> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.contractor-co-pilot.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Speed up work with reusable estimate templates

> Save estimate, proposal, and project templates with pre-filled line items, cover letter text, and phases so your team can start similar jobs in seconds.

Templates let you capture your standard line items, terms, and project structure once and reuse them every time a similar job comes in. Instead of rebuilding a kitchen renovation estimate from scratch, you apply your "Kitchen Renovation" template and spend your time on the specifics — not the scaffolding.

Templates are shared across your entire organization. Any team member with an Estimator role or higher can use them; Admins and Managers can create, edit, and archive them.

## Template types

| Type          | What it pre-fills                                                                       |
| ------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Estimate**  | Line items, categories, quantities, and a default cost profile for common project types |
| **Proposal**  | Cover letter text, project scope sections, payment terms, and your branding             |
| **Project**   | Phases, tasks, and checklists that make up a typical job                                |
| **Invoice**   | Invoice format and any standard line items you always include                           |
| **Service**   | Standard service definitions with default pricing                                       |
| **Contract**  | Contract clauses and standard terms                                                     |
| **Work Area** | Pre-configured work area setups for common jobsite layouts                              |

## Creating an estimate template

Estimate templates save your most common sets of line items so you're not starting from zero on every bid.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Organization > Templates">
    Click **Organization** in the sidebar, then select **Templates** from the sub-navigation.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click New Template">
    Select **New Template** and choose **Estimate** as the type.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build your line items and categories">
    Add the categories and line items that appear on most jobs of this type. Set default quantities and units where you know them. You can leave cost fields blank — estimators will fill those in per job — or lock in your standard rates if the pricing is consistent.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Assign a cost profile">
    Select the cost profile this template should default to. This determines which labor rates, material markups, and overhead percentages are applied when someone creates an estimate from the template.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name and save">
    Give the template a clear, recognizable name (for example, "Commercial Tenant Improvement" or "Bathroom Remodel — Standard"). Click **Save**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Creating a proposal template

Proposal templates save your cover letter language, scope of work boilerplate, payment terms, and visual layout so every proposal your team sends looks consistent.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click New Template and select Proposal">
    From the Templates page, click **New Template** and choose **Proposal** as the type.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Write your cover letter and terms">
    Add your standard cover letter copy, payment terms, warranty language, and any other sections that appear on most proposals. Use placeholder fields where client-specific or project-specific details will go.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Apply your branding">
    Upload your logo and set your brand colors if you haven't already in **Settings > Appearance**. The proposal template will pull these automatically.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save the template">
    Name it clearly and click **Save**. Your team can now select it when creating a new proposal.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Creating a project template

Project templates define the phases, tasks, and checklists that make up a typical job. When you kick off a new project from a template, the structure is already built — you just fill in the dates and assignees.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click New Template and select Project">
    From the Templates page, click **New Template** and choose **Project** as the type.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Define phases and tasks">
    Add each phase your standard project goes through (for example, "Pre-construction", "Rough-in", "Finishes", "Punch list"). Within each phase, add the tasks and checklists that need to be completed.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save the template">
    Name the template and click **Save**. You can update it at any time if your standard process changes.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Using a template when creating new work

When you start a new estimate, proposal, or project, look for the **Use Template** or **Select Template** option near the top of the creation form. Choosing a template pre-fills the new item with all the template's content. You then customize the specifics — client name, project address, actual quantities, start dates — without re-entering the structure.

<Tip>
  Apply a template early in the creation flow, before you start entering custom data. Applying a template after you've started can overwrite fields you've already filled in.
</Tip>

## Editing and updating templates

Templates are live — any change you save immediately affects future items created from that template. Existing estimates, proposals, and projects that were already created from the template are not retroactively updated.

To edit a template:

1. Go to **Organization > Templates**.
2. Click the template name.
3. Make your changes and click **Save**.

To see how often a template is being used, check the **Times used** column in the template list. Templates with zero recent uses may be candidates for archiving.

## Archiving templates

Archive templates you no longer need rather than deleting them. Archived templates disappear from the selection list but remain in the system so historical items that reference them stay intact.

To archive a template, open it and click **Archive** in the actions menu. You can restore an archived template at any time.