When you attach a template to an existing project, you are modifying some of the information on the project according to that of the template. Some of the information on the project remains unchanged.
For information about how to attach a template to a project, see Attach a template to a project.
Consider the following when adding templates to projects:
Attaching a template to a project is not the same as creating a project from a template. When you create a project from a template, all template fields transfer to the new project. Attaching a template leaves some of the existing project fields unchanged.
Some template settings automatically transfer to the project, unless you specifically mark them to be excluded during the template attachment process. When you mark them to be excluded, the project field values are preserved.
However, not all project fields are available to manage in the process of attaching a template to a project. For information, see Attach a template to a project.
The following table describes the default for what happens to project fields when you attach a template and which fields you can manage during the attachment process to override the default behavior:
Field | What happens in the process of attaching a template, by default | Ability to manage the field updates in the attachment process |
Description | Project information is preserved | |
Status |
Project information is preserved | |
URL | Transferred from template, if the field is empty on the project | |
Priority | Project information is preserved | |
Condition Type | Project information is preserved | |
Schedule Mode | Project information is preserved | |
Planned Dates | Might change based on the added tasks | |
Actual Dates | Might change based on the added tasks | |
Portfolio | Project information is preserved | |
Program | Project information is preserved | |
Group | Project information is preserved | |
Company | Transferred from template, if the field is empty on the project | |
Planned Hours | Might change based on the added tasks | |
Project Owner | Transferred from template, if the field is empty on the project | |
Project Sponsor | Transferred from template, if the field is empty on the project | |
Resource Manager | Added to the list of existing resource managers on the project | |
Custom Forms | Added to the project, in addition to forms that are already on the project | |
Budget | Project information is preserved | |
Currency | Project information is preserved | |
PIM | Project information is preserved | |
EAC | Project information is preserved | |
Planned Benefit | Project information is preserved | |
Actual Benefit | Project information is preserved | |
Milestone Path | Transferred from template, if the field is empty on the project | |
Completion Mode | Project information is preserved | |
Summary Completion Mode | Project information is preserved | |
Update Type | Project information is preserved | |
Schedule | Project information is preserved | |
User Time Off | Project information is preserved | |
Resource Leveling Mode | Project information is preserved | |
Risk (project field) | Project information is preserved | |
Resource Pools | Added to the list of existing resource pools on the project | |
Hour Types | If deselected during the attachment process, the Hour Types setting on the project remains unchanged. If selected, the template setting transfers to the project. If Hour Type filtering is set to Yes both on the project and the template, the hour types from the template are added to the ones on the project. |
✓ |
Reminder Notifications | Added to the list of existing reminders on the project. If deselected during the attachment process, the project reminder notifications remain unchanged. |
✓ |
Task Default Approval Process | Project information is preserved | ✓ |
Task Default Custom Forms | Project information is preserved | |
Work Effort | Project information is preserved | |
Allow users to add issues inline | Project information is preserved | |
All settings | Template settings overwrite those of the project | |
Tasks | Added to the bottom of the task list, in addition to the existing project tasks | |
Documents | Added to the project, in addition to existing project documents | ✓ |
Risks (objects in the Risks area of the project) | Added to the project, in addition to existing project risks | ✓ |
Approval Process | Transferred from template | ✓ |
Billing Rates | Transferred from template in addition to the existing billing rates on the project. If there is a different rate for the same job role on both the project and the template, the rate on the project remains unchanged. |
✓ |
Billing Records | Project information is preserved | |
Expenses | Transferred from template in addition to the existing expenses on the project | ✓ |
Financial Information | When this is selected in the attachment process, the following fields are either transferred or added to the project:
If this field is deselected during the attachment process, the following occurs:
|
✓ |
Hours | Project information is preserved | |
Queue Details, Topic Groups, Queue Topics, Routing Rules | Transferred from template If you select the Queue Properties & Issues Setup option during the attachment process, the Queue Details of the template overwrite those of the project. In this case, the Routing Rules, Queue Topics, and Topic Groups of the template are added to those of the project. |
✓ |
Task Constraints | Transferred from template If deselected during the attachment process, the task constraints are set to As Soon As Possible or As Late As Possible, depending on the project Schedule From setting. |
✓ |
Task Predecessors | Transferred from template If deselected during the attachment process, all predecessor connections between the template tasks are removed. |
✓ |
Sharing Options | If deselected during the attachment process, project permissions remain unchanged. If selected during the attachment process, the template permissions are added to or overwrite those of the project. Example: If User A has View permission to the project, but they have Manage permissions on the template, after attaching the template User A will gain Manage access to the project. |
✓ |