Templates: reuse circles, roles and projects

A template is a circle, role or project you set up once and create again whenever you need it. A circle template can hold its own roles, sub-circles, accountabilities and domains, so a team that repeats across regions, courses or clients starts from the same structure every time.

Where templates live

Open the Item settings of your workspace, a circle or a role, and go to the Templates tab. It lists every template you can use from there, in alphabetical order. You need to be a workspace admin, or an admin of that circle or role, to see the tab.

Where a template can be used

Every template is stored in a circle or in the workspace, and that decides where it can be used: there, and in everything below it. A workspace template is available everywhere. A template stored in the Sales circle is available in Sales and its sub-circles, and not in a neighbouring circle.

Creating a template

From something you already have

1. Open the circle, role, project or other item.
2. Click the ... menu in the top right and choose Create template.
3. Give the template a name and pick the circle to store it in.
4. Choose what to bring along, then click Create.

By default the template keeps the structure and work inside the item and leaves out who is assigned and any comments. Three options change that:

• Governance only keeps circles, roles, accountabilities, domains and policies, and leaves out projects, tasks, notes and dates.
• Include the people assigned keeps the assignments.
• Include comments keeps the comments, unless you also chose governance only.

From scratch

1. In the Templates tab, click New template.
2. Choose Create circle template, Create role template or Create project template.
3. Fill in the dialog, pick the circle to store it in, and click Create template.

A template never goes through a proposal. It is a starting point, and nothing in your organisation changes until someone uses it.

Editing a template

Click a template in the list to open it beside your settings. You work on it the same way you work on the real thing: add roles, sub-circles, accountabilities, domains or tasks with the usual buttons. Everything you add becomes part of the template, and a template tag shows you where you are. An open circle template appears with a dashed outline in the circle map.

Using a template

1. Create a new circle, role or project the way you normally would.
2. In the dialog, open the Apply template dropdown in the top right.
3. Pick a template. Its contents are added to what you are creating.
4. Adjust anything you like and finish creating the item.

The dropdown shows templates of the type you are creating that are available in that spot. It also offers Copy existing..., which copies an item you already have instead of a template. You do not need to be an admin to use a template. Being allowed to create the item is enough.

A template creates something new. It does not reset or overwrite an existing circle, so to return to a clean baseline, create a new circle from the template.

Staying informed about a template

On anything made from a template, the Notify me menu has a section for every copy of it, so you can hear about assignments or changes to, for example, every Team Lead in the organisation. See Notifications and email settings.

Role templates and core roles

Role templates also appear in this list. The roles every new circle receives, and roles that stay linked to their template, are configured separately. See Role templates and core roles.

Related

• Building your org structure for creating roles and circles.
• Rights management for who counts as an admin of a circle.