, :top, :bottom.

Vertical Alignment

Anchor text to the top, middle, or bottom of a cell:

{"Centered vertically", anchor: :middle}

Cell Options Reference

Cell Merging

Merge cells horizontally with :col_span, vertically with :row_span, or both. Fill the spanned positions with the :merge placeholder atom.

Horizontal Merge

slide = Podium.add_table(slide, [
  [{"Q4 2025 Results", col_span: 3, fill: "003366"}, :merge, :merge],
  ["Region", "Revenue", "Growth"],
  ["North America", "$12.5M", "+18%"],
  ["Europe", "$8.2M", "+12%"]
], x: {1, :inches}, y: {1, :inches},
   width: {10, :inches}, height: {3, :inches})

The first row spans all three columns. The two :merge atoms mark the cells consumed by the span.

Vertical Merge

slide = Podium.add_table(slide, [
  [{"Engineering", row_span: 2, fill: "D6E4F0", anchor: :middle}, "Frontend", "42"],
  [:merge, "Backend", "58"],
  ["Marketing", "Digital", "85"]
], x: {1, :inches}, y: {1, :inches},
   width: {8, :inches}, height: {2.5, :inches})

The "Engineering" cell spans two rows. The :merge in the second row marks the consumed position.

Combined Merge

You can combine :col_span and :row_span on the same cell. Place :merge atoms in every consumed position:

[{"Big Cell", col_span: 2, row_span: 2}, :merge],
[:merge, :merge]

Table Style Banding

Control which banding flags PowerPoint applies to the table. These flags affect how the built-in table style renders alternating row/column shading.

slide = Podium.add_table(slide, rows,
  x: {1, :inches}, y: {1, :inches},
  width: {10, :inches}, height: {3, :inches},
  table_style: [
    first_row: true,
    band_row: true,
    band_col: false,
    last_row: false,
    first_col: false,
    last_col: false
  ])

Custom Column Widths and Row Heights

Override the even distribution with explicit dimensions:

slide = Podium.add_table(slide, [
  ["Rank", "Description", "Score"],
  ["1", "Revenue growth exceeded target", "95%"],
  ["2", "Customer retention improved", "88%"]
], x: {1, :inches}, y: {1, :inches},
   width: {11, :inches}, height: {2, :inches},
   col_widths: [{1.5, :inches}, {6, :inches}, {3.5, :inches}],
   row_heights: [{0.5, :inches}, {0.75, :inches}, {0.75, :inches}])

Column widths and row heights accept the same unit formats as position values: {value, :inches}, {value, :cm}, {value, :pt}, or raw EMU integers.

Table Options Reference

Complete Example

Here is a professional report table that combines header merging, cell fills, borders, rich text, vertical merging, and padding:

prs = Podium.new()
slide = Podium.Slide.new()

slide = Podium.add_table(slide, [
  # Merged title row
  [{[[{"Department Summary -- 2025", color: "FFFFFF"}]], col_span: 4, fill: "003366",
    anchor: :middle, padding: [left: {0.1, :inches}]},
   :merge, :merge, :merge],

  # Column headers with fill and bottom border
  [{[[{"Department", color: "FFFFFF"}]], fill: "4472C4",
    borders: [bottom: [color: "003366", width: {2, :pt}]]},
   {[[{"Headcount", color: "FFFFFF"}]], fill: "4472C4",
    borders: [bottom: [color: "003366", width: {2, :pt}]]},
   {[[{"Budget ($K)", color: "FFFFFF"}]], fill: "4472C4",
    borders: [bottom: [color: "003366", width: {2, :pt}]]},
   {[[{"Satisfaction", color: "FFFFFF"}]], fill: "4472C4",
    borders: [bottom: [color: "003366", width: {2, :pt}]]}],

  # Engineering spans 2 rows with rich text
  [{[[{"Engineering", bold: true, color: "003366"}]],
    row_span: 2, anchor: :middle, fill: "D6E4F0",
    padding: [left: {0.1, :inches}]},
   "230", "$4,200",
   {[[{"92%", bold: true, color: "228B22"}]], anchor: :middle}],

  [:merge, "180", "$3,800",
   {[[{"94%", bold: true, color: "228B22"}]], anchor: :middle}],

  ["Marketing", "85", "$2,100",
   {"87%", borders: [bottom: "CCCCCC"]}],

  ["Sales", "120", "$3,500",
   {"84%", borders: [bottom: "CCCCCC"]}]
], x: {0.5, :inches}, y: {1, :inches},
   width: {12, :inches}, height: {4.5, :inches})

prs = Podium.add_slide(prs, slide)
Podium.save(prs, "report_table.pptx")

Tables present structured data on slides. For data visualization, see Charts to create column, bar, line, pie, and other chart types.