Templates let you standardize your firm's recurring work - think bookkeeping, payroll processing, 1040s, 1041s, 1065s, and more. Instead of rebuilding a project from scratch each time, you set up a template once and reuse it for any client.
This article covers:
Creating a new template from scratch
Duplicating or deleting an existing template
Viewing which clients are using a template
Understanding what gets inherited from templates
Permissions and access
Creating a New Template
Step 1: Open the Templates page
Navigate to the Templates page using the left-side navigation. Click Create new template in the top right corner.
Step 2: Name your template
Give the template a clear, descriptive title - for example, Weekly Bookkeeping or 1040 Tax Return. A good name makes it easy for your team to pick the right template when creating new client projects.
You can also add an optional description to give your team more context on when and how to use this template. This is especially helpful for firms with a large template library.
Click Create Template when you're ready. You'll be taken directly into the new template.
Step 3: Add tasks
Tasks are the individual steps your team needs to complete for this type of work. Add one task for each step in the process - this is what lets you track where each client's work stands at any given time.
Tip: Think of tasks as a checklist your team will work through for every client this template is applied to.
Click Add task to open the task side drawer, where you can fill out the details for that task.
Task name is the only required field - everything else is optional but helps set your team up for consistent, predictable work.
Description: Add context or instructions for how to complete the task. Useful for steps that aren't self-explanatory or that new team members might need guidance on.
Task due date: Set as the number of days before the project due date. This determines when the task is due relative to the overall project, so it stays accurate no matter which client or due date the template is applied to.
Assignee: Assign a team member responsible for this task. If the right person varies by client, leave this blank and assign it at the project series level instead - setting an assignee here applies to every client connected to this template, so changing it later will update the assignment across all of them.
Budgeted time (minutes): Estimate how long the task should take. This helps with capacity planning and lets you compare budgeted vs. actual time as your team completes the work.
Checklist: Add checklist items within the task - for example, a list of documents to track as you receive them from the client. Each item can be checked off individually as work progresses.
Once you've filled out the details you need, click save or save & create another until all your tasks are added.
Tip: Keep task names and details applicable to the majority of your clients, since the template is the foundation for every project created from it. If a specific client needs something different, you can always customize at the client level after the project is created.
Editing tasks after they're added
The task name and other visible columns in the task table can be edited directly, inline - no need to open the drawer for quick changes. To update any other task details (description, due date, assignee, budgeted time, or checklist), hover over the task row until the Open button appears, then click it to reopen the task side drawer.
Managing task order and deletion
Reorder tasks: Drag and drop tasks in the task table to change the order they appear in.
Delete a task: Hover over the task, click Open to open the task side drawer, then click Delete. You'll be asked to confirm - deletion is permanent, so make sure you no longer need the task before confirming.
Duplicating a Template
If you need a template that's similar to one you already have, duplicating is faster than starting from scratch.
Duplicating copies over all tasks, task assignees, and other settings, so you only need to make the adjustments that differ.
How to duplicate a template
Go to the Templates page and click the template you want to copy.
Click the three vertical dots (⋮) to the right of the Edit Template button.
Select Copy, enter a name for the new template, and click Copy template.
Open the new template and make any changes you need.
Best practice: Give duplicated templates a name that clearly distinguishes them from the original - for example, "1040 Tax Return – Complex" or "Bi-Weekly Bookkeeping – New Clients." Template names do have to be unique.
Deleting a Template
If a template is outdated or no longer needed, you can delete it directly from the template page.
How to delete a template
Navigate to the template you want to delete.
Click the three vertical dots (⋮) near the upper middle part of the screen.
Select Delete.
Confirm the deletion.
Note: Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone.
Viewing Clients on a Template
As you use a template to create projects, Jetpack Workflow keeps a running list of which clients have an active project tied to that template. You can see this list on the right side of the screen when you're viewing a template.
This is useful for:
Quickly checking which clients are currently in a particular workflow
Confirming a project was created for a client before creating another
Auditing template usage across your client base
What Projects Inherit from Templates
When you create a project from a template, it copies:
All tasks, including their names and order
Task assignees (team members assigned to each task)
Any other template-level settings you've configured
Keep in mind that after a project is created, changes to the template will still affect existing projects tied to it. If you want to make changes that only apply going forward, consider duplicating the template first and making edits to the copy.
For a full breakdown of what's affected when you edit a template, see: Impact of Edits to Templates, Series, and Individual Entries.
Permissions and Access
Creating, editing, and deleting templates can be restricted by user permissions. If you don't see the option to create or modify templates, you may not have the necessary access level.
Reach out to your account administrator to request updated permissions.
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