Add templates to project for the web
When creating a new project we don't want to start from scratch each time. We should be able to select a type of project (or an existing one) and use that as a starting point.
Michael
shared this idea
Hi all!
We’re planning on building “Copy Project”. To everyone who has been commenting so far, would this satisfy your scenario (as some asks are for “Templates”)? Please share why it would/wouldn’t, and I will continue to update the status accordingly.
Thanks!
~J
22 comments
-
Michael
commented
Well... the majority of the competitive products have the idea of templates so there is that. A template provides a predefined series of tasks according to some criteria. It also then provides something to measure against to ensure that the standards represented by the template are followed. It also allows for easier adoption of the system and more widespread use across the organization since new staff will know what to expect when managing projects, events, product launches, board meetings, new construction etc. in such a way that meets standards. Having templates is one of the key parts that makes a system easy to use. I can start out with a list of tasks and deliverables and know I am doing the right thing. It also feeds into a lessons learned/gradual improvement process. ie. I just ran this event, we missed these three things, we had better add them into the event template for next time. It is one of the first things all of the non-traditional project managers we have shown the product to ask for as they are used to starting out with templates for word documents, excel spreadsheets, etc.
You could even make this work like how Power Automate does over time and have a list of the templates provided by Microsoft (and others) and list how often they have been used. This then becomes another competitive advantage for the product.
-
Mattias Holgerson
commented
Copy project would be good but the capability to start from a template is more valuable.
-
Sebastian Werner
commented
Hi Microsoft Project Team.
A "Copy Project" option would definitely help, but we need one more feature in it: Relative dates depending on a to be set start OR finish date of a project.
This way we can create a template of a project that has all durations in it as they don't change from project to project. When we create a new project from the template (or copy the project if you release "copy project") we would like to just specify the starting oder finish date, an all tasks are magically distributed in the timeline.
ToDoIst offers this feature and it is a game changer. As long as this is not possible in Project for the Web, it will be hard to make the users switch to Project.
-
Trutz-Sebastian Stephani
commented
Templates are still needed because with the current security model anyone needs to be part of the o365 group that hosts the original template and can therefore alrer it
-
Peter Kestenholz
commented
If doing a copy it should be possible to mount to a Business Process Templates.
-
Dave Jones
commented
The beauty of a template is that it is "fixed" and can't be accidentally altered. It is a special type of project, and one that you can always trust is clean and good. "Copy project" is important too. So, it is a good starting point. Iteration 1 = Copy project. Iteration 2 = Template. How about that?
-
Stephen Little
commented
My company carries out various kinds of work for different clients. The range of governance processes in use for handling change has to be reflected by similar range of suitable project structures. Without templates it would be impractical to use Project For Web for these various but repeatable types of change.
-
lisette pieke
commented
In our company we use pre-defined templates, because most projects consist of the same tasks. It's just a different project for a different client. We use EPT's for this.
In Project for the Web this functionality is not available, which means we have to start every project from scratch which takes up way to much time for our project managers.
it would be nice to choose a template with tasks when you create a new project in Project for the Web as well. -
Emanuel van der Aalst
commented
Hi all,
I'm interested in this capability to be able to make a template or simply copy a plan. However you can do this today with a workaround:
Step 1: Make your "template".
-Set all columns in the grid and in all board views.
-Add your team to the plan.
-Add all tasks, and assign the tasks to your team members.Step 2: Make a new plan. This will become your "copy to work" on.
-Create and arrange all columns in the grid view and all boards exactly as they are in the "template".
-Add your team to the planStep 3:
-Go to your "Template" and select all tasks. Click on the three dots and select "copy"
-Now open your "work copy" in a new tab in the same browser
-Create one task.
-Click on the three dots at the end of the task and select "paste"You now have a copy of your template with most of the things copied over. Task assignments still fail from time to time. But it is essential that you arrange your columns in the boards at least in exactly the same order.
-
Dave
commented
I'm mostly interested in pulling in specific milestones or WBS formats. The names (product launch, construction project, etc) aren't really what I'm interested in.
For example, we are a construction company that operates in 6 states and multiple market sectors (residential, senior living, etc.). We would see a huge boost in usage of schedules as well as good reporting if we could set up templates to pre-populate company or market sector milestones or WBS' (4 story senior living buildings have different breakdowns than a 10 story mixed use residential and commercial), task sequences like permitting processes in each state, and resource role assignments.
-
Tamara Frey
commented
Either creating a project from a custom template (no need for a MS template) an admin provided to avoid starting from scratch if you have similar projects or provide the ability to use an existing project as a reference and create a copy without or with the O365 group (choice).
-
Dave Jones
commented
Just like with Project Professional / Project Online, it is interesting that you can pick a "canned" template that Microsoft provides, but more importantly is that I MUST be able to pick a template that I (or my organization) has defined for the work that we do. I must be able to pick from one or more of these templates.
-
Yasmine
commented
Product Launch Campaign
Event Management -
Sebastian Werner
commented
I agree to what was said.
What we would specifically need:
The possibility to have a custom template with timings/durations and dependencies, and the ability to set either a starting OR a finishing date for the project, and all tasks and deadlines will be set accordingly.This functionality is important, we do not need Templates that are preproposed by MS, we can then build our own.
-
Michael
commented
Every project we do across all roles would be made more efficient by starting from a template. Estimating, construction, marketing, new products, etc.
-
Anonymous
commented
Product launch campaigns
Product development
Product certification
Translation/localisation workflows, especially multilingual projects. In out cases 16/17 fixed languages and fixed asignees. Could be integrated down the line with content creation, that has branches based on type of content. Or triggered by actions and completion in other project which is a dependency
-
Blaine
commented
I agree. Creating project templates with predefined tasks and subtasks will help in the governance and standardisation of projects.
-
Naser
commented
Possibility to copy a schedule also could be consider in this category and somehow is a workaround for lack of template.
-
Naser
commented
If there was an option to create templates admin or a project manager with more experience or even PMO people can create them and make them available for the less experienced users. This is in alignment with your strategy for making the tool more adoptable for casual project managers.
-
Fajnovy Syne
commented
I agree, this is a must have feature. Most of the projects we have are running based on templates with minor adjustments in tasks and schedules.