Template Sync

Template Sync Beta
Template Sync is currently in a closed beta. Beta participants get early access to the feature and the chance to influence its functionality. If you are interested in learning more about Template Sync and if you'd like to receive future updates about the feature, submit our interest form.

Template Sync ensures in-flight projects stay consistent with template changes, keeping processes aligned with the latest requirements. Using this feature, projects can be automatically updated when source templates are modified, streamlining processes and minimizing the manual effort required to implement changes on active projects.

 

Overview of Template Sync

About

The Template Sync feature presents an automated way to keep in-flight projects and forecast projects [Premium Edition] up to date whenever changes are made to their source templates. Template Sync is designed to only update open/in-flight work while keeping all previously completed projects and tasks as-is for historical reference. 

This feature incorporates flexible configuration options, including top-level controls for opting projects in and out of updates, as well as the ability to define criteria for the tasks that should incorporate template changes when the sync occurs. 

 

Sample Use Cases

Below are a couple of sample use cases to demonstrate the application of Template Sync. At a high level, the Sync for Cloned Projects use case focuses on the approach where projects are created by cloning templates, making every project a copy of the source template. Meanwhile, the Sync for Stitched/Dynamically Built Projects use case focuses on the approach where projects are structured by combining portions of templates through stitching.

 

Sync for Cloned Projects

Projects created through cloning are essentially copies of their source templates, preserving the tasks, the defined structure, and the details outlined on the source templates. A single template can be used to create many projects.

Now, let's assume that a template needs to be updated to reflect some new process requirements, such as to include new details or to incorporate additional steps into the process. While updating the source template is a straightforward process, things can get a little more complex and require manual work if the new changes need to be applied to existing in-flight projects created from that template.

Template Sync makes this process much more streamlined and eliminates the need for manual steps to keep in-flight projects aligned with the latest template updates. With Template Sync, changes made to the template can be automatically synced to active in-flight projects and tasks that meet defined criteria. This helps ensure consistency in workflows and keeps the project portfolio aligned with the latest process requirements.

 

Sync for Stitched/Dynamically Built Projects

Next, let's look at a use case for slightly more complex processes.

Another common approach for creating projects from templates is by way of stitching, which allows combining portions of templates to structure project plans dynamically. In this case, created projects are not full copies of the source template, but they consist of combined "blocks" (i.e. task groups) that are copies of various portions of templates.

In the case of Template Sync, dynamically constructed projects can also be automatically updated when there are changes to the source template(s). Generally speaking, while the sync process is the same as for cloned projects, one consideration to keep in mind is that stitched projects could have multiple source templates. Therefore, changes can be made to multiple templates instead of just one, requiring sync to be enabled on all applicable templates.

In this scenario, when Template Sync is executed, only the parts related to the synced template will be updated in the eligible projects.

 

 

Configure Template Sync [Admin]

Template Sync Configuration Permissions

One of the following additive permission sets is required to configure Template Sync:

  • TaskRay - Admin Access
  • TaskRay - Template Manager Access

 

Configure Template Sync

The Template Sync configuration incorporates three required steps. All of these steps are managed within TaskRay Configuration Hub.

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Step 1: Enable Template Sync

The first configuration step is to enable Template Sync.

  1. Using the app launcher, navigate to TaskRay Configuration Hub.
  2. Click on the Template Sync tab.
  3. Use the toggle in the Template Sync Enablement section and set it to Enabled.

 

Step 2: Define Task Eligibility

The next step is to define the task List statuses for Template Sync updates. By design, Template Sync will not update completed tasks (i.e. tasks where Completed = true) to ensure that historical data for completed work remains intact. The Task Eligibility portion of the configuration allows you to refine the criteria for open tasks and specify List statuses that make tasks eligible for Template Sync updates.

  1. Within the Template Sync tab, locate the Task Eligibility section and click on the Select statuses dropdown field.
  2. Select the List values that you would like to include in Template Sync updates. You can select multiple values if needed. At least one value is required to be selected in this section.

 

Step 3: Set Sync Run Time

This is the org-wide setting for the time of day when the scheduled Template Syncs should occur. For context, when a template is enabled for sync, the template manager is required to set a date for when the sync should occur. Template Sync will run on the selected date at the Sync Run Time specified in Configuration Hub. 

Best Practice Tip | Template Sync Run Time
It is recommended to set the sync run time to occur outside of business hours, such as late at night or early in the morning. Since Template Sync is designed to update in-flight projects, it could potentially interfere with users working on the records that are queued for updates at the same time. By setting the run time outside of business hours, you are minimizing the risk of such interference.

 

  1. Within the Template Sync tab, locate the Sync Run Time section and click on the field.
  2. Enter the time.

 

Step 4: Save Changes

When you are done with all Template Sync configurations, click Save in the popover at the bottom of the screen to apply settings.

 

 

Template Sync: Technical Details

In this section, you will find information on record eligibility for Template Sync, as well as an overview of the types of updates that are supported by the feature.

 

Record Eligibility for Template Sync

Template Sync will only run updates on eligible in-flight projects. Completed projects and tasks are always excluded from Template Sync updates for historical tracking and reporting purposes.

Generally speaking, when the sync occurs, eligible projects and their child records (e.g. task groups, tasks, checklists) will be updated to match the source template. However, there are some exceptions where the updates will not occur, such as for certain standard TaskRay fields and some custom field types (more details in the sections below).

When Template Sync is initiated on a template, the following conditions must be met on related projects and their child records (e.g. task groups, tasks, checklists) for updates to take place:

  • Projects must be opted into Template Sync
  • Projects must be created from the source template where the sync was initiated
  • Projects must be open/in-flight 
  • [Premium Edition only] Forecast projects, if applicable (e.g. projects where Forecast = true
  • Unarchived projects (e.g. projects where Archived = false)

On a more detailed level, completed tasks and task groups within eligible projects are excluded from automatic updates. Furthermore, Template Sync will only update tasks that have eligible List values (as defined in the Task Eligibility portion of the feature configuration). 

 

Considerations

Template Sync is designed with the general approach to avoid overriding contextual project-specific details, such as those made by assigned project managers and team members on active projects.

Below is a list of specific considerations that expand on this concept.

  1. Template Sync does not support scheduling changes. More specifically, the standard Start Date and Estimated End Date fields on tasks are excluded from Template Sync updates. The reason behind this is that once projects are kicked off, their schedules are managed by the assigned project managers. Therefore, scheduling updates are excluded from Template Sync to avoid overriding adjustments made to in-flight project plans.
    Note | New Records & Impact on Scheduling
    While scheduling updates are not supported by Template Sync, new tasks added to the template could have an impact on project schedules when Template Sync is executed. This occurs because TaskRay will schedule new tasks relative to other tasks within eligible projects, which could adjust the project schedules accordingly.
  2. TaskRay's External Collaboration feature-specific fields are excluded from Template Sync updates. Similar to scheduling, project-specific external collaboration workflows are managed by assigned project managers and team members. Template Sync excludes external collaboration feature fields to prevent disruptions, such as overrides to record access on in-flight projects where external users are on the team.
  3. Operational standard TaskRay fields, such as List and Actual Time on tasks or Status on projects, are excluded from Template Sync updates. Generally speaking, these are fields that are updated on projects as users manage their assignments throughout the project lifecycle. Template Sync excludes such fields to avoid unintended overrides to historical project data.
  4. Template Sync will not overwrite fields that have set default values on projects.
  5. If the synced template has empty fields and those same fields have been updated on projects to populate values, Template Sync will not overwrite (clear out) those fields on the synced projects.
  6. Deletion of records is not supported. If a task is deleted from a template, the change will not be reflected on synced projects.

 

Updates to Records via Template Sync

Field updates made on templates can be synced to eligible projects and their child records through Template Sync. 

The following standard TaskRay object fields are supported for sync updates:

  • TaskRay Project
    • Task Weighting Type
  • TaskRay Task Group
    • Name
  • TaskRay Task
    • Name
    • Description
    • Estimated Time (hrs)
    • Custom Task Weight
  • TaskRay Checklist and Checklist Item fields

If you have custom fields added to TaskRay objects, the following custom field types are supported for sync updates:

  • Lookup
  • External Lookup
  • Currency
  • Email
  • Number
  • Percent
  • Phone
  • Picklist
  • Picklist (Multi-Select)
  • Text
  • Text Area
  • Time
  • URL

 

New Record Creation via Template Sync

When new records are added to a template, Template Sync will add them to eligible projects. In this case, the same supported fields listed for record updates will be synced from the new template task to the new records inserted into eligible projects. This applies to all project child objects, including task groups, tasks, checklists, and dependencies.

Specific to tasks, if the new tasks added to the template are scheduled, Template Sync will determine the relative schedules of inserted tasks within eligible projects. Additionally, if the new tasks are assigned to a Role or Resource that wasn't previously on the project team, those will also be added to eligible projects via the sync.

 

How to Use Template Sync

Template Sync User Permissions

One of the following additive permission sets is required to manage templates and schedule Template Syncs:

  • TaskRay - Admin Access
  • TaskRay - Template Manager Access

Additionally, the following additive permission set is required to access the Template Sync tab in Project Detail modals and to opt projects out of automatic syncs:

  • TaskRay - Project Manager Access

 

Sync Template Changes to Projects

At a high level, the following steps are incorporated when using Template Sync:

  1. Enable sync on the template
  2. Update the template
  3. Schedule the sync

It is also possible to opt projects out of sync, if needed. This is an optional step that can be considered for projects that should not receive automatic updates.

Template Sync Process
You might find that the Template Sync steps are managed by different roles in your organization. For example, enabling Template Sync and managing template updates could be done by the template manager. Meanwhile, opting applicable projects out of sync could be managed by assigned project managers since they are the most familiar with project-specific requirements.

 

Step 1: Enable Template Sync on the Template

The first step is to enable Template Sync on the applicable template. 

  1. Using the app launcher, navigate to TaskRay Template Hub.
  2. Locate the template that you would like to enable for sync and click on it to open its details.
  3. On the template details page, use the Template Sync toggle and set it to enabled.

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Step 2: Make Updates to the Template

Next, you will need to make the necessary updates to the template. To do this, locate the template where you'd like to make the changes in Template Hub.

If it is an active template, then you will need to make a new version to make your updates. For more information, see the Managing Templates article. 

Note | Supported Updates
As a reminder, note that Template Sync is designed to exclude certain types of updates. Refer to the Technical Details section of the article for specifics. 

Once you've made all the needed changes to the template, save and activate the new template version. Note that the template version activation screen will present the option to initiate Template Sync--we'll cover that in detail in the section below.

 

Step 3: Schedule the Sync

The next step of the process is to initiate Template Sync, which can be done from several places within TaskRay's Template Hub.

 

Schedule Template Sync when activating a new version of a template

When saving and activating a new version of a template, you will be presented with options to also schedule the sync.

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Schedule Template Sync from the template details page

When viewing the template details page, you can click on the Sync Projects button.

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Schedule Template Sync from Template Hub

If you are on the Template Hub home screen, you will see a Sync button at the top of the page. 

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Once within the Template Sync modal, you will need to select the template to be synced and set the Sync Date. For reference, you should see a specified time noted next to the Sync Date field. This is the time at which Template Sync will run on the selected date. 

Finally, click on Schedule Sync.

Best Practice Tip | Communication
As you plan and work on updating and scheduling sync on a Template, it is recommended to notify the project owners whose projects would be impacted by the updates. This will help ensure that everyone is aware of the new process changes and allow project managers to review their portfolios in case certain projects need to be excluded from Template Sync updates.

 

Template Sync Log

You can view a historic trail of pending and completed Template Syncs on projects. Use this when you need to confirm whether a project was updated through Template Sync, when the sync occurred, and which version of the template was used for the update.

Within the log, you can review Template Sync details, including the list of records updated via the sync and errors (if those occurred).

  1. In TaskRay, navigate to the project where you would like to review sync details and open its Project Detail modal.
  2. Open the Template Sync tab.
  3. This will display a log of all Template Syncs applicable to the project. If you need additional details on a specific sync, you can click on the Template Sync record in the list.

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[Optional] Opt Projects Out of Template Sync

Projects can be opted out of Template Sync if needed. This option is available for projects with requirements or details that should not be automatically adjusted and overwritten by Template Sync updates.

For example, this can be useful for project plans tailored to specific requirements, such as when managing unique customer requests, keeping complex or customized projects on track, or supporting sensitive client relationships.

 

Steps to Opt Projects Out of Template Sync

Projects can be opted out from sync at any point in this process, even before Template Sync is scheduled on the template. To opt a project out of Template Sync:

  1. Navigate to the project in TaskRay and open its Project Details modal
  2. Click on the Template Sync tab.
  3. Within the tab, you should see a box that indicates whether a project is opted in or out of Template Sync. To exclude the project from Template Sync, click on Opt Out.

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Review Projects Opted Out of Template Sync

If you need to view the list of projects opted out of Template Sync, you can leverage TaskRay's Portfolio View or create a custom report in Salesforce. TaskRay provides the Template Sync Opt Out checkbox field on the TaskRay Project object for this purpose.

 

Review Projects in Portfolio View

Available functionality varies by edition. Portfolio View is available on Standard and Premium Editions.

There are a couple of options for viewing opted-out projects in Portfolio View

The first approach is to leverage the Template Sync Opt Out checkbox as a column and then sort the table using that column. Specific steps below:

  1. In TaskRay, navigate to Portfolio View.
  2. Click on the Project Filter field and select the applicable filter to refine the list of visible projects (e.g. In-Flight Projects).
  3. Click on the Settings Cog in the top right corner of the view.
  4. In the Configure Columns modal, locate the Template Sync Opt Out field in the Available Fields section and use the arrow button to move it to the Selected Fields section.
  5. Close the modal.
  6. With the column added, click on the Template Sync Opt Out column header to sort the list of projects using that field. The table should group all projects that are opted out together.

Another approach for Portfolio View is to set up a custom filter for projects opted out of sync. The benefit of this approach is that it allows you to have a saved filter to quickly reference opted out projects if needed for review. Details on this approach are below:

  1. First, you will need to create a custom Project Filter to set the criteria for pulling in the list of projects.
    Note | Permissions to Create Filters
    The TaskRay - Admin Access permission set is required to access the menu to create custom filters. If you do not have this permission set assigned, reach out to your internal TaskRay Admin for further guidance. Refer to the following article for step-by-step instructions on how to configure custom filters: Create and Assign Project Filters.
  2. The custom filter should be set up as follows:
    • Project Filter Scope: This is the "base" for the filter. You can set this to All Projects, My Projects, or any other filter scope that aligns with your needs.
    • Select the option to Add Filter and set the following:
      • Filter By: Template Sync Opt Out
      • Operator: equals
      • Value: TRUE
  3. Once the filter is set up, it can be used to refine the list of visible projects in Portfolio View.

 

Review Projects in a Custom Report

An alternative approach for this purpose is to set up a custom report. When building the report, you will need to select the TaskRay Project object for the report type. Then, you can set the report filter criteria to show projects where Template Sync Opt Out = true. For more information on how to use the reporting functionality in Salesforce, refer to the Build a Report in Lightning Experience article.

Note | Access to Project Data
If you have a private sharing model implemented in your org for TaskRay, you will only see the projects that you have access to when running the report.

 

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