Preview, edit, and duplicate templates

Preview before you create or change a template

Preview lets you inspect a template’s structure before creating a new canvas or editing the template. Use preview when templates have similar names, when you are not sure which one is current, or when you need to confirm that the prompts and pages match the work.

Previewing is safer than creating throwaway canvases just to inspect a layout.

For template basics, see Canvas templates overview.

Preview a template

Open Canvas templates, find the template, and choose Preview from the card, row, or menu. Review the template title, pages, sections, prompts, example content, and any notes that explain how to use it.

If the preview looks right, create a canvas from it. If it is close but not right for your one-time use, create a canvas and edit the new canvas after creation. If the template itself is outdated, ask an owner to edit the template.

If preview fails, check whether you have permission to view the template content. For custom templates, the source canvas may be unavailable or restricted. See Template permissions and visibility.

Edit a custom template

Edit a template when the reusable starting structure should change for future canvases. This is different from editing a canvas created from the template. Template edits affect future use; they do not rewrite canvases already created from the old version.

Open the template menu and choose Edit or the equivalent action when available. Update the source content, prompts, pages, examples, name, tags, or settings according to the template controls. Save the changes, then preview the template as a user would.

If Edit is missing, the template may be a standard ALLO template, you may not have permission, the template may be restricted, or the source canvas may be unavailable.

Decide whether to edit or duplicate

Edit the existing template when the old structure should be replaced for everyone going forward. For example, update Weekly planning when the team changes the standard agenda.

Duplicate the template when the old structure is still useful but you need a real variant. For example, duplicate Design critique into Design critique - leadership review if leadership reviews need different prompts.

Create a canvas from the template when you only need a one-time instance.

Duplicate a template

Open the template menu and choose Duplicate when available. Rename the duplicate immediately. Update tags, description, preview content, and visibility so people understand why the duplicate exists.

After duplicating, preview both the original and the new template if they have similar names. Make sure the new template is not just a confusing copy.

If Duplicate is missing, check template type, permission, selection state, and workspace settings. Standard templates may not allow duplication in every workspace.

Create a canvas from preview

Many preview flows let you create a canvas directly. Use this when you inspected the template and know it is the right starting point. Name the new canvas clearly and choose the correct project or workspace location if the flow asks. If you are starting from the canvas create flow instead, see Use canvas templates.

After creation, edit the new canvas for the actual work. Do not go back and edit the template unless the reusable starting point itself needs to change.

See Create a canvas from a template.

Delete or retire a template

Delete a template only when people should no longer start new canvases from it. Deleting a template does not delete canvases already created from it. Those canvases are independent work.

Before deleting, search for duplicates or replacements. If a replacement exists, make sure it is clearly named and visible to the right people. If the old template is still needed by a small group, restrict visibility instead of deleting if your workspace supports that.

If a template was deleted by mistake, ask an owner or admin quickly. Depending on how the template was stored, recovery may involve the source canvas or Trash.

Bulk edit and selection actions

The template manager may show actions only after selecting one or more templates. Bulk actions can help with tags, visibility, deletion, or cleanup where supported.

Use bulk actions carefully. Select templates by name and preview when necessary before applying destructive changes. A bulk visibility change can hide templates from people who rely on them.

If a bulk action is missing, check your role and whether the selected templates are editable custom templates.

Permissions and action availability

Template actions depend on template type, your role, source canvas access, and workspace settings. A standard template may allow create but not edit. A custom template may allow preview and create for many users while edit is limited to owners.

If you can see a template but cannot preview it, the source content may be restricted. If you can preview but cannot edit, you probably have reuse permission but not management permission.

See Template permissions and visibility.

Avoid template-library drift

After editing or duplicating, test the template by creating a new canvas from it. Check that the name, layout, prompts, pages, and permissions make sense for a normal user.

Tell the team when a template becomes the new standard. Otherwise people may keep using the old one from habit.

If multiple near-identical templates exist, decide which one is current, rename it clearly, and retire the rest. A small trusted library beats a large suspicious one.