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Manage the enterprise template

The Manage Template page provides a central place to manage the enterprise template from draft to publication.

An enterprise template moves through four stages: Create, Edit, Sign Off and Publish. You can create and edit a draft, save versions for preview, submit a version for signoff and publish a signed-off version. You can also restore a previous version and apply updates from Caseware.

The Manage Template page showing the Create, Edit, Sign Off and Publish stages of the template management workflow.

The latest published version is the live version. It remains available to users while you prepare and review a new version. Publishing a signed-off version replaces the current live version with the newly published version.

Understand enterprise template versions

As you work on an enterprise template, the Manage Template page tracks the live version, active draft and versions you save throughout the workflow.

A version can have one of these roles:

  • Live version: The latest published version of the enterprise template.

  • Active draft: The version currently available for editing.

  • Preview version: A saved version that you can preview or submit for signoff.

  • Pending signoff version: A version that has been submitted for review before publication.

The version history also keeps previously saved and published versions available for reference or restoration. Available Caseware updates appear separately on the Manage Template page.

The Template versions panel showing the Create, Edit, Sign Off and Publish stepper with an Update available banner.

Version numbering

Each draft and saved version has a version number. Version numbers increase as new versions are created and saved.

Version numbers are not reused. For example, deleting, restoring or replacing a draft does not make its version number available again. The next draft receives the next available version number.

Saved preview versions can also include an incremental preview suffix:

The Manage Template page showing a parent live version and a version breakdown for Caseware, primary author, enterprise author and firm author versioning.

The version number identifies the underlying template version. The preview suffix distinguishes saved iterations of that version.

Before you begin

Ensure that you have the Admin or Firm Settings Admin role in the Entity Details page.

To open the Manage Template page:

  1. Open the Cloud menu.

  2. Select Settings | <your product name> | Manage Template.

The product selection on the left panel of the cloud settings page.

Create a draft

This procedure begins with the assumption that no active draft currently exists.

To create a draft:

  1. Open the Manage Template page.

  2. Select Create draft.

The Manage template page when no draft exists. A button to Create a draft is at the centre.

  1. The draft opens in edit mode.

A new draft starts from the latest published template version and the Manage Template page loads:

The Manage Template page after a new draft is created, showing the draft at the Create stage.

Edit a draft

You can edit the active draft before you submit a version for signoff.

To edit a draft:

  1. Open the Manage Template page.

  2. Locate the active draft.

  3. Select Edit on the same row.

  4. Make the required changes.

  5. Close the template to return to the Manage Template page.

To learn more about the features you can customize, see Authoring index.

Save a draft to preview

Select Save to preview to preserve the current draft as a preview version.

Saving to preview:

  • Saves the current draft as a preview version

  • Assigns the next preview iteration to the saved version

  • Keeps an active draft so you can continue editing

Each preview version remains available in the version history.

To save a draft to preview:

  1. Open the Manage Template page.

  2. Select Save to preview.

The saved version appears in preview status and an active draft is available for editing:

The Manage Template page showing a saved preview version alongside a new active draft available for editing.

Submit a version for signoff

Submit the latest saved preview version when it is ready for signoff.

If the active draft contains changes that have not been saved to preview, those changes are not included in the submitted version. The active draft is removed when you submit the preview version.

Save any changes you want to keep to preview before submitting.

To submit a version for signoff:

  1. Open the Manage Template page.

  2. Review the latest preview version.

  3. Select Submit for sign off.

  4. Review the version number and confirmation message.

  5. Select Submit.

The submitted version moves to pending signoff:

The Manage Template page showing a submitted version in pending signoff status.

Sign off on a version

Any user who can access the Manage Template page can sign off on a version. Access is controlled by the Admin or Firm Settings Admin role in the Entity Details page. There is no separate signoff permission.

To sign off on a version:

  1. Open the Manage Template page.

  2. Locate the version pending signoff.

  3. Select the Sign off icon [Sign off].

  4. Review the version information and confirmation message:

  5. Select Sign off.

The sign off confirmation dialog showing the version information.

The version is ready to publish:

The Manage Template page showing a signed-off version ready to publish.

Edit a version after submission

You can return a version to the Edit stage after you submit it for signoff.

Returning the version to editing removes its pending signoff status and creates the next active draft version. You must save, submit and complete signoff again before publishing.

Version numbers are never reused. If you delete or replace a draft, the next draft receives the next available version number.

To return a version to editing:

  1. Open the Manage Template page.

  2. Locate the version pending signoff.

  3. Select Edit.

  4. Review the confirmation message.

  5. Select Edit.

the dialog box that occurs when you return an approved template to edit mode.

A new active draft opens in the editing workflow.

Publish a version

Publish a signed-off version to make it the live enterprise template.

To publish a version:

  1. Open the Manage Template page.

  2. Locate the signed-off version.

  3. Select Publish.

  4. Review the version number and confirmation message.

  5. Select Publish.

The published version becomes the new live version.

The Manage template page highlighting the live version number of the template.

Delete an active draft

Delete an active draft when you no longer need its changes.

You can delete an active draft. You cannot delete a published version.

Deleting a draft does not make its version number available for reuse.

To delete an active draft:

  1. Open the Manage Template page.

  2. Locate the active draft.

  3. Open the Edit dropdown list on the same row.

  4. Select Delete.

  5. Review the confirmation message.

  6. Select Delete.

Restore a previous version

Restore a saved or published version when you want to use it as the basis for a new draft.

Restoring does not merge versions. The selected version becomes the basis for a new active draft.

The restored content receives the next available draft version number. The original version number is not reused.

To restore a previous version:

  1. Open the Manage Template page.

  2. Locate the version you want to restore.

  3. Select Restore from the Actions column.

  4. Choose one of the following:

    • Save and restore: Saves the current draft before restoring the selected version.

    • Restore: Discards the current draft changes before restoring the selected version.

  5. Confirm the restore.

The dialog that occurs when you restore a draft template that has been published

A new active draft opens based on the restored version.

Update the enterprise template after a version release

Caseware may release minor and major versions of the product template.

When a minor-version update is available, an update message appears at the top of the Manage Template page. Select Update to review the available options.

The live enterprise template does not change until you publish an updated version.

The Manage Template page displaying a message that a minor-version template update is available.

Apply a minor-version update

When you click Update, you can apply a minor-version update in the following ways:

  • Update now or later

  • Merge or replace the active draft

Update now or later

If you don't have an active draft, you can update the published version now or later.

  • Update later: Closes the dialog without making any changes.

  • Update now: Updates the published version and automatically creates an active draft.

the template update dialog with button options to Update later or Update now.

Merge or replace

If you have an active draft, you can merge the update into the active draft or replace the active draft.

  • Merge keeps your enterprise changes in the active draft and adds the latest Caseware changes.

  • Replace discards the changes in the active draft and creates a new draft from the updated product template.

The Choose update option dialog with options to merge changes into the active draft or replace the active draft with the updated template.

Apply the update

To apply a minor-version update:

  1. Open the Manage Template page.

  2. Select Update in the update message.

  3. Choose how to apply the update:

    • If you don't have an active draft, select Update now or Update later.

    • If you have an active draft, select Merge or Replace.

  4. If you selected Update now, Merge or Replace, review the confirmation message.

  5. Confirm your choice.

A new active draft is created.

The current live version remains unchanged. Save the new draft to preview, then complete signoff and publish the signed-off version to make the changes live.

Apply a major-version update

When a major-version update is available, choose whether to:

  • Migrate customizations from the previous enterprise-template version

  • Create a new draft without previous customizations

The Manage template page when a major update message displays as a blue box.

Migrate existing customizations

To migrate customizations to a major version:

  1. Open the major-version update from the Manage Template page.

  2. Select Migrate customization from previous major version.

  3. Confirm the migration.

  4. Open the new draft.

  5. Review the migrated customizations and Caseware changes.

  6. Make any required changes.

  7. Save the draft to preview.

  8. Complete signoff and publish the new version.

Start without previous customizations

To create a draft without previous customizations:

  1. Open the major-version update from the Manage Template page.

  2. Select Create draft without customizations.

  3. Confirm the selection.

  4. Open the new draft.

  5. Add the required enterprise customizations.

  6. Save the draft to preview.

  7. Complete signoff and publish the new version.

Engagement behavior after an update

Publishing a new template version does not automatically update every engagement. The following table describes how each type of engagement is affected:

Engagement status Behavior
In progress Continues using the version active when the engagement was created.
Locked down Remains unchanged.
New engagements Use the latest published enterprise template.

Template variants for DocuFlex-based products

Template variants are available to enterprise authors in supported apps after setup by the primary author.

Use template variants when the enterprise template contains minimal shared content and each variant requires substantially different content.

Each variant:

  • Is based on the latest published enterprise template.

  • Has its own name and description.

  • Uses its own draft, preview, signoff and publication workflow.

  • Receives enterprise-template updates independently.

  • Can be enabled or deactivated.

  • Cannot be deleted.

You can create up to 20 variants for an enterprise template.

Drafts and versions

An enterprise template can have multiple variant templates. Each variant has its own draft and versions, which are managed independently from other variants.

For example:

Enterprise template
			  → Variant A
			    → Active draft
			    → Versions
			  → Variant B
			    → Active draft
			    → Versions
			  → Variant C
			    → Active draft
		    → Versions

A new variant is based on the latest published enterprise template. Each variant then follows its own draft, preview, signoff and publication workflow.

The active draft and saved versions have their own version numbers. Version numbers are not reused when a draft is deleted, restored or replaced.

The workflow for managing template variants follows the same four major stages as managing the enterprise template: Create, Edit, Sign Off and Publish.

the Variant template window displaying the general workflow for a version.

Before you begin

To see the workflow options on the variant template page:

  1. Open the Manage Template page.

  2. Select the Variant templates tab.

  3. Open the variant template view by one of these methods:

    • To edit an existing variant, if any are available for your product, select Details on the variant row. The variant template view opens.

    • To create a new variant template, select Create variant on the right side of the window. A window prompts you to create a draft from the new variant template.

Create a variant template draft

A new variant template is based on the latest published enterprise template. A new variant template draft is based on the latest published variant template.

To create a variant template draft:

  1. When no active draft exists, select Create Variant.

the Variant template tab displaying that no template is currently available.

  1. Enter a name.

  2. Enter an optional description.

  3. Select Create. The variant template appears in the variant templates list.

the dialog options to create a new variant.

  1. When an initial variant template exists, you can create other variant templates by selecting Create variant to the right of the Variant templates window. Fill out a name and description as for the initial template.

  2. When you open the variant template for the first time, a dialog prompts you to create a variant template draft. The new draft becomes the active draft.

Edit variant template details

You can change the name or description of a variant template.

To edit variant details:

  1. Open the Variant templates tab.

  2. Locate the variant template.

  3. Edit the variant details:

    1. To rename the variant, select the Details dropdown on the same row.

      • Select Rename.

      • Update the name.

      • Select Save.

  4. Click on the text under Description to update that text.

Variant template page details options to rename or enable variant.

Edit the variant template draft

You can edit the active draft before you submit a version for signoff.

To edit a draft:

  1. Open the Variant templates tab on the Manage Template page.

  2. Locate the variant template.

  3. Select Details on the same row. The variant template view opens.

  4. Locate the active variant draft.

  5. Select Edit on the same row. The template opens.

  6. Make the required changes.

  7. Select Variant templates at the top left of the window to close the variant template view and return to the Variant templates tab.

To learn more about the features you can customize, see Authoring index.

the Variant template tab displaying option to edit a version.

Save a variant template draft to preview

Select Save to preview to preserve the current draft as a preview version.

Saving to preview:

  • Saves the current draft as a preview version

  • Assigns the next preview iteration to the saved version

  • Keeps an active draft so you can continue editing

Each preview version remains available in the version history.

To save a draft to preview:

  1. Open the active variant template draft.

  2. Select Save to preview.

The saved version appears in preview status and an active draft is available for editing:

Variant template tab displaying the Save to preview option and versioning that occurs after

Submit a variant template draft for signoff

Submit the latest saved preview version when it is ready for signoff.

If the active draft contains changes that have not been saved to preview, those changes are not included in the submitted version. The active draft is removed when you submit the preview version.

Save any changes you want to keep to preview before submitting.

To submit a version for signoff:

  1. Open the variant template and locate the version pending signoff.

  2. Review the latest preview version.

  3. Select Submit for sign off.

  4. Review the version number and confirmation message.

  5. Select Submit.

The submitted version moves to pending signoff:

The variant template view showing a submitted version in pending signoff status.

Sign off on a variant template draft

Any user who can access the Manage Template page can sign off on a version. Access is controlled by the Admin or Firm Settings Admin role in the Entity Details page. There is no separate signoff permission.

To sign off on a version:

  1. Open the active variant template draft pending signoff.

  2. Select the Sign off icon [].

  3. Review the version information and confirmation message:

    The sign off confirmation dialog showing the variant template version information.

  4. Select Sign off.

The version is ready to publish:

The variant template view showing a signed-off version ready to publish.

Variant template tab pointing to the signed off status and Publish button

Edit a variant template draft after submission

You can return a version to the Edit stage after you submit it for signoff.

Returning the version to editing removes its pending signoff status and creates the next active draft version. You must save, submit and complete signoff again before publishing.

Version numbers are never reused. If you delete or replace a draft, the next draft receives the next available version number.

To return a version to editing:

  1. Locate the version pending signoff.

  2. Select Edit on the same row.

  3. Review the confirmation message.

  4. Select Edit.

Dialog to return a published version to edit mode.

A new active draft opens in the editing workflow.

Publish a variant template draft

Publish a signed-off version to make it the live variant template.

To publish a version:

  1. Locate the signed-off version.

  2. Select Publish.

  3. Review the version number and confirmation message.

  4. Select Publish.

The published version becomes the new live version.

The variant template tab with the current live version highlighted and arrows to the recent published draft.

Delete an active variant template draft

Delete an active variant template draft when you no longer need its changes.

You can delete an active draft. You cannot delete a published version.

Deleting a draft does not make its version number available for reuse.

To delete an active draft:

  1. Locate the active variant template draft.

  2. Open the Edit dropdown list on the same row.

  3. Select Delete.

  4. Review the confirmation message.

  5. Select Delete.

Restore a previous variant template draft

Restore a saved or published version when you want to use it as the basis for a new draft.

Restoring does not merge versions. The selected version becomes the basis for a new active draft.

The restored content receives the next available draft version number. The original version number is not reused.

To restore a previous version:

  1. Locate the version you want to restore.

  2. Select Restore from the Actions column.

  3. Choose one of the following:

    • Save and restore: Saves the current draft before restoring the selected version.

    • Restore: Discards the current draft changes before restoring the selected version.

  4. Confirm the restore.

the dialog to confirm options to restor the draft.

A new active draft opens based on the restored version.

Enable a variant

Enable a published variant to make it available for new engagements.

To enable a variant:

  1. Open the Variant templates tab.

  2. Locate the published variant.

  3. Select the dropdown next to Details.

  4. Select Enable.

  5. Confirm the change.

A confirmation dialog to enable the variant template.

The enabled variant becomes available for new engagements. You can see immediately which variants are enabled and which are not on the Variant templates page.

the Variance template tab displaying a list of enabled variants.

Create an engagement from a variant

Staff can select from enabled variants when they create a new engagement.

The engagement is created from the selected variant.

The new engagement dialog showing a Variants list with enabled template variants available for selection.

Apply an enterprise-template update to a variant

When an updated enterprise template is published, each affected variant receives an update notification. A variant can receive this notification when only the enterprise template has changed.

There is no global action to update all variants. An update remains available for a variant until you merge or replace it.

The variant template tab displaying highlighted messages where updates are available

To update a variant:

  1. Open the Variant templates tab.

  2. Locate a variant with an available update.

  3. Open the variant Details.

  4. Select Update.

  5. Review the confirmation message.

  6. Choose Merge changes or Replace draft.

    The Choose update option dialog with options to merge changes into the active draft or replace the active draft with the updated template.

  7. Confirm the update.

  8. Review the new active draft.

  9. Complete the standard preview, signoff and publication workflow.

Deactivate a variant

Deactivate a variant to prevent staff from using it for new engagements.

Deactivating a variant does not affect existing engagements created from it. Variants cannot be deleted.

To deactivate a variant:

  1. Open the Variant templates tab.

  2. Locate the variant.

  3. You can either select the dropdown next to Details and select Disable or select Details and toggle off the enable variant

  4. Select Disable.

The dialog to confirm disabling the template variant.

The variant is no longer available for new engagements.

To learn more about customizations available to enterprise authors, see Enterprise-only customizations under Authoring | Get started | Enterprise authors.