Using Project Templates

This article shows how to create and apply project templates.

Overview

Project Templates make it easier to create new projects. Templates are created by copying some or all attributes of an existing project to the templates library.

Templates can be created for different types of projects, and you can optionally apply labor assignments, financial assignments, project fields, and phases and milestones from the template.

How To

Step 1: Click the workspace Options icon (“hamburger” with 3 horizontal lines) at the upper right on any page in the Project Workspace of the source project for Create Template or the destination project for Apply Template.

(Note: See Project Workspace Overview for how to drill down from a project or assignment page to the Project Workspace)

Creating a Project Template

Step 2: Click Create Template in the Actions section of the Options dialog above.

The Create Template dialog is opened.

Step 3: Enter the template name and description and click the Create button.

When you click Create, a template is created with all data about the project, including ALL project data fields that have values, labor assignments, financial assignments, and phase and milestone dates.

Step 4: Click OK to the create notification:

Once the template is created, a completion notification will appear in the bottom right of the page:

Applying a Project Template

Step 2: Click the Apply Template button in the Actions section.

Step 3: Select the source template to apply to the target project.

Click the search button (magnifying glass) to search for existing templates.

Step 4: Select the options to use in applying the template.

• Apply Values From  – Start date for the application of the template to the target project.
  See Date and Assignment Value Timing below.
• Include Forecast (Check this if you’d like to apply the labor assignments from the template)
• Include Financials (Check this if you’d like to apply the financial assignments from the template)
• Include Phases, Milestones, & WBS (Check this if you’d like to apply the phases, milestones, and project tasks from the template)

Step 5:  Click the Apply button.

Date and Assignment Value Timing Method

ResourceFirst calculates the difference between the template start date and the destination project start date. It then applies that difference to all phase and milestone dates and to the timing of assignment values while storing the data in the destination project.

This maintains the template relationship of project start to all dates and assignment values.

For instance, if the template project has labor assignments starting one month after template start and financial assignments starting two months after start and you enter the destination project start for Apply Values From, the result maintains the same relationship between the project start and dates/values as in the template.

However, if you enter an Apply Values From date one month after the destination project start, all template dates and values are shifted one month later than they were in the template.