Use task templates

Reuse tasks by creating and applying task templates. Streamline processes, events, bug reports, and any other work you repeat regularly. 

What you'll need

  • Task templates are available on every plan.
  • Guests have access to templates for tasks, Docs, views, checklists, and Whiteboards.
  • Everyone, including guests with edit or full edit permissions, can create, edit, apply, and delete task templates.

Create a task template

To create a new task template:

  1. Open a task and in the upper-right corner, click the ellipsis ... icon.
  2. Select Templates.
  3. Click Save as Template.
  4. Choose a name, add a description, and select sharing settings.
  5. Choose your Import options.
  6. In the lower-right corner, click Save Template.

Import options

When creating a task template, you can choose to Import everything or Customize included items

If you select Import everything, the task template will include every detail of the task when you apply it.

If you select Customize included items, you can choose what the template will include from the following options:

Included item Description
Due dates Due date and time
Attachments Task attachments
Comment Attachments Comment attachments
Dependencies Dependencies
Priority Priority
Time Estimate Time estimate
Assignees Assignees
Followers Followers
Keep task statuses Inherit the current status of the task.
Tags Tags
Copy settings for Statuses Inherit the same status options as the task. These statuses depend on the task's Hierarchy location.
Subtasks

Subtasks

There is a limit of 1,000 subtasks per task, including any deleted within the last 51 days. If applying the task template exceeds the subtask limit, then the template will fail to apply.

Start date Start date and time
Comments Comments
Recurring settings Recurring settings 
Description Task description
Custom Fields

Custom Fields

Formula Fields are not included.

Checklists Checklists
Task Types Inherit the custom task type if applicable.

Apply a task template

Repeat processes by applying task templates. Once a task template is applied, it cannot be undone. Check out our course on how to Apply a Task Template Using Automation in ClickUp University.

To apply a task template:

  1. Open a task and in the upper-right corner, click the ellipsis ... icon.
  2. Select Templates.
  3. Click Browse Templates.
  4. Search for a template. You can also filter for task templates using the left sidebar.
  5. There are two ways to apply the template:
    • Select a task template. Choose to customize which information you want to include when applying the template and click Use Template to finalize.
    • Immediately append the template to your task by hovering over the template and clicking Quick Use. Task description, subtasks, tags, attachments, and checklists will be merged into this task. Assignees, followers, priority, start dates, and due dates will be replaced in this task by the template. Using the Quick Use option will create the task in the List where the template was originally created. 

You can also create an Automation to apply a template each time a new task is created to prevent the need for extra work. Your Automation should use the following trigger and action:

  • Trigger: Select When Task or subtask is created
    • To only apply templates to tasks, in the Trigger column, click the Tasks or subtasks dropdown and select Tasks
  • Created by: By default, any task or subtask created will trigger the Automation. Use the checkboxes to filter for tasks that were created in specific ways.
    • Templates can't be applied to tasks or subtasks that were created by a template. 
  • Action: Select Apply a template, then from the Template dropdown, select a template. 

Screenshot of the Automations modal with the trigger and action described above selected.png

Use /Slash Commands to apply task templates

To apply a task template using /Slash Commands:

  1. Type /temp into a task title or description.
  2. Pick one of the recently used templates or type the name of a task template to search for it.
    • You can also use the up and down arrows on your keyboard to pick from the recently used templates.
  3. Click Browse to search the Template Center for other task templates.
  4. Press Enter.

The template /Slash Command is also available when creating a new task in List view, Board view, Calendar view, Timeline view, Team view, Whiteboard view, and Workload view.

Update a task template

Update task templates to stay up-to-date with your processes. Once a task template is updated, the template cannot be reverted to its previous state.

To update a task template:

  1. Apply a template to an existing or new task.
  2. Make any changes and updates to the task.
  3. In the upper-right corner, click the ellipsis ... icon.
  4. Select Templates.
  5. Click Update existing Template.
  6. Search for and select the existing template you want to update.
  7. Click Next.
    • You can rename your template and update its sharing and Import options.
  8. In the lower-right, click Save.

Set a default task template for a List

Automatically apply a template to all new tasks created in a List.

Delete a task template

Delete task templates you no longer need. Once a task template is deleted, it cannot be recovered.

To delete a task template:

  1. Open a task and in the upper-right corner, click the ellipsis ... icon.
  2. Select Templates, then Browse Templates.
  3. Click the task template.
  4. In the upper-left corner, next to the template's name, click the ellipsis ... icon.
  5. Click Delete.

Remap subtask due dates

Enable the Remap Subtask Due Dates ClickApp to automatically change subtask due dates by the same amount as their parent task is changed.

For example, if you move the parent task due date back five days, all subtask dates will also be moved back five days.

Remap dates when applying templates

When you create a Space, Folder, or List template, you can choose to save its tasks' start and due dates when setting the template Import options.

When you apply the template, you can choose to use the original task start and due dates or remap them. Instead of manually updating every task, all your tasks will be updated when the template is applied.