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How to create your first process template
How to create your first process template

How to create your first template in Metatask

Natalia avatar
Written by Natalia
Updated over a week ago

Metatask helps you work with repeatable workflows, so you can create template of a process once and then reuse it to start new processes as many times as you need. You can create your own template or use our collection of pre-made templates in Template gallery

Steps to create your own template:

 1.  Open templates list and click "Create template" button 

2. Choose Template name and icon

  • Enter the template name at the top of the page. Name should be general so that it can be reused when starting processes. E.g. "New vacancy posting".

  • Click the image button left to the process name to set a special icon for this process as well as background colour.

3. Document Process details

The first line you see on the tab "Tasks" is called "Process start". Click on it to access process details - these are important settings for the whole template and processes started from it. 

What you can configure in process details:

  • Process Title. You can configure how to name each new process. In addition to a text, you can include some predefined values in a process name - like date or a value of a form field (name of Process starter or "Client name" and etc.). Leave "Process Title" field empty to allow Process starter enter it without restrictions.

  • Task order. Tasks can be completed in any order (in parallel) or strictly one by one. E.g. I need the vacancy postings to be made strictly one by one to include reference links.

*** Please note: If you need to create process with approvals, choose "One by one" task order.

  • Process managers. Users or groups mentioned in this field control all processes started from this template (means full access to all process data). E.g. I want Head of HR to control the process, so I choose this group as process managers. 

  • Process starters. These users or groups are allowed to start process from this template. E.g. I set HR department as process starters.

*** Please note: It is a good practice to always use groups instead of listing specific users. Using groups is helpful when you need to make someone responsible for certain tasks. Without group you will need to update all templates and manually update tasks assignees. But if you are using groups you can just replace employee in a group without editing your templates.

  • Process deadline. There you can set formula for process due date (in what time after process start it has to be done). E.g. I want my process to be completed in a week after process start.

  • Process instructions. You can describe properly how the process needs to be started. You can use Markdown to format text there.

4. Create tasks

Click on the second line "New task" and provide task details for the first task in your process.
Note: If you select "one by one" task order, this task will be the first step of your process. Next task will be the second step and etc. 

Task details you can set there:

  • Task title. Short task name

  • Task type. If you selected "One by one" task order, you can choose between two types: "Task" and "Approval". For tasks executed "In any order", only tasks are available.

  • Task description. Long description for task assignee, detailed instructions that should be done to complete the task.  You can use Markdown to format text there.

  • Task due date. There you can pre-set due date formula for the task. It can be X calendar days/ business days/ weeks/ months after process start, before processs deadline or after previous task complete (starting from the second task).

  • Task assignees. In the field "Assignment candidates" you can pre-set users and/or groups who can work on this task once the process is started.

  • Task conditions. You can set conditions for task if it is optional for process.

To create next task or approval or task group, use buttons "+ Task" or "+ Approval" in the left part of the screen.

5. Create data form (optional)

  • Using tab "Data form" you can create a shared data form for your process to transfer data between tasks. Add data fields to collect information during process run, group it into data form sections or tables. 

I need a link to monster.com publication to post a vacancy in LinkedIn, so I'll create a form field for this information. 

  • IMPORTANT: After you create a form for necessary data in your process, you need to go back to tasks to set fields visibility for every data field and every process task. These settings limit access to data fields for task assignee: she can edit or view only fields needed for task completion.

I'll make field "Monster.com" link required for task "Monster.com posting", and the same field visible for the next task "LinkedIn posting". 

  • If your process is simple and contains only a list of tasks without any data transfer, you can create a template without using data form.

6. Set template properties

The tab named "Properties" allows you to:

  • Name template editors - users who have permission to edit or delete this template. By default person who creates this template becomes template editor.

*** Please note: you can select up to 5 users as template editors. If you need more than 5 users, please create a group and include these users in it.

  • Clarify template description (optional) -  There you can briefly describe process for better understanding of process starters.

When you're done customising your template, don't forget to press green button "Create template". Once you do this, it will be in your list of templates and you can start new processes from it.

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