Templates
Create and customize scoping templates for your organization
Templates define the structure and fields for your scoping estimates, ensuring consistency across your organization while allowing flexibility for different service offerings.
Overview
Scoping templates act as blueprints for your estimates, defining:
Custom metadata fields for the Overview & Scope section
Level of Effort (LOE) table configuration
Rate card integration for pricing
Default settings for calculations
Creating a Template
Access Template Management
Navigate to Settings in the top navigation
Select Organization -> Scoping Configuration from the sidebar
Click on the Templates tab
Click Create Template
Basic Information
Template Name
Descriptive name (e.g., "Cloud Migration Template")
Yes
Default Template
Check to set as organization default
No
Overview & Scope Fields
Custom fields appear in the Overview & Scope tab of each estimate. These fields capture project-specific metadata beyond the built-in fields (Project Overview, In Scope, Out of Scope, Dependencies).
Available Field Types
Text Input
Short text (customer name, opportunity ID)
Single-line input
Text Area
Multi-line text (project description)
Multi-line input
Rich Text Editor
Formatted content (executive summary)
WYSIWYG editor
Link (URL)
Web links (customer site, documentation)
URL validation
Dropdown Select
Predefined choices (industry, region)
Custom options list
Adding Custom Fields
In the template editor, select the Overview & Scope Fields tab
Click Add Field
Configure the field:
Field Name: Internal identifier (lowercase, underscores)
Label: Display name shown to users
Type: Select from available field types
Required: Check if field must be filled in
Options: For dropdown fields, add available choices
Example Custom Fields:
Field: customer_industry
Label: Customer Industry
Type: Dropdown Select
Options: Financial Services, Healthcare, Retail, Manufacturing, Technology
Required: Yes
Field: opportunity_link
Label: Salesforce Opportunity
Type: Link (URL)
Required: No
Field: executive_summary
Label: Executive Summary
Type: Rich Text Editor
Required: Yes[Image Placeholder: Custom Fields Configuration]
Best Practices for Custom Fields
✅ Do:
Use descriptive labels that are clear to all team members
Mark truly required fields only
Group related information logically
Keep field names consistent across templates
❌ Don't:
Create too many required fields (slows down scoping)
Use technical jargon in labels
Duplicate built-in fields
Change field names frequently (impacts historical data)
Level of Effort Configuration
The LOE configuration defines how your team estimates and prices work.
Fixed Columns
Every template includes these standard columns:
Task Name: Brief task identifier
Task Description: Detailed task description
Type: Task categorization (configurable)
Hours/Quantity: Effort estimation (configurable)
Rate Card Column: Role, Product, or Service (configurable)
Notes: Additional context
Hours vs. Quantity Mode
Choose how your team estimates effort:
Hours
Time-based services
Consulting, professional services, development
Quantity
Count-based estimates
Product licenses, hardware units, user seats
Rate Card Column Configuration
The rate card column is the most flexible part of your LOE table:
Label Customization:
Default: "Role" (for professional services)
Alternatives: "Product", "Service", "Resource Type", "SKU"
Options Source:
Rate Card: Link an existing rate card to populate options automatically
Manual: Define options directly in the template
Linking a Rate Card
When you link a rate card:
✅ Options are automatically populated from rate card items
✅ Pricing is automatically applied during calculations
✅ Updates to the rate card flow through to templates
✅ Maintains consistency across all estimates
Manual Options
If not using a rate card:
Define each option individually
Optionally set rates per option
Rates are stored in the template (not centralized)
Type Column Configuration
Configure how tasks are categorized:
Milestone
Milestone, Task
Traditional waterfall projects
Agile
Epic, Story, Task
Agile/Scrum methodology
Custom
Your own options
Unique organizational needs
Custom Type Example:
Phase, Activity, Deliverable
or
Requirement, Design, Build, Test, DeployPricing Defaults
Set organizational defaults for pricing calculations:
Default Buffer Percentage
ROM range calculation
15-25%
Default Project Duration
FTE calculation baseline
8-16 weeks
Buffer Percentage: Higher buffers (20-25%) are appropriate for discovery or poorly-defined work. Lower buffers (10-15%) work for well-defined, repeatable projects.
Template Preview
As you configure your template, the preview section shows how it will appear in actual scoping estimates.
Preview Includes:
Overview field layout
LOE column configuration
Available options for dropdowns
Pricing defaults
Use this to validate your template before saving.
[Image Placeholder: Template Preview Section]
Managing Templates
Editing Templates
Navigate to Settings → Scoping Configuration → Templates
Find your template in the list
Click the Edit button
Make your changes
Click Save Template
Setting Default Templates
Only one template can be marked as default:
New estimates automatically select the default template
Users can still choose other templates during creation
Change the default at any time in template settings
Deleting Templates
To delete a template:
Click the Delete button on the template
Confirm the deletion
Template is removed (does not affect existing estimates)
Warning: Deleting a template cannot be undone. Existing estimates using the template will retain their structure but won't receive template updates.
Template Strategies
Single Template Approach
Best for: Small teams, single service offering
Create one comprehensive template with all possible fields. Users can leave unused fields blank.
Pros:
Simple to manage
Everyone uses the same structure
Easy to compare estimates
Cons:
May include irrelevant fields for some projects
Can feel cluttered
Multi-Template Approach
Best for: Multiple service offerings, diverse project types
Create specialized templates for each service line:
Cloud Migration Template
Data Platform Template
Security Assessment Template
Staff Augmentation Template
Pros:
Focused, relevant fields only
Better user experience
Clearer pricing models per offering
Cons:
More templates to maintain
Need to choose correct template
Hybrid Approach
Best for: Medium to large teams
Create a few broad templates covering major categories:
Technical Consulting (cloud, data, security)
Staff Augmentation
Fixed-Price Projects
Pros:
Balanced simplicity and specificity
Manageable number of templates
Flexibility within categories
Cons:
Requires thoughtful categorization
Common Template Examples
Professional Services Template
Use Case: Consulting engagements billed by hours and roles
Configuration:
Hours mode
Rate card column labeled "Role"
Rate card with: Solution Architect, Cloud Engineer, Project Manager, etc.
Type column: Milestone/Task
Custom fields: Customer Industry, Engagement Type, Opportunity Link
20% buffer, 12-week duration
Product Implementation Template
Use Case: Software implementations with licenses and services
Configuration:
Quantity mode for products, Hours mode for services (create two templates or use hours)
Rate card column labeled "Product/Service"
Rate card with: Software License, Training, Support Hours, etc.
Type column: Custom (Discovery, Configuration, Training, Go-Live)
Custom fields: Customer Size, Deployment Model, Integration Requirements
15% buffer, 8-week duration
Fixed-Price Project Template
Use Case: Quoted projects with detailed phase breakdown
Configuration:
Hours mode
Rate card column labeled "Role"
Standard rate card
Type column: Custom (Phase, Milestone, Deliverable)
Custom fields: Contract Type, Payment Terms, Milestone Dates
25% buffer, 16-week duration
Integration with Rate Cards
Templates and rate cards work together to streamline pricing:
Rate Card (Organizational Pricing)
↓
Template (Service Offering Structure)
↓
Scoping Estimate (Specific Project)When to Update:
Rate Card: When pricing changes organization-wide
Template: When service offering structure changes
Estimate: For project-specific details only
Learn more: Rate Cards Management
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I change a template after creating estimates with it? A: Yes, but changes only affect new estimates. Existing estimates retain their original structure.
Q: What happens if I delete a linked rate card? A: The template will still function, but pricing won't be automatically calculated. You'll need to link a new rate card or switch to manual options.
Q: Can team members use different templates? A: Yes. While a default template streamlines creation, users can select any template when creating a new estimate.
Q: How many custom fields should I add? A: Start with 3-5 essential fields. Add more based on team feedback. Too many fields slow down the scoping process.
Q: Can I copy a template? A: Not currently, but you can create a new template and manually replicate the configuration.
Q: Do templates affect the AI's suggestions? A: Yes! Custom fields and task structure help the AI provide more relevant suggestions based on your organization's methodology and custom knowledge engine.
Related Documentation
Rate Cards Management - Configure organizational pricing
Historical Insights - Analyze scoping patterns
Scoping & Estimates - Learn about the scoping feature
Knowledge Bases - Understand the knowledge engine system
Ready to create your first template? Navigate to Settings → Scoping Configuration → Templates and click Create Template.
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