1. Workspace Templates - introduction
With the Workspace Template feature, all Account Owners and Workspace managers will be able to select one or multiple Workspaces and Boards from their account and save them as Templates. They can re-use and apply them to the same account or each external account associated with their email address registered in Kanbanize.
This feature is very useful for users who have successfully created and adapted workflows and need a fast and easy transfer of their setups and structure.
Moreover, they can use one of the built-in templates in the panel.
2. How to create and apply a Workspace Template?
Use the second button "Workspace Templates" under the Favorite Boards pane.
The Manage Workspace Templates panel consists of three tabs:
- My Templates (1)
- Built-in Templates (2)
- External Templates (3)
- My Templates (1)
Using the "My Templates" tab you create your own Templates.
This means to select existing Workspaces and boards from your account and to re-use them in the same or another account.
How to create the Template?
STEP 1: Click the (+) CREATE TEMPLATE icon to open the Manage Workspace Template panel.
The panel (Img.1) displays all existing Workspaces in the account (both Team and Management).
The Team Workspaces are visualized through the blue ribbons and the Management ones are visualized through the green ribbons.
STEP 2: Select one or multiple Workspaces and boards that you want to save as Workspace templates.
Optional Setting: include the workspace specific custom fields, templates and types of cards.
Img.1
STEP 3: Click the Workspace name. The system displays a list of all boards that belong to the selected Workspace.
(1) Checkmark the Boards that you want to include in your Template (img.2)
(2) If you checkmark the "Include cards" box, all existing cards from the "Backlog", "Requested", "In progress", "Done" and "Temporary" archive sections will be added to the template.
NOTE: All card details will be included except for the card comments and assignees.
(3) The three dots icon next to "Include cards" allows you to:
- Include Card Links - all links to other cards and initiatives will be preserved. The only condition to have all linked cards present is to select all boards that hold the related cards.
- Include Initiatives - all cards (initiatives) in the Initiative Workflow will be included.
- Include Sub-tasks - all sub-tasks will bе preserved and included.
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(4) You can choose which workspace properties will be added to the template: Custom fields; Card templates; Card types.
(5) Include Business Rules: Checkmark this option and all active Business rules configured for the selected boards will be included in the template. After applying a template that includes Business Rules, there will be no need of re-configuration.
NOTE: In case there is a problematic behavior and the rules require re-configuration, you have to enable them manually from the Administration Menu (Business Rules)
(6) Related Boards Settings: Checkmark this option and the Related board's configuration will be included for every board part of the template.
NOTE: if a board from the Board List configuration is not included in the Workspace Template, then it will not appear as a Related board.
Note: When you create and save a new Workspace template all blockers and stickers from the original one will be preserved by default.
STEP 4: When you configure the template settings , click Next to proceed further.
STEP 5: Create the Template Name and give it a description (optional).
If you want to share this template with other users in the current Kanbanize account, you can type their Kanbanize usernames in the "Share this template with internal users" field.
Upon selection, you can allow them to edit the template.
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TIP: If you want to share the template across different accounts, checkmark the Advanced Settings box.
Note: the Advanced Settings box will be visible only if Account Owners have allowed this globally using the Security control in the Administration panel: Workspace templates can be made available externally. It's a one-time action.
Step 6: Click on the "Save" icon and you will get a system message that you have created your Template successfully.
Where do templates get stored?
Go back to "My Templates" tab section and you will find your own templates under My templates.
How to reuse the template?
Click the Template you want to reuse or transfer and you will get a snapshot of the template configuration. The system will prompt you to:
- Apply the template as a "New Workspace" - it will be available on the Dashboard.
- Apply it to an Existing Workspace - only boards from the template will be added to an existing Workspace. You have to select the existing Workspace (receiver) from the supporting panel.
Make your choice and apply the template. All Workspace and Boards applied with the Workspace Templates feature will be made available on the main Dashboard containing the word [Workspace] in their names.
Notes:
1. If the Workspace template contains Team workflows only, it can be applied:
- as a new Workspace.
- to an existing Workspaces that consists of Team workflows only.
2. If the Workspace template contains Management workflows only, it can be applied:
- as a new Workspace.
- to an existing Workspace that consists of Management workflows only.
3. If the Workspace template contains both Team and Management Workflows, it can be applied as a new Workspace only.
Important: In case some of the specific fields in the business rules are missing, the system gives a warning message while applying the template.
The user who has applied the template has to carefully review their setup (Administration panel - > Business Rules) and configure the rules in accordance with the use-case scenario.
Rules with missing fields are marked with "[Not Completed]" in their title.
- The Built-in Template (2)
The Built-in Templates is the default view of the panel and it provides access to all built-in templates in the system that cover nine different scenarios:
- Engineering Non-IT (multiple Teams)
- Engineering Non-IT (One Teams)
- IT/DEV Operations (Multiple Team)
- IT/DEV Operations (One Team)
- Portfolio Management
- Project Management (Initiatives + Tasks)
- Project Management (Timeline + Tasks)
- Software Development ( Multiple teams)
- Software Development ( One team)
You can manage each of the templates from their corresponding settings.
- the Apply as New Workspace option will instantly apply the Workspace including all of its boards to your account. They will become available on the Dashboard of your account.
- with the Apply to Existing Workspace option, only boards from the template will be added to an existing Workspace. You have to select the existing Workspace (receiver) from the supporting panel and to consider the Workspace settings.
- the View Structure option gives a description and an architectural overview of the selected template/scenario.
- External Templates (3)
This menu will be active only if a Workspace template has been shared with you.