Project templates

Custom templates can save your team a significant amount of time by allowing you to create standardized projects to streamline your workflow. Our enhanced project templates builder allows for you to see at a glance all elements and aspects of your project template and those of your team.

The new project templates will allow you to create custom, reusable templates to help your team kick off new projects in a matter of seconds. To learn how to create and use project templates check out the Create and use template article. 

Through the ability to now create project templates from scratch, you can tailor their associative tasks, collaborators and timelines to your liking.

Learn how to save time and standardize processes with custom templates. Join our Creating basic workflows in Asana virtual training now.

Locating project templates

To find project templates scroll to the bottom of your team’s homepage and select the template you would like to use.

Alternatively you can also use the search bar to search for a template.

Creating a project template from an existing project

1. Click on the drop-down arrow next to the project title
2. Click on Save as template

From here, you can name your project template and share it with your team. You can also tailor the privacy settings for the template to be shared with your team, give your team edit access or make it private to project members. Once this is done, click Create a new template.

Your template will now be generated, allowing you to start to build and tailor it to your needs.

Here, you’ll have the option to add or edit the template’s default tasks, assignees and due dates.

Setting project dates for a custom template

Dates within project templates are relative. This makes it easier to track tasks by showing how many days apart they are from either the start date or the end date of the project.

Dates within project templates are now relative to the start date or the end date of the project created from the template.

Navigating to the date picker will let you set start dates and/or end dates when creating your project template within which Asana will schedule all associated tasks. Only relative dates (e.g 3 days after the project has started) will be displayed within this picker.

Setting the reference date

When setting a schedule you can:

1. Either choose From project start date to make all task dates relative to the start date of the project when it’s created from the template.

2. Or choose From project due date to make all task dates relative to the due date of the project when it’s created from the template.

You also have the option to not include dates or to skip weekends.

Once you have chosen dates, you will also have the option to click on the Add time in the bottom left-hand corner of the date picker screen. This will automatically prompt you towards a due time with a corresponding start time.

Customizing your template

Templates can be tailored and customized by navigating to the Customize menu in the right hand corner of the template.

From here you will be able to customize by fields, forms, task templates and rules.

Additionally, you have the option of adding, editing or deleting any field of your choice. Once you have decided on the task dates and custom fields, click on Continue to the left of your project template.

Assigning tasks in a project template will not show up in the assignee’s My tasks.

Learn how to save time and standardize processes with custom templates. Join our Streamline work virtual training now.

Project roles

You can now add roles to project templates. Roles create placeholders which automatically assign tasks to the right teammate when the template is used. Project roles are available on Asana Advanced, Enterprise, and Enterprise+ tiers, as well as legacy tiers Business and Legacy Enterprise.

Adding roles to a project template:

To add a role to a project template, firstly create a new project template or click Edit in the top-right corner of an existing template.

Click the + Add role button in the sidebar to begin adding project roles.

1. Click + Add role and enter the relevant role name; Project Manager or Designer, for example.
2. Click Create to save the role name.

Editing or adding additional project roles:

1. Click Edit role under Project roles in the sidebar
2. Click + Add role to add an additional project role
3. Click on any existing role to edit or make changes

To remove a project role:

1. Click on Edit role
2. Hover over the role you wish to remove and click on the x that appears and then click Remove
3. Click Done to return to your template

Assigning project roles:

1. Click Done once you’ve finished editing your template
2. Click Use template to go through the normal flow to name your project, then click Continue
3. On the next page you can choose assignees for each project role. Once assigned click Go to project. You can also click Skip to skip this step, however this is not recommended. Please see the Asana tip below.

Please note that if this step is skipped the assignee cannot be added afterwards meaning the assignee field will remain blank. It is therefore recommended to add the assignee upon first creation.

Template Settings

From Template Settings, you will have the option to:

1. Edit the title of your template
2. Add a template description
3. Choose the team with access to the template
4. Select a privacy setting
5. Choose project template collaborators
6. Add project to portfolios

 

Template owners can decide whether members can edit or use project templates.

1. Those with Can edit permissions can add, edit and delete anything in the template.
2. Those with Can use permissions can use the template to create projects, but can’t edit anything in the template.
3. Members can be granted access to be set as a new template owner.
4. Members can also be removed as a template member.

You can also use the builder to add projects to portfolios. This will mean that all projects created by this template will be added to the portfolio selected. 

Creating a project from scratch using project templates

You can also use the builder to create a template from scratch:

1. Create a new project.
2. Select Use a template
3. Select the template you would like to use
4. Click to either use or edit the template

Note: Once your team creates their first template, you can also create from scratch from the team page, in the Templates section.

Deleting a template

Project templates across any given team can be easily viewed and identified simply by going to the teams page.

From here, templates can be easily edited and deleted by clicking on the three dot icon in the upper right hand corner of the template.

Bundles in project templates

Available on Asana Enterprise and Enterprise+ tiers, as well as legacy tier Legacy Enterprise.

Users can add bundles to project templates via the Customize menu when creating a project from a project template. Bundles in project templates allow users to standardize and manage their projects and workflows, even after a project has been created, meaning that:

• Projects created using the project template will have the bundle applied.
• Updates made to the bundle will automatically be synced to all other projects and project templates that are using that bundle. When the bundle itself is updated, those changes are reflected everywhere that the bundle is in use

To add a bundle to your project template

1. Begin creating a new project and choose Use a template to choose a project template from the library.
2. Click on Edit to edit the project template.
3. Click Customize and choose + Add bundle from the customize menu.
4. You can then choose between an existing bundle or create a new bundle from the Bundles gallery. 
5. After you create the bundle, make sure to apply the bundle to that project template by selecting it in the bundles management dashboard.

After you create or select an existing bundle from within the gallery, you need to add the bundle to the project template from the bundles management dashboard for the template to receive the bundle.

Applying bundles from the bundles management dashboard

A bundle can also be applied to a project template from directly within the bundles management dashboard as shown below.

1. Click on the Customize button within your project and scroll down to Bundles.
2. Click on the bundle you wish to use and navigate to the Dashboard tab.
3. Click the + Add to my work button to search for and select the relevant project template.

Viewing projects templates in the bundles management dashboard

1. Click on the Customize button within your project and scroll down to Bundles.
2. Click on the bundle you wish to view and navigate to the Dashboard tab. 
3. Under Work type you will see whether each item listed is a project or a project template.

Notes on bundles in project templates

• As the bundle is attached to the project template, changes made to the bundle are reflected in the project template automatically.
• Existing bundles from the bundle gallery can be added to a project template.
• Users can see a list of bundles that have been added to the project template (this is dependent on a user’s project permissions).
• Users need to have edit access to a project template in order to add a bundle to the template or to view previously added bundles.