This feature lets you define Project Templates and create specific projects from them whenever you need to.

If you occasionally work on projects similar to ones you’ve done before, defining a template will allow you to automate the process and save time when launching new projects.

Project Template Example

Let’s look at a simple example. Imagine that part of your job is to write essays. Or that you simply like to write essays on topics that interest you. Suppose that whenever you write an essay you go through a series of steps over a couple of weeks. These would be the actions needed for a project like this:

• Brainstorm ideas and pick one
• Define the type of essay and the audience
• Outline paragraphs
• Write a first draft
• Revise and write a second draft
• Revise with Michael and write a third draft
• Send draft to Jane to proofread and correct
• Finish the essay
• Publish/deliver

Let’s begin! Head to the Projects to create your template. On the left side you will find the section Templates. Click on the + button (1).

When you are working with a template, a small icon will appear (2) to show that you’re editing a template rather than a real project. Type the name of the template, “Write essay”, and click “OK”.

You can see that a project template contains almost the same lists and functions as a project; creating a template works much the same as creating a project.

We’ll use a sequential template, since that fits our essay-writing process. Now, simply add the actions as you would in a project, using the +Add action* button.

A template-specific version of the task editor will open.

Once the actions are added, the template should look something like this:

Template actions are placeholders — they won’t show up in your general action lists or be marked as “done”. However, you can add everything needed to make them fully ready when they become real actions (notes, checklists, attachments, etc.). Note that the new project will duplicate all the template’s actions.

Once the template is defined, click the Create Project button whenever you want to start a new essay.

After a few seconds, a new “Write Essay” project will appear under Projects in Progress. The project will have the same actions and the same structure as the predefined template.

The Calendar list: Relative dates

Actions that require a date, typically calendar actions, can be assigned a date relative to the project’s start date. There are these possibilities:

• The same day
• The day after
• N days after
• A week later
• N weeks later
• 1 month later
• N months later

For example, imagine that you are interested in analyzing all the feedback received once you have published or delivered the essay. To make sure that you’ve received all the feedback, you could set this task two months after starting the project.

Add that action as if it were a calendar item. Assign the date by selecting the “N months later” option, and enter “2” in the box that appears:

Once the changes are saved, you will see that the Calendar list item does not contain a specific date but rather the relative date “+2 months”. When an actual project is created, this calendar action will be scheduled two months after the project’s creation date.

The rest of the lists

The actions you add to the Waiting For list will be delegated to the collaborators you assign when you create the project.

The items you add as Reference Material will be copied to the Reference Material list of each project so you always have the right information on hand to complete the project.

Types of templates

You can define fully structured sequential templates, including subprojects if needed. The entire structure will be copied to the created project.

You can also define Kanban-style templates that generate projects with the same structure.