Contract templates can be bundled into project templates. This saves users the effort of setting up projects themselves. Creating a new project template is similar to creating a contract template, but there are some important differences.
The objective is to link questions in the contract templates included in the template project, to minimise the number of questions the user will have to answer within a project. When properly set up, this can be done mostly or even completely automatically. This is explained further here.
Note: while the components of a project template cannot be removed or changed by the end user, the end user is free to add additional components and question links. A project template therefore does not have to be as exhaustive as a contract template.
1. The initial creation of a new project template is virtually identical to the creation of a new contract template:
a. Open the Administrator page and go to Contract creation > (Contract) templates > Project templates.
b. Click Insert project.
c. Fill in the template name and select the appropriate category and user groups.
d. Optionally, add an explanatory or supplemental file and insert an explanatory note (these will appear on the New contract page/panel for the end user’s benefit).
e. Click Save.
2. Once created, the project template can be accessed again for editing on Contract creation > (Contract) templates > Project templates. Open it in the Template Creation Tool to start adding components. In a new project template, there are three options:
a. Insert an existing project (indented): import an existing project template into the current project template to act as a subproject.
b. Insert a new subproject (indented): add a subproject that can hold other components (including other subprojects).
c. Insert existing template (indented): add a contract template. You will need at least two different contract templates.
3. After adding multiple components, you can select them and change their order in the template outline in the same way as for contract templates (i.e. by using the directional arrows and by cutting and pasting them).
Note: after adding a second contract template, you will be prompted to automatically link (‘preselect’) questions. For the purposes of this tutorial you may ignore this. Automatic linking is explained in detail here.
Note: it is important to remember that question answers are passed on the project’s contract templates in one direction, namely from top to bottom: the answer provided in a given template’s questionnaire will be passed on to the questionnaires of all templates below it. However, subprojects (imported project templates included) create separate tracks. Answers provided within one subproject will not affect any of the templates outside that subproject. Be mindful of this when arranging the contract templates.
