> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.keystn.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Task Templates > Task templates are reusable blueprints for sets of tasks your company performs repeatedly, such as employee onboarding or monthly compliance reviews. ## What a template contains A template consists of: | Property | Description | | --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Name** | A descriptive name for the template (e.g., "New Hire Onboarding", "Quarterly HMDA Review") | | **Description** | Optional explanation of when and how to use the template | | **Category** | Optional category assignment (e.g., Onboarding, Compliance) | | **Items** | An ordered list of task definitions, each with a title, description, sort order, and due-date offset | ### Template items Each item in a template represents a task that will be created when the template is instantiated. Items have: | Property | Description | | ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Title** | The task title (e.g., "Verify NMLS license") | | **Description** | Optional detailed instructions for the task | | **Sort Order** | Controls the display order of items within the template | | **Due Days Offset** | Number of days after the checklist start date when this task is due. A value of 0 means due on the start date; a value of 7 means due one week after the start date. | *** ## Creating a template 1. Navigate to **Tasks > Templates** in the sidebar and click **New Template**. 2. Fill in the template details: * **Name** (required) -- A descriptive name. * **Description** -- Optional context about when to use this template. * **Category** -- Optionally assign to a category. 3. Add template items: * Click **Add Item**. * Enter the **Title** for the item. * Optionally add a **Description** with detailed instructions. * Set the **Sort Order** to control display position. Items are sorted by this value in ascending order. * Set the **Due Days Offset** -- the number of days after the checklist start date when this item should be due. * Repeat for each item in the template. 4. Click **Save**. *** ## Example templates ### New hire onboarding | # | Item | Due Days Offset | Description | | - | ---------------------------- | --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | | 1 | Verify NMLS license | 0 | Check NMLS Consumer Access for active license status | | 2 | Create email account | 0 | IT sets up company email | | 3 | Grant LOS access | 1 | Provision account in Encompass/LendingPad | | 4 | Assign to branch | 1 | Update employee record with branch assignment | | 5 | Complete compliance training | 7 | Ensure all required training modules are finished | | 6 | Review company policies | 7 | Employee reads and acknowledges key policies | | 7 | First-week check-in | 7 | Manager meets with new hire to review progress | | 8 | 30-day review | 30 | Manager conducts 30-day performance check-in | ### Quarterly compliance review | # | Item | Due Days Offset | Description | | - | --------------------------- | --------------- | -------------------------------------------- | | 1 | Pull HMDA data extract | 0 | Export HMDA LAR data for the quarter | | 2 | Validate data accuracy | 3 | Cross-reference against loan records | | 3 | Review fair lending metrics | 5 | Analyze approval/denial rates by demographic | | 4 | Update compliance report | 10 | Document findings in quarterly report | | 5 | Submit to management | 14 | Send report to compliance officer for review | *** ## Editing a template 1. Navigate to **Tasks > Templates**. 2. Click the template you want to edit. 3. Click **Edit**. 4. Modify the template name, description, category, or items. 5. When editing items: * Change titles, descriptions, sort orders, or due-day offsets. * Add new items or remove existing ones. * Reorder items by changing their sort order values. 6. Click **Save**. > **Important:** Editing a template does not affect checklists that have already been created from it. Changes only apply to new checklists instantiated after the edit. *** ## Deleting a template 1. Navigate to **Tasks > Templates**. 2. Click the template you want to delete. 3. Click **Delete**. 4. Confirm the deletion. Deleting a template is a soft delete -- it is archived rather than permanently removed. Existing checklists created from the template are not affected. *** ## Using templates Templates are used by **instantiating** them into checklists. See [Checklists](/tasks/checklists) for the full guide on how to create a checklist from a template, assign it to an employee, set a start date, and track progress. *** ## Best practices * **One template per process** -- Create a separate template for each repeatable process (onboarding, offboarding, quarterly review, license renewal) rather than combining multiple processes into one. * **Use due-day offsets intentionally** -- Set offsets that reflect realistic timelines. A compliance review might need 14 days spread across multiple items, while equipment setup might need just 1-2 days. * **Add descriptions to complex items** -- Brief titles are good for scanning, but detailed descriptions in each item help the assignee understand exactly what is expected. * **Assign a category** -- This carries over to the instantiated tasks, making filtering and reporting easier. * **Review templates periodically** -- As processes evolve, update your templates to reflect current procedures.