Content Automation template library best practices

Learn best practices for your template library.

Who can use this?

Plans:

  • Brandfolder

Permissions:

Admins 

Find out if this capability is included in Smartsheet Regions or Smartsheet Gov.

The template library allows teams to see all active template variations in one place. This guide provides tips and tricks to help your team quickly find or discover the perfect template. 

Best practices

Use meaningful names

Names play a critical role in defining a template's purpose and conveying its intended use.

The search field displays options to the team using template variation names and master template names, although the team can only view template variation names.

It's important to use unique and descriptive template names to ensure they can be easily identified. Consider the terms that team members are likely to search for. For example, if they are likely to search for A4 Flyer, be sure to include that in the template name.

The template library also has options to show template information and a preview, so the team can see additional information about the template and its name.

To edit the name of a template:

  1. Head to Templates.
  2. Open the relevant template.
  3. Switch to the Template Variations tab.
  4. Select which variation you want to rename, followed by More > Rename.
  5. Enter the new name.

Categorize templates

Categories allow you to group templates effectively. These categories can be temporary, based on a specific campaign, or more general. For example, consider creating a Popular category to highlight frequently used templates.

Limit your categories where possible, so the team isn’t overwhelmed with options.

To create and assign categories:

  • Select Create New Document from the sidebar navigation to open the template library.

    Here you can create or rename categories. Then drag and drop templates into the relevant category or categories.

You can also drag and drop categories into your best order.

Use visual cues 

Consider using symbols or emojis in category names to highlight them. For example, ✨ New.

One creative use of emojis is using the ‘tag space’ emoji at the start of a category name to offset specific categories, creating primary and secondary categories.

Keep your library up to date

Templates are frequently created, updated, or archived. Categories should also be updated as needed. If you see a category that doesn’t have many or any templates, it’s probably time to remove it.

To delete a category:

  1. Select Create New Document from the sidebar navigation to open the template library.
  2. Choose the category.
  3. In the top right-hand corner, select More (...)
  4. Choose Delete category.