Project Templates

It would be great to have an actual Templates feature...rather than just creating live projects and putting them in a folder called "Templates". Because...

The idea of templates is to prevent repetitive setup work. The way it is now, we have only two options:

1. Leave ALL tasks unassigned and have to manually assign every task and subtask every time you use the template. This is a LOT of work and leaves room for unassigned tasks that don't get completed.

2. Assign the tasks and subtasks on the template - but then those tasks & subtasks are ACTUALLY active tasks assigned to the users, even though it is not an active project and it is supposed to be just a template.

What a pain! Please roll out a templates feature!!

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Comments

Carolanne Mak

Hi Kayla,

Once you assign the tasks and subtasks in your template, you can put all tasks on hold (or similiar non-active workflow status). When you dupe the template, the new project tasks will be active. This isn't a perfect solution, but at least it stops the template from clogging your team's dashboards.

Hope it helps!

Carolanne

Shane Newman

I've had this exact same problem and was about to leave this feedback when I saw this post. It would be great to have a fully built out "Template" feature instead of having to use a workaround. It's also difficult when trying to create complex projects with dependencies as you cannot set dependencies to task which are "on hold".

Marvin George

I've come across the exact same issue.

I need to create complex project templates which follow our standard process and therefore dependencies, the dependencies are at the heart of delivering the projects on time with a small team and also take up a lot of time to setup.

Please add a full template feature that allows dependencies but does not show as an active task.

Suzanne Burkhalter

I utilize 2 different solutions.

I created a Deferred Workflow called "Not Started" I gave it a nice bright color so it is easy to identify in a schedule. This way it does not kick off the project for assignees until I do a mass change to "New"
I have also created a project folder visible only to me where I can import "live" projects without triggering task assignments. I use this to import/export/adjust dependencies until I am ready to put in a live folder with workflow of "Not Started"

I hope this helps.

Michael Michalak

I would agree with this request and the work-arounds do just that. That being said, an actual template feature would be brilliant. It would be particularly useful to have a business day feature. For example:

When scheduling out tasks months in advance, it is difficult to do with a live workflow. 4 times a year, 90 days in the future is difficult to achieve depending on when your "template" starts. In a true template, dates would be agnostic and it would have a more start-the-clock method

Ryan Wirth

The issue with putting the tasks 'on hold' (deferred) is that when you duplicate the template, the status's of the tasks automatically change to the first active workflow option. My team likes to utilize the board view for our project folder, and we schedule technicians work based on the status dispositions of each task.

There needs to be a way to make a true template, where tasks do not show up as active on people's to do lists. Maybe an option to hide that particular project from showing up?

Permanently deleted user

@all, have you tried Blueprints yet?

I'd love to hear if this new template feature meets your requirements so we can close this thread with our Product team so they can focus on other enhancements 🙂

Carolanne Mak

Hi @Stephen, to be fair, I need to give them some proper time to test them out.

However, one minor issue I have with Blueprints is that they can't live within our workspace folder structure. I currently have project templates, as well as a "fortress of templitude" to house backups, grouped by use case inside folders in our team resources. It would be great to have Blueprints exist as a type of container / designation (ie, folder vs. project vs. blueprint), rather than a location (ie, Meetings or Recycle Bin).

Paul Zonis

Where are Blueprints located? I do not see them in /labs.

Shannon Cate

It would be great if you could export the full list of blueprints with their tasks and sub tasks into excel from tables. I just received this request from my team but the export is not able to do the full list, and instead it would require me to export each one individually, which I have over 60 of. Could you please make this possible?

Permanently deleted user

Hi @Shannon Cate! Thank you for this suggestion. I'd recommend creating a thread in the Product Feedback forum about this suggestion so that other users can vote on this.

Jessie Lim

Is the template feature available now since the thread above is about 5 years ago

Rohan V

Hi @Jessie Lim, thanks for reaching out 🙏

Have you had a chance to look at the Templates and Solutions Center? It offers ready-made frameworks and templates designed to help you quickly get started with common use cases, and you can even create your own custom templates.

To learn more, check out the dedicated Help Center article. I hope this helps with your use case. Please let us know if you have any further questions.