Canonical page: https://tellenze.com/help/templates

# Build once. Start from a template.

Reuse project, milestone, and task structures without copying yesterday’s work.

## Choose the right template

A template stores a reusable structure. Applying it creates new objects that you can edit independently. It is useful for release checklists, standard milestones, and projects that begin with the same work.

| Type | What it starts |
| --- | --- |
| Project | A new project with reusable labels, folders, milestones, and work items. |
| Milestone | A milestone and associated work in an existing project. |
| Task | A work item or task structure in an existing project; workspace Task templates can also target a Team. |

Templates must be enabled for your installation. Administrators manage workspace templates under **Admin → Templates**. Administrators and the project creator manage project templates under **Project settings → Templates**. Project-scoped templates support Milestone and Task types and stay within that project. Members can apply templates exposed to them where they have permission to create the resulting work.

## Create a reusable definition

1. Choose **New template** in the appropriate scope.
2. Enter a name and description, then choose the template type. The editor supplies a starter definition for that type.
3. Edit **Definition (JSON)**. Keep reusable context and acceptance criteria in the definition. Leave instance-specific decisions for application or the created work.
4. Choose **Create template**. Your first immutable version is now available to preview and apply.

Templates can use symbolic references to connect labels, parent tasks, and milestones inside their structure. Relative dates use calendar-day offsets. A symbol is an internal reference within the definition, not the identifier of an existing work item.

The [template definition reference](https://tellenze.com/help/template-reference) explains supported fields, symbols, limits, and a complete Project example with a milestone, work hierarchy, and knowledge page.

## Example: a release checklist task

Choose the **Task** type and use this definition:

```json
{
  "task": {
    "title": "Verify the release",
    "type": "task",
    "description": "Check the release before it reaches customers.",
    "acceptance_criteria": "Smoke checks pass, the release notes are reviewed, and the rollback owner is identified.",
    "complexity": "S",
    "due_date_offset_days": 2
  },
  "labels": []
}
```

The preview resolves the relative due date into a calendar date for the new work. Review that date before applying, especially around weekends. Calendar-day offsets do not skip non-working days.

Avoid putting credentials, private attachments, comments, assignees, or completion history in the definition. These are not copied as reusable template content. Set the appropriate people and instance-specific details on the new work.

## Preview and apply

1. On a template, choose **Preview & apply**.
2. For a Project template, enter the new project key and name and select its workflow. For other templates, choose the destination project or eligible Team; project-scoped templates already have their destination.
3. Choose **Generate preview** and inspect **Resolved objects**, dates, and workflow stages. If validation reports a conflict, correct the destination or ask the template manager to revise the definition before generating another preview.
4. Review the destination and, for a new Project, choose **Project visibility**. Refresh the preview after changing its destination inputs.
5. Choose **Apply … objects** only after the preview succeeds. Check the result before deliberately applying it again: a new application creates another set of objects.

Applying a template does not update existing items that happen to have similar titles. It creates the objects shown in the reviewed preview. A stale or expired preview needs to be generated again.

## Update or retire a template

Use **New version** to revise a definition. Each saved version is immutable. Existing work created from an earlier version remains unchanged; it does not automatically receive future template edits.

Archive a template to remove it from normal use. **Show archived** lets an authorized manager find and restore it. Archiving does not remove projects, milestones, or tasks already created from it.

## When something does not work

- **The destination is missing:** confirm that it is active and accessible. Only workspace Task templates can be applied directly to a Team.
- **Definition validation fails:** start from the editor’s example for the selected type, check JSON syntax, and remove unsupported fields. Project-scoped templates cannot create a new Project.
- **A stage or label cannot be resolved:** ask the template manager to check that stage keys exist in the destination workflow and label symbols are defined in the template. Choose a compatible destination or create a corrected template version, then generate a fresh preview.
- **Application is rejected:** check for stale previews, a conflicting project key, changed permissions, or archived source or destination records. Refresh and inspect the preview before trying again.
- **Previously created work did not change:** that is expected. Edit that work directly or use the new template version for a future application.