Wondering how to create a plan and layout template with plan views already sent to layout

[tuckanthony]

Hey everyone,

  I am still trying to wrap my head around the capabilities of project management and how templates and common documents relate to each other. I am currently trying to create a plan template and a layout template that would go together; with views from the plan already sent to layout. Does the .plan file have to be located in common documents in order for the .layout to have a .plan file to reference, then once a new project is created I would re-link the .layout file to the .plan file that was created when I created the project? Please let me know if I need to clarify further. The end goal here is to have a .layout and .plan template that can be used again and again, but have layout boxes in place in the .layout so I don't have to send a bunch of views over every time. I'd appreciate any input, thanks!

[Evolution]

I have Plan templates for basic project needs, and also layout templates for each discipline. The trick is whatever project you use your templates on must be saved to that Projects File(s). Your Layout template will also contain the project specific information that changes from project to project so each time you use the plan and layout templates for a different project you will save them to that project's folder. It is imperative Plan and Layout files be saved in the specific folder for the specific project. If you change anything from the Plan to Layout they will no longer be linked. 

[tuckanthony]

Hi Bob, thanks a lot for the input! After messing with it for awhile and now reading this, I believe it's coming together in my mind. When I was saving a layout as a template, I unchecked the radio button beside "unlink external references", thinking that it was necessary to do this since it then places a copy of the referenced plan in "common documents". Then I created a new project and selected the proper plan and layout templates. After that I went into the layout and re-linked the layout to the new .plan file that is in the .caproj file that they share, rather than the one that it was linked to in common documents. 

  What I'm saying is that I think I added an unnecessary step by unchecking the "unlink external references" button, when I could have simply made sure I chose the correct .plan and .layout templates when I create a new .caproj file. Is this correct? Thank you again! -Tucker

[SHCanada2]

5 hours ago, tuckanthony said:

Does the .plan file have to be located in common documents in order for the .layout to have a .plan file to reference, then once a new project is created I would re-link the .layout file to the .plan file that was created when I created the project?

The easiest  way to do this that I have found for project management mode, is to have a "template" project which sits at the top of the list (I do it by naming it _template). and then have your template layout and template plan fully linked in the template project. For new projects, you right click on the template project and click copy. Then rename the new project to whatever you want. The links will still be there.

 

You do not have to use "common documents"

[tuckanthony]

Thanks a lot Jason! This seems like a very workable option as well.