How to Create a Template in Asana (2026 Guide)
Templates in Asana save the same setup work over and over, the same sections, the same custom fields, the same checklist of subtasks. Done right, a template turns a 30-minute project setup into a 30-second one. The catch: Asana has four different “template” features, and they’re not interchangeable.
Here’s how each one works in 2026, when to use it, and which plan you need.
1. Custom Project Templates
Custom templates are the most common option. You save an existing project, sections, tasks, custom fields, and all, and reuse it whenever a new project of the same type comes up. Available on Starter, Advanced, and Enterprise plans.
Save a project as a custom template
- Open the project you want to turn into a template.
- In the project header, click the dropdown arrow next to the project name.
- Select Save as template (on some views, it’s tucked under More).
- Name the template and add a description so teammates know when to use it.
- Choose what to include:
- Task assignees: keep, clear, or replace with placeholders
- Due dates: keep as offsets relative to project start, or clear
- Subtasks, custom fields, sections: kept by default
- Click Create template.
The template is saved to your team’s template library and is now available when anyone creates a new project on that team.
Create a new project from a template
- Click + Create in the top bar and select Project.
- Click Use a template.
- Filter by My templates, Organization templates, or Asana templates (the public gallery).
- Pick a template and click Use template.
- Name the new project and set a start date: Asana automatically shifts every due date to maintain the original offsets.
- Pick the team and privacy settings, then click Create project.
Edit or delete a custom template
- From any team’s project list, click Templates at the top.
- Find your template, click the three-dot menu, and choose Edit template or Delete template.
- Editing opens the template like a regular project, make your changes and they save automatically.
Note: Custom templates are not available on the Personal (free) plan. If you want template-like behavior on Personal, the workaround is to duplicate an existing project (project menu > Duplicate project) and use that as your starting point.
2. Public Template Gallery
Asana maintains a free, public gallery at asana.com/templates with hundreds of pre-built project templates organized by team, marketing campaigns, product launches, sprint planning, OKRs, hiring pipelines, and more. These are usable by every plan, including Personal.
Use a public template
- Visit asana.com/templates or click + Create > Project > Use a template > Asana templates.
- Browse by team type or search by keyword.
- Click a template to preview the sections, tasks, and custom fields.
- Click Use template, sign in if needed, and follow the same project creation flow as custom templates.
The public gallery is the fastest way to bootstrap a new workflow without building one from scratch, especially handy for teams new to Asana or trying out a new process like sprint planning.
You can also save a public template to your team’s library, then customize it. Once saved, it becomes a custom template you can edit freely.
3. Task Templates Inside a Project
Project templates are great for the whole project, but inside a project, you often want a reusable single task with subtasks, fields, and a description. That’s a task template, and it lives inside one project at a time.
Create a task template
- Open the project where you want the task template to live.
- Click the dropdown arrow on the + Add task button at the top of any section.
- Select Save task as template.
- Fill in the template:
- Task name (e.g., “New blog post”)
- Default assignee (optional, usually leave blank)
- Description with checklist or instructions
- Subtasks (each one becomes a checklist item when used)
- Custom field defaults
- Click Save template.
Use a task template
- In the same project, click the dropdown arrow on + Add task.
- Select your saved template.
- The task is added with all subtasks and fields prefilled. Edit the assignee, due date, and any specifics, then save.
Task templates are scoped to the project they’re created in. To reuse one across projects, copy the task and save it as a template inside each project, or build it into a project template instead, where every team member who creates a new project gets it automatically.
Task templates are available on Starter, Advanced, and Enterprise plans.
4. Project Blueprints (Advanced and Enterprise)
Blueprints are Asana’s heavier-weight template format, designed for repeatable, standardized processes, quarterly product launches, employee onboarding, audit reviews. Where a custom template captures structure and tasks, a blueprint captures the entire operating model: rules, forms, approval flows, status updates, and member assignments.
Blueprints are available on Advanced and Enterprise plans.
Build a blueprint
- From a project’s header, click the dropdown arrow next to the project name.
- Select Save as blueprint.
- Configure:
- Sections, tasks, and custom fields (same as a template)
- Workflow rules: automation that fires on task changes
- Forms: intake forms used to create tasks
- Member roles: assign placeholders like “PM” or “Designer” that get filled at project creation
- Approval steps: required sign-offs at specific milestones
- Save. The blueprint is published to the organization library and shows up alongside templates when anyone creates a new project.
Sharing and governance
- Custom templates are scoped to a team. Anyone on that team can use them.
- Organization templates (Advanced+) are shared across teams.
- Blueprints can be locked by an admin so teams can’t modify the underlying structure, useful for processes that need to be consistent across the company.
To promote a custom template to an organization template, an admin opens it from the template library and toggles Share with organization.
Quick Reference
| Feature | Available on | Use case | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public template gallery | All plans, including Personal | Bootstrap a new workflow | Public, then save to your team |
| Custom project templates | Starter, Advanced, Enterprise | Reusable team-specific projects | Team or organization |
| Task templates | Starter, Advanced, Enterprise | Reusable task with subtasks/fields | Single project |
| Project blueprints | Advanced, Enterprise | Standardized cross-team processes | Organization, with admin lock |
Which Template Should You Use?
- Just exploring? Start with the public gallery: it’s free and you can save anything you like to customize later.
- Repeating the same project across your team? Build a custom project template. Five minutes of setup saves hours every time you start a new campaign or sprint.
- Repeating the same task inside one project? Use a task template: perfect for “new bug ticket” or “new blog post” workflows.
- Standardizing a process company-wide? Build a blueprint with rules, forms, and approval flows. Lock it so teams can’t drift from the standard.
Set It Up Once, Run It Without Thinking
A good template removes the setup work, but the parts that come after (creating the project, assigning the right people, kicking off intake) still take time. Carly is an AI assistant that connects to 200+ apps including Asana and handles the repetitive work for you, so the template-to-action gap closes itself.
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