Templates
What is it?
Templates are reusable document structures in the IAP platform. They define the metadata fields and content skeleton that authors use when creating new documents within a project. They provide a clear structure, ensure that all required sections are included (e.g., tables and image placeholders), and offer the possibility of providing authoring guidance.
All these predefined elements in the templates, together with metadata, are inherited later by the documents. Templates also include a versioning functionality, which helps to manage and maintain different versions of your template efficiently.
Benefits of using templates
- Standardization and Automation: Templates ensure standardization by defining consistent structures, minimizing the risk of missing critical sections or misplacing content. They automate repetitive tasks, such as inserting standard metadata, placeholders for images or tables, and authoring guidelines, which significantly reduces manual effort.
- Error Reduction: By providing predefined content structures and clear instructions, templates help users focus on the content itself rather than worrying about formatting or layout, drastically lowering the chance of errors. Version control in templates ensures that all contributors are working with the latest, most accurate version, preventing mistakes caused by outdated or conflicting template versions.
How I can use it?
If you have an Author role, the following functionalities are available for you:
Create a template
Each user with an Author role can create a template by following these simple steps:
- Click Create new template from the Templates page. A three-step wizard will guide you through the process.
Step 1 — Enter basic details
On this page you configure the foundational settings for your template:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Template type | Select a template type from the dropdown (e.g., DIA - Regulation Compliance). The type you choose determines which metadata fields appear in the next step. |
| Gen AI support | Toggle this option on or off to enable or disable Generative AI features for this template. |
| Description (optional) | Provide a free-text description of the template's purpose or scope. |
| Template members | Click ⊕ Add members to invite team members and assign them a role — Author (can edit the template) or Reviewer (can review the template). |
Once all required fields are completed, click Next to proceed.
Step 2 — Enter template data
On this page you provide the template title and fill in the metadata specific to the template type you selected in Step 1.
- Template Title — Enter the name of your template. This field is always required regardless of the template type.
- Type-specific metadata — Below the title, the system displays a set of metadata fields determined by the selected template type. Some fields may be mandatory while others are optional. Fill in all required fields before proceeding.
Understanding template metadata
Template metadata shapes every document created from it. It is important to understand how the different elements interact:
- Template type controls visible fields: The template type you selected in Step 1 determines which metadata fields are presented on this page.
- Conditions control included sections: The values you enter in certain metadata fields can act as conditions that control which sections or content blocks are included in the template — and subsequently in any document created from it.
- Smart fields drive data queries: If your template type has smart fields configured, the values in those fields can determine how data queries are filtered, ensuring that the right data is pulled into the document automatically.
- Cascading dependencies: Some metadata fields depend on others — selecting a value in one field may update the available options or visibility of subsequent fields.
- Document metadata is independent: Once a document is created from the template, its metadata is managed independently and can diverge from the original template values.
Use the Back button to return to Step 1 if you need to make changes, or click Next to continue.
Step 3 — Review & Save
This page presents a read-only summary of everything you entered in the previous steps, organised into two sections:
- Basic details — Shows the selected template type, Gen AI support status, and description.
- Template Data — Shows the template title and any additional metadata you provided.
Each section has an ✎ Edit details link in the top-right corner that takes you back to the corresponding step so you can make corrections.
When you are satisfied that all information is correct, click Save to create the template.
After the template is created, the system will redirect you to the IAP editor, where you can write, review, and release it. To find more information, please navigate to IAP Editor.