Linked Templates

Contents👇🏼

Linked Templates are an advanced type of Smart Checklist templates designed to create and sustain a dynamic link with related issues when imported. Unlike the regular (non-linked) templates that involve adding a snapshot of the template during import into the checklist, Linked Templates directly import the live template instance. 

Main Highlights:

🔗 Live Connection: Linked Templates stay connected to associated issues, ensuring instant updates and synchronisation.

🔒 Immutability: Users can't make changes to the imported Linked Templates, other than changing the status of items.

🔄 Synchronized updates: Admins can update the original template, automatically reflecting changes across all checklists where the template is imported.

You can create a Linked Template by:

• creating a new template from the Smart Checklist settings

• converting the existing template into a Linked Template
  
  

Create a Linked Template

1. Click on Settings icon in the upper right corner of the page → Select the ‘Manage Apps’ menu item → Click on Settings link under the Smart Checklist section in the left menu → Click on the Templates tab.

2. Click the “+ Add New“ button.

Open

3. In the dialogue that appears, enable the “Linked” switcher.

Open

4. Add checklist items as needed.

5. Select Scope.

6. Add Default Template Conditions as needed.

Convert a Template to Linked

You can convert a template to Linked and vice versa.

From the 'Manage Template' popup on the issue view page:

1. On the issue view page open the “Manage Templates” menu

2. Click on the template you want to convert.

3. Enable the “Linked Template” switcher

From Global Settings:

1. Navigate to Settings → Manage apps → Smart Checklist Settings → Template tab

2. Click on the template you want to convert.

3. Enable the “Linked Template” switcher

4. Click Save.

Import the Linked Template

Importing Linked Templates is as simple as importing a regular template. Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to your Jira Issue and open the Smart Checklist menu.

2. Choose "Import from a template."

3. Select the template you want to add to your Jira issue and click "Import."

4. Once imported, your linked template will appear in your issue, separated from your main checklist with the linked template name and id.

5. To view all linked issues, сlick on Settings icon in the upper right corner of the page → Select the ‘Manage Apps’ menu item → Click on the Settings link under the Smart Checklist section in the left menu → Click on the Templates tab → click on needed template → click the “View linked issues” link in the right sidebar.

From v7.2.2, in addition to accessing linked issues from Global Settings, you can now view all issues where a Project Linked template has been imported directly from the issue view.

Simply:

1. Click the Smart Checklist 3-dots menu on the Issue view.

2. Go to Manage Templates/Import from a Template.

3. Expand the template and click the “View Linked Issues” link in the right sidebar.

To unlink a template from an issue, please refer to the relevant section in the documentation.

Set Linked Template as Default

Similar to regular templates, you can set Linked Templates as default for automatic import when a specific issue type is created.

Edit a Linked Template

Any changes made to a Linked template will automatically reflect in every checklist where the template has been imported. Our app keeps track of every single item in the template and its status in the issues where it was imported.

You can edit the linked templates in two different places:

• edit template from issue view page using Manage Template feature (only Project templates)

• edit template from the Smart Checklist settings (Project and Global templates)

To edit the linked template from the issue view page:

1. Navigate to your Jira Issue and open the Smart Checklist menu → select the “Manage Templates” menu item.

2. Click on the template name to expand the details.

3. Click on the "Edit" button to enter editing mode.

4. Make the desired changes to your template.

5. Click the “Save” button to apply the changes to your template. The same changes will be applied to every checklist where the template is imported.

To edit the linked template from the Smart Checklist settings page:

1. Click on Settings icon in the upper right corner of the page → Select the ‘Manage Apps’ menu item → Click on the Settings link under the Smart Checklist section in the left menu → Click on the Templates tab.

2. Click on the template name to open the ‘Edit template’ form.

3. Make the desired changes to your template.

4. Click the “Save” button to apply the changes to your template. The same changes will be applied to every checklist where the template is imported.

Enable/Disabled a Linked Template

To disable Linked Templates, follow the steps:

1. Click on Settings icon in the upper right corner of the page → Select the ‘Manage Apps’ menu item → Click on the Settings link under the Smart Checklist section in the left menu → Click on the Templates tab.

2. Find the linked template you want to disable.

3. Click on the toggle in Enabled column.

4. You will see a confirmation pop-up.

5. Click Disable

Once a linked template is disabled, it will be hidden from all the issues where it has been applied. When you re-enable the template, it will be visible again on all the issues where it was previously linked.

Removing a Linked Template

There are several ways to remove Linked Templates from the Smart Checklist:

• Unlink a Template from a Single Issue

• Convert a Template to Non-Linked

• Delete a Linked Template

These options offer you the flexibility to either entirely remove the linked template from your issues or remove the link while keeping the associated items.

Unlink a Template from a Single Issue

To unlink a template from a specific issue, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the Issue view.

2. Click on the three-dot menu near your Linked Template.

3. In the three-dot menu, you'll find two options:

   • “Unlink template and keep items”: Linked template items and their statuses will be appended to your main checklist.

   • “Unlink template and remove items”: The Linked template will be completely removed from the issue.

4. Choose the appropriate option, and the template will be successfully unlinked from the issue.

Convert a Template to Non-Linked

To convert a template to non-linked one, follow these steps:

1. On the issue view page open the “Manage Templates” menu

2. Click on the template you want to convert.

3. Disable the “Linked Template” switcher

4. In the subsequent dialogue, decide whether you want to “Keep” or “Remove” the checklist items from all the issues where the linked template was imported.

5. Click "Convert to non-linked" to confirm.

Now, your template is ready for use as a regular template.

Delete a Linked Template

To delete a template, use the following steps:

1. On the issue view page open the “Manage Templates” menu

2. Click on the template you want to delete.

3. Click on the Delete button

4. In the subsequent dialogue, decide whether you want to “Keep” or “Remove” the checklist items from all the issues where the linked template was imported.

5. Click "Delete" to confirm.
   
   

By following these steps, you can efficiently unlink, convert or delete your templates based on your needs.

History events for Linked Templates

All the changes done for the Linked Templates imported to the issues will be tracked in the Smart Checklist History tab. Please find the newly added events in the table below:

Assigned items and notifications

Similar to regular operation available for checklist items - you can assign a user to a checklist item in a Linked Template.

Users who have been mentioned in a Linked Template checklist will receive an email notification once the items from it are imported into an issue.

Linked Templates and Jira Automation

If you need to add a Linked Template to any Jira Automation scenario you can copy the Linked Template ID as any regular Template ID and add it to the Jira Automation scenario. After the scenario is properly added and activated you can get all the benefits of the Linked Template in cooperation with Automation. For example, you can add a new item to a linked template and it will be immediately displayed in the checklist assigned to the Jira task. Detailed instructions Apply Template using automation/integration tools .