What is a template?

Characteristic	Description
Definition	A template is study object that is either partially or fully defined and that can be used to create other study objects.
Available for	You can create templates for the following study objects: Study projects Studies Study elements Study events Forms Items Codelists Mappings
Purpose of study templates	Study templates can decrease the time and effort required to build a study. Think about how to set up study templates to minimize work that users might need to perform. For example, you might create templates for different therapeutic areas, compounds, devices, and biologic areas.
After creating	After you create and publish a template, users can create study objects from the template. You do not need to publish study project templates and study templates to make them available. When you create a study object, you can (but are not required to) create it from a template.
History links	A study object created from a template inherits the characteristics of the template but has no history link to the template. Therefore, changing the template does not affect the study object, and the reverse is also true.
Versions	Templates do not have versions; therefore: For study project templates and study templates, the last saved version of a template is used when you create a study project or study from the template. For other study object templates, the last published version of a template is used when you create a study object from a template.
Where to view templates	Study project and study templates are viewable when you create a study project or study. You can view all other templates in the library project in which they are created in the following places in the Project Explorer: Under the Templates container. For example, within the Templates container, the Forms container has all form templates. Under the containers for each study object.
Rule templates	You can also create rule templates.

Note:

You can protect templates and types. However, if you create a new study object from a protected template or type, the newly created study object is not protected.