A schedule template is a reusable set of tasks, milestones, and dependencies, built on an initiative classification and added to the schedule of any initiative of that type. Use templates to give every initiative of a type the same starting plan, such as the standard phases and gates of a project.
This article covers the Advanced Model only. Building templates needs administrator access; adding them to a schedule needs permission to update it. For the schedule itself, see Schedules.
Building templates
Templates are built on the initiative classification's Schedule tab. The classification needs Enable Tasks turned on and saved first. To build a template:
- Navigate to Administration > Classifications, and click Edit next to the initiative classification.
- Click the Schedule tab and turn on Enable Schedule Templates.
- Click the create (+) button and enter a Template Name. Each template on a classification needs a different name.
- Check Apply template on initiative creation where the template should be added automatically to every new initiative of this type.
- Build the template's tasks, milestones, and dependencies, as you would on a schedule, and save it.
The dates in a template are placeholders. When it's added to a schedule, every date moves by the same amount, so the template keeps its shape from whatever start date it's given. Only one template on a classification can be applied on creation — checking it on one clears it from the others.
Select a template from Use Template to edit or duplicate it, or click Delete Template to remove it.
Adding a template to a schedule
To add a template:
- On the initiative's schedule, click Templates. The Apply [classification] Templates panel opens.
- Select a template. Its tasks are previewed on the schedule.
- Adjust the Start Date to move where the template's tasks are placed.
- Click Add To Schedule.
- Click Save.
If the template's tasks conflict with the schedule at that start date, you'll be asked to choose a different one.
Once added, the tasks are ordinary tasks on the schedule, and later changes to the template don't affect them. The Templates button isn't shown while the schedule is managed in Excel, Microsoft Project, or Primavera — see Importing and Exporting Schedules.
Templates and stage gate milestones
Where the stage gate process creates milestones, new initiatives get one for each stage automatically. Where the template applied on creation has its own stage gate milestones, those replace the automatic ones.
For the classification's other settings, see Configuring Initiative Classifications (Advanced Model).