---
key: create-a-portfolio-template
title: Create a portfolio template
audience: staff
section: settings/templates
routes: ["/settings/org/templates/portfolios", "/settings/org/templates/portfolios/new", "/settings/org/templates/portfolios/:templateUid"]
permissions: ["work.portfolio_templates.read"]
features: ["work.portfolio-templates"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: Bundle several published project templates into one portfolio template, publish it, then apply it to a customer to create a portfolio and all its projects in one go.
keywords: [portfolio, program of work, bundle of projects, multi-project starter, project bundle, apply portfolio, portfolio starter]
related: [create-a-portfolio, create-a-project-template, create-a-project, find-your-templates]
---

In the sidebar, open **Settings**, then choose **Portfolio Templates** under **Templates**. The page address is `/settings/org/templates/portfolios`. A new template opens at `/settings/org/templates/portfolios/new`.

A portfolio groups projects under one goal. A portfolio template is a named list of project templates, so a big piece of work, such as a new-build with rough-in, finish and commissioning phases, starts with every project already in place.

## Before you start

- Your role needs permission to read portfolio templates to see the page, permission to create them to add one, and a separate permission to publish. Without publish permission you can save drafts but the **Publish** switch stays off.
- The project templates you want to bundle must be published already. See [[create-a-project-template]].

## Steps

1. Press **New template**. The **New portfolio template** drawer opens.
2. Type a **Name**. Add a **Category**, a **Description** and **Tags (comma separated)** if useful.
3. Under **Bundled project templates**, press **Add project template**, pick a project template from the list, and give it a **Custom label** if the portfolio should call it something else. Tick **Required** if it must always be created. Repeat for each project.
4. To publish right away, turn on **Publish** and type **Release notes**. Otherwise leave it off to keep a draft.
5. Press **Create and publish**, or **Create draft**.

To apply a published template:

1. Open the template's row menu in the list and choose **Apply**. The **Apply portfolio template** dialog opens.
2. Type a **New portfolio name**, leave on the switch that turns the bundled project templates into projects, then pick the **Account** they belong to.
3. Press **Apply**. Nova creates the portfolio and its projects and shows a message with the portfolio name and how many projects it made. Find it under **Projects & Tasks**, then **Portfolios**.

## What you see

- The list shows each template with its **Status**, **Category**, **Bundle** (how many project templates it holds), **Versions** and **Updated**.
- The row menu offers **Open**, **Apply**, **Publish latest** (publishes the newest draft version), **Archive** and **Restore**.
- Inside the drawer, a message reminds you that draft versions are editable and published versions become available for apply. Editing a published template and pressing **Save and publish** creates a new version; the old one stays on file.
- **Add project template** is off with a note when no project template is published yet.

## If something looks different

- **New template** is missing: your role cannot create portfolio templates. Ask your admin.
- **Apply** is missing from the row menu: the template has no published version yet. Use **Publish latest**.
- The empty bundle message says applying will create only an empty portfolio: add at least one project template before publishing.
- Projects were not created when you applied: the switch that turns the bundled templates into projects was off. Add them from the portfolio, or apply again with it on.

[[route:/settings/org/templates/portfolios|Open Portfolio Templates]]