Entry Templates

Pre-fill entry forms for common job types with templates. Includes auto-numbering, pipeline association, and default tags and fields.

What Are Templates?

Entry templates let you define a reusable set of default values for new entries. Instead of filling in the same tags, fields, and settings for every new quote or work order, select a template and the form populates instantly.

Open the template editor from Settings Hub > Templates or via the Command Palette (Ctrl+K).

What templates can pre-fill

• Reference ID format — With auto-numbering tokens (see below)
• Default tags — Pre-select tags across any category
• Default field values — Pre-fill built-in and custom field values
• Default pipeline status — Set which pipeline stage the entry starts in
• Pipeline association — Link the template to a specific pipeline
• Validation pattern — Associate a specific validation pattern with the template

Creating a Template

1. Open the template editor — Go to Settings Hub > Templates.
2. Enter a template name — Choose a descriptive name (e.g., "Standard Quote", "Rush Work Order", "Warranty Repair").
3. Set the reference format — Enter a format string with tokens for auto-numbering (e.g., Q-{YEAR}-{SEQ:3}).
4. Select default tags — Choose tags from each category that should be pre-selected.
5. Fill default field values — Set values for built-in and custom fields.
6. Choose a pipeline (optional) — If your project has multiple pipelines, select which one this template targets.
7. Save — The template appears as a card in the template list. Click any card to edit it.

Auto-Numbering with Format Tokens

Templates can automatically generate sequential reference numbers using format tokens in the Reference ID field. When you create a new entry from a template, GlyphFex replaces tokens with the appropriate values.

Available tokens

How sequencing works

GlyphFex scans all existing entries in the project to find the highest matching reference number for the format pattern, then increments by one. This means:

• If the last quote is Q-2026-042, the next one will be Q-2026-043
• Sequences are scoped to the format pattern, so quotes and work orders number independently
• Deleted entries do not affect the sequence — numbers are never reused

Example formats

Template-to-Pipeline Association

In projects with multiple pipelines, each template can be linked to a specific pipeline. When a user selects that template, the entry is automatically assigned to the correct pipeline.

How it works

• In the template editor, select a pipeline from the Pipeline dropdown
• When the template is applied to a new entry, the pipeline selector on the Entry page is set automatically
• The status dropdown shows only stages from the associated pipeline
• If no pipeline is selected, the template works with whatever pipeline the user chooses

Practical example

A shop might have:

• "Standard Quote" template → linked to the Quoting Pipeline (Estimating → Quote Sent → Awaiting Approval → Won/Lost)
• "Work Order" template → linked to the Production Pipeline (Engineering → Fabrication → QC → Shipping → Closed)
• "Warranty Repair" template → linked to the Repair Pipeline (Received → Inspection → Repair → Testing → Return)

Using Templates for Quotes vs Work Orders

Most shops benefit from having separate templates for quotes and work orders:

Quote templates

• Format: Q-{YEAR}-{SEQ:3} or similar
• Pipeline: quoting pipeline with stages like Estimating, Quote Sent, Awaiting Approval
• Default tags: relevant material and process categories pre-selected
• Fields: customer name, quantity, and unit price enabled

Work order templates

• Format: WO-{YEAR}-{SEQ:4} or similar
• Pipeline: production pipeline with stages like Engineering, Fabrication, QC, Shipping
• Default tags: may differ from quotes (e.g., specific machine assignments)
• Fields: PO number, due date, and material specification emphasized

When a quote is won, use the Convert Quote to Order feature to automatically create a work order from the quote. If a work order template with auto-numbering exists for the production pipeline, the new order gets a properly formatted reference number.

Editing and Managing Templates

• Edit — Click any template card in the editor to load its values into the form for editing
• Delete — Remove templates you no longer need. Existing entries created from deleted templates are not affected.
• Validation compatibility — The template editor shows whether the template's format is compatible with the project's active validation patterns. A warning appears if they conflict.