Phase templates

Reusable task bundles that pre-populate a phase when you apply one to an onboarding.

View as Markdown

A phase template is a saved set of tasks (and optional subtasks) attached to one phase. Applying a template at onboarding creation, or to a live phase, drops the full task list in pre-assigned and pre-dated. You can have multiple templates per phase. Pick the right one when you spin up an onboarding.

Template fields

FieldWhat it controlsNotes
nameDisplay name in the pickerRequired. Show your audience: “Enterprise Kickoff”, “Self-serve UAT”.
phaseWhich phase this template attaches toOne template, one phase. Can’t span phases.
tasks[]The list of tasks the template createsEach task carries the fields below.
tasks[].titleTask nameRequired.
tasks[].assignee_ruleWho gets the task on applyOne of csm, account_owner, customer_primary_contact, or a named role.
tasks[].due_offsetDays from phase start until due_dateNegative numbers mean “before phase start”. null leaves the date empty.
tasks[].customer_facingWhether the task shows in the customer portalDefaults to false.
tasks[].subtasks[]Optional one-level subtask listSame fields as tasks, no further nesting.
tasks[].links[]Inline reference URLs that render on the taskHelpful for runbooks or doc links.
default_for_phaseAuto-apply when the onboarding enters this phaseOne template per phase can hold this flag.

Creating a template

  1. Open Admin > Templates > New template.
  2. Pick the phase.
  3. Add tasks. For each task, set title, assignee_rule, due_offset, and optionally subtasks and links.
  4. Save. The template appears in the Apply template dropdown on any onboarding sitting in that phase.

Applying a template

Two paths:

  • At creation: the New onboarding dialog offers a template picker for each phase that has one available. Selected templates apply immediately so tasks land on day zero.
  • Live: open an onboarding, go to the phase tab, click Apply template. Tasks merge in. Existing tasks aren’t removed, so applying twice doubles the list. Pivotal warns you before applying a second time.

Auto-apply on phase entry

Mark a template default_for_phase: true and it runs whenever an onboarding enters that phase via phase move. The transition’s audit entry records template_applied: <template_name>.

Gotchas

  • due_offset is calculated from the phase entry timestamp, not from the onboarding’s created_at. A 7-day offset on a Kickoff task due-dates from when you advance into Kickoff.
  • customer_facing: true tasks fire portal notifications immediately on apply. Stage them with customer_facing: false if you want to review before customer eyes land on them.
  • Templates are versioned. Editing a template doesn’t update tasks already created from it. New applications use the new version.
  • An assignee_rule that doesn’t resolve (e.g. csm with no CSM assigned) leaves the task unassigned. Pi surfaces unassigned tasks on the Workbench.

Email help@pivotal.app with a screenshot of where you got stuck and the customer or onboarding id from the URL.