Creating and Managing Project Templates in Wrike

Creating and Managing Project Templates in Wrike

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One of the best ways to scale project management across teams is to avoid starting from scratch every time. Whether you’re planning product launches, onboarding clients, or running quarterly campaigns, repeatable project structures are key.

That’s where Wrike’s Project Templates and Blueprints come in. They allow you to create ready-made project setups—including tasks, assignees, timelines, and dependencies—that can be reused again and again.

In this article, you’ll learn how to create, use, and optimize project templates in Wrike, and how templates can dramatically improve efficiency, consistency, and scalability across your organization.

Why Use Project Templates?

Templates save time—but they also reduce errors, enforce process discipline, and speed up onboarding.

Benefits for Project Managers:

  • Eliminate repetitive setup work
  • Standardize naming conventions, workflows, and timelines
  • Provide structure for new team members
  • Ensure no critical step is missed
  • Enable faster project intake and launch

Templates turn best practices into repeatable processes.

Types of Templates in Wrike

1. Standard Project Templates

These are copied manually when needed—like duplicating a folder or project structure.

2. Blueprints (Recommended for most use cases)

Wrike Blueprints are enhanced templates stored separately from your active work. They let you:

  • Pre-assign tasks or roles
  • Predefine dependencies and timelines
  • Launch projects manually or via automation
  • Keep templates clean and isolated from current work

Blueprints are available on Business, Enterprise, and Pinnacle plans.

Step-by-Step: Creating a Project Template in Wrike

Option A: Create a Basic Template by Duplicating a Project

  1. Build your ideal project structure (tasks, phases, fields)
  2. Right-click on the project folder
  3. Select “Duplicate”
  4. Choose whether to copy:
    • Tasks and subtasks
    • Assignees
    • Dates (or reset them)
    • Custom fields and files
  5. Save it as “[Template] New Client Onboarding” or similar

Good for quick reuse, especially on Free or Team plans.

Option B: Create a Blueprint Template

  1. Go to Blueprints in the left-hand panel
  2. Click “+ Blueprint Project”
  3. Build your structure:
    • Add tasks, subtasks, and phases
    • Assign roles or placeholders (e.g., “Account Manager”)
    • Add custom fields and dependencies
    • Create checklists, tags, or files
  4. Save and title it clearly (e.g., “📦 Client Onboarding Blueprint”)

Good for scalable, professional project templates with better control.

Launching a Project from a Template or Blueprint

To use your template:

  • Go to the template or blueprint
  • Right-click → “Create from Blueprint”
  • Choose:
    • Project name
    • Folder or space to launch into
    • Adjust dates (start date or fixed schedule)
    • Replace role placeholders with real people
  • Click Create—and the full project structure is ready to go

Examples of Useful Project Templates

Marketing

  • Product Launch Campaign
  • Social Media Calendar
  • Webinar Production Flow

Product & Engineering

  • Agile Sprint Planning
  • New Feature Development
  • QA and Release Cycle

Client Services

  • New Client Onboarding
  • Monthly Retainer Workflow
  • Support Ticket Escalation Process

Events

  • Virtual Event Planning
  • Internal Team Offsite
  • Sponsorship Activation Plan

Best Practices for Managing Templates

1. Create a Central “Template Library” Folder

Organize all your templates in one dedicated space or folder. Use clear naming conventions like:

  • [Template] Campaign Launch
  • Blueprint – Sprint Cycle
  • 🔁 Retainer Workflow

2. Use Role-Based Assignees

Instead of assigning tasks to individuals, assign them to roles like “Project Manager” or “Designer.” When you launch the project, you can reassign these roles to real people.

3. Keep Templates Clean

Templates should include structure—not clutter. Don’t include irrelevant attachments, outdated comments, or overdue tasks.

Use checklist subtasks or notes for instructions inside tasks (e.g., “Update this title with the client name”).

4. Review and Update Templates Quarterly

Processes evolve—your templates should too. Schedule a quarterly audit to:

  • Remove unnecessary steps
  • Add new best practices
  • Improve clarity for new users

5. Automate with Request Forms + Blueprints

Use Wrike Request Forms to auto-generate projects from Blueprints. For example:

  • A sales request for onboarding creates a new onboarding project
  • A creative brief form triggers a templated campaign setup

This turns project intake into a seamless, structured process.

Final Thoughts

Templates and Blueprints in Wrike help project managers move faster, stay consistent, and deliver higher-quality outcomes across every engagement. When designed and maintained thoughtfully, they don’t just save time—they elevate how your entire organization runs projects.

Start small: turn your most-used project into a template, refine it over time, and scale it to your entire team. It’s one of the highest-leverage practices you can adopt in Wrike.

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