What is a Template?
A template is a reusable plan of communications you apply to a campaign so you don’t place every item by hand. Templates are Plus only. Full guides: Templates, Smart Templates, Quick Start: Smart Templates.
Two kinds:
- Smart template — Timeline weeks anchored to campaign Start or End (new Smart templates default to End). Apply uses live Channel Preferences and Channel Schedules when placement modes say so. Recommended for new work.
- Legacy template — Fixed week-and-day grid (Day 1 = campaign start). Does not use live Preferences/Schedules. Still available; Convert to Smart Template on Legacy cards.
Roles (Plus): Create/edit—Owners, Admins, Managers, Editors. Delete—Owners/Admins/Managers. Apply needs communication edit on the campaign schedule. Viewers don’t use Templates in the sidebar the same way. See User Permissions and Roles.
Why Do Templates Matter for Church Communications?
They speed recurring seasons (Easter, VBS, fall launch), keep patterns consistent, and cut missed sends—especially when Smart placement respects how you actually use channels.
How Do Templates Work in Communicate?
Create: Templates → New → Smart template or Legacy template. (Sidebar New → New Template opens the Legacy builder only.) Smart: set name/category, anchor, drag channels, set Auto / Follow Preferences / Follow schedule / Choose day, use Week to add weeks, Save.
Apply: Campaign Communication Schedule → Template → pick under Smart templates or Legacy templates → Template Preview → Apply or Cancel. Conflicts can be fixed or confirmed with Apply anyway. Longer templates than the campaign stay unavailable.
Manage: Cards with Smart/Legacy badges; ⋮ Duplicate / Delete; Legacy Convert. Edits affect future applies only.
With multi-campus on, Smart templates are workspace-scoped (Global vs campus); apply rules follow that scope.
When Should You Use Templates?
Recurring campaign types, tiered all-church vs ministry lengths, and any schedule where Preferences/Schedules matter (prefer Smart).
Related Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Smart or Legacy?
A: Prefer Smart for new work and Preference/Schedule alignment. Legacy remains; convert when ready. The UI doesn’t show a deprecate banner—product docs recommend Smart.
Q: Edit a template after applying?
A: Yes—future applies only; past campaign schedules stay as applied.
Q: Campaign longer than the template?
A: Template weeks fill from the anchor (Smart) or from Day 1 (Legacy); remaining weeks stay empty for manual adds. Templates longer than the campaign can’t apply.
Q: Customize after apply?
A: Yes—move, edit, duplicate (Plus), or remove items like any other communications.