Using project templates

SECURITY  Permission to view projects. Refer to Project security settings.

This topic describes how to save an existing project as a template, and how to create an entire new project, or modify an existing one, using the Save as Project Template and Import from Template wizards. If you are creating a new project without using a template, refer to Adding a project with new content.

About project templates

A template is a predefined set of phases, tasks, and related project information that you can use as a starting point for a new proposal or project. You can save an existing project as a template, and create an entire new project from a template, or import selected phases and tasks into one that already exists. Working with project templates can save a considerable amount of time and guesswork, and help to standardize processes and project plans.

How to...

Any project can be saved as a template for future, similar projects.

NAVIGATION  Open a project > Summary > Tools > Save As Project Template

NAVIGATION  Open a project > Schedule > Actions > Save Project as... > Autotask Template

  1. Open the Save as Project Template dialog window.
  2. Complete each page of the wizard as needed. Refer to descriptions in the table below.
  3. When you complete a page, click Next.

NOTE  If you click Previous to return to an earlier page, you will lose your settings in the current page.

  1. When all pages are complete, click Finish.

The template is now available for selection in the Project from Template wizard. You can search for and open it in Projects > Project Templates. Refer to Using project templates or Searching and managing projects, project templates and proposals.

NAVIGATION   Projects > Project from Template or Projects > Project > Import from Template button or > Projects > Search > Projects > New > Project from Template or Edit project > Import from Template button

NAVIGATION  You can also create a new project to associate with a quote directly from the New/Edit Quote page by clicking New from template. For more information, refer to Adding or editing an Autotask quote.

To add a project from a template, do the following:

  1. Open the Import from Template wizard.
  2. Complete each page of the wizard. For page descriptions, refer to Wizard pages.

NOTE   If you click Previous to return to an earlier page, you will lose your settings in the current page.

  1. When the last page is complete, click Finish.

Your new project will open in the New Project or Edit Project page. You can make any additions or adjustments at this time, or save the project.

The pages of the Save as Project Template and the Import from Template wizard are two sides of the same coin and share most features.

Field or Feature Description
Select Project Template page (Import from Template wizard only)
Project Template The Import from Template wizard starts with the selection of the template. Select a template from the list of all active templates.
General Information page
General Information

The Save as Project Template wizard starts with the General information page. This page contains the General Information fields copied from the original project, or copied from the template to the new project.

  • A new template is automatically associated with your local organization. The Organization field cannot be edited. When you use the template to create a new project, you must select an organization before the project can be saved.

  • The Start Date defaults to the current date, and the End Date is based on the original project's (or the template's) Duration and Project Settings. These settings are saved with the template, and copied from the template to the new project.

  • All field values can be modified. For field descriptions, refer to General information.

NOTE  When you are launching the wizard from the New Project or Edit Project page, the General Information page is skipped, since you will either be entering general information on the New Project page, or if editing a project, it already exists. You will only import selected items from the template.
Select Schedule Items page
List of Tasks and Phases Click the line number for each phase and task you want to copy to the template or the new project.
To select multiple phases and tasks to copy, Ctrl + click the desired items. To select all phases and tasks, click the check box in the left-most column header.
  • Start and end dates of schedule items are recalculated based on the new template's or project start date. Dates that would fall on a weekend are pushed to the next business day.
  • The status for all tasks in the new template or project is set to New, regardless of the task status in the original.
  • Sub-phases selected without their parent phase are displayed as stand-alone phases.
  • Task checklists in any selected tasks are copied from the template and set to Incomplete.
  • The values for UDFs in any selected tasks are copied from the original project or template.

NOTE  When editing a project using a template, UDFs will not be updated.

Additional Items To Copy To | Copy From The Project Template page
List of Items that you can select to copy into the new project

You can copy the following items from the template:

  • Calendar Items; note that calendar items will retain their original date, even if it is in the past. If you copy calendar items, you must reschedule them.

  • Project Charges; product information will be copied, but billing information (Contract, Payment Type, PO Number, etc.) will not.

  • Team Members; team members who are client contacts are copied to a new project only if the project is associated with the same organization as the template.

  • Project Settings; does not appear when you open the wizard from the New Project or Edit Project page, or from the project Schedule page. You can edit these setting on the New Project or Edit Project page after you finish the wizard, or from Schedule page > Actions > Project > Edit Project Settings after you save the project.
    For a description of the settings, refer to Schedule settings.