Templates Overview
An ItemTemplate is a reusable pattern of line items plus (optionally) embedded resources. Apply a template to jump-start a project or trade section.
Why Templates
- Accelerate estimate creation — drop in a preliminaries pattern in seconds.
- Standardise your organisation's build-ups — everyone uses the same structure for site establishment.
- Capture "knowledge" about how a trade should be decomposed.
What a Template Is Made Of
| Entity | Purpose |
|---|---|
ItemTemplate | The metadata record. |
ItemTemplateLineItem | One per line in the template. Mirrors a DirectCost / Overhead / Resource / Breakdown. |
TemplateEmbeddedResource | Optional. Snapshots of resources bundled inside the template. |
TemplateSpecification | Optional standard (e.g. AS3600, NCC2022) linked to the template. |
Target Types
Templates are typed — a template can be applied to one of:
- DirectCosts
- Overheads
- Resources
- Carbon
- DirectCostBreakdowns
- OverheadBreakdowns
- ResourceBreakdowns
When you apply a template, TX1 uses the target type to decide where the items go.
Scope
Each template has a Scope that governs who can see it:
| Scope | Who sees it |
|---|---|
| Private | Only the owner. |
| Project | Only inside this project. |
| Organisation | Everyone in the organisation. |
| Global | Everyone. |
Status
Draft, Active, Archived. Only Active templates appear in the picker.
Portability
Template line items reference resources by name, not by ID. That makes templates portable across organisations and projects. When you need exact resource fidelity, embed the resources (see 10.4).
Master Templates
Templates can be linked to master templates for sync — same pattern as resources (see 11.2–11.3). Linked templates track update availability and local modifications.
Where to Find Templates
The Templates view lists all templates visible to you. Filter by:
- Target type.
- Category.
- Scope.
- Tags.
- Owner.
Preview a template to see its line count, total value and top items before applying.