# Templates

Save documents, roles and fields once, then start a new envelope from them whenever you need to.

A template holds one or more documents, the roles that take part, and the fields placed for each role. Templates are available on every plan.

## Create a template

### Upload files

1. Go to **Templates** and click **New template**.
2. Enter a **Template name** and add one or more PDF, Office or image files in the order they should appear. The form shows the file count, size and page limits.
3. Leave **Use text tags** checked to place fields from tags in your files. See [Text tags](/docs/text-tags).
4. Optionally pick a **Filing rule** for envelopes made from this template.
5. Click **Upload template**. The template opens in the editor.

In the editor, add your roles in the **Roles** step, then place fields in the **Fields** step. See [Fields](/docs/fields) for the field types and their settings.

### Save an envelope as a template

1. Open the envelope.
2. Open the **⋯** menu and choose **Save as template**.
3. Enter a **Template name** and click **Save template**.

The template keeps the envelope's documents and fields. Each recipient becomes a role, so the people themselves aren't saved. Access codes aren't copied.

## Roles

A role is a placeholder for a person, such as Landlord and Tenant, or Buyer and Seller. In the template editor's **Roles** step, click **Add role** for each one and give it a name that describes the job, not the person.

Each role has a type (Signer, Approver, Needs to acknowledge or Gets a copy) and a place in the signing order. See [Recipients and roles](/docs/recipients-and-roles) for what each type does and how signing order works.

When you use the template, each role becomes a recipient you fill in with a real name and email. For the API, the role name is the `role_label`, so avoid renaming roles once an integration depends on them.

### Always send a role to the same person

Some roles are always the same person, such as a manager who approves every request. Open the role's **⋯** menu, choose **Always send to…**, and enter their name and email. Every envelope from the template fills that role in for you. You can still change the person on one envelope before you send it. To go back to filling it in each time, clear both boxes.

Share links and kiosks don't support fixed people yet, so a template with one can't be used for them.

## Start an envelope from a template

You can start from a template in several places:

- On the template's page, click **Use**.
- On **Home**, click **Send from template**.
- On the new envelope page, click **Start from a template**.

eSignStack creates a draft envelope named after the template and opens it at the **Recipients** step. Enter a name and email for each role, fill in any fields you need to complete before sending, then review and send. See [Send and track](/docs/sending-for-signature).

### Combine templates in one envelope

In an envelope's **Documents** step, click **Add a template** to add another template's documents and fields. You choose which recipient fills each of its roles, or add a new one. You can change the assignments afterwards.

### From the API

Call `POST /api/v1/templates/{template}/envelopes` with the template ID (it starts with `tpl_`). Pass a `recipients` array where each recipient has `name`, `email` and `role_label`. You can leave out roles that always go to the same person; include one to send it to someone else on that envelope. Use `values` to fill fields by their label, and `send: false` to create a draft instead of sending. See [API quick start](/docs/api-authentication) and the [API reference](/docs/api).

To copy a template's ID, open the template and choose **Copy template ID** from the **⋯** menu.

You can also create, read, update and archive templates, and manage their documents, roles and fields, through the API under `/api/v1/templates`. A role's `recipient_name` and `recipient_email` set the person it always goes to. `POST /api/v1/templates/{template}/preview` returns a 15-minute link to a watermarked PDF with each field labeled by its type and role. `POST …/duplicate` copies a template, `POST …/restore` brings back an archived one (list them with `GET /api/v1/templates?archived=true`), and `POST`/`DELETE …/share_link` and `…/kiosk` turn the share link and Kiosk mode on and off. The [MCP operations server](/docs/mcp) can do the same. Pass `folder` when creating an envelope from a template to put it in a folder, and use `POST /api/v1/templates/{template}/move` to move the template itself. See [Folders and filing rules](/docs/filing-rules#from-the-api).

## Edit a template

On the template's page, open the **⋯** menu:

- **Edit** opens the template in the editor, where you can change its documents, roles and fields.
- **Rename** changes its name.
- **Duplicate** makes a copy that you own.
- **Move to folder** files it in a template folder.
- **Archive** hides it from the list.

Changes apply to envelopes you create afterwards, including ones started from a share link, a kiosk or the API. Envelopes that already exist keep the documents and fields they were created with.

Archived templates appear under **Archived**, where you can open one and click **Restore**. While a template is archived, its share link and kiosk stop working.

## Share links and kiosks

A template with a single signer role can also collect signatures without you sending anything:

- A **Share link** lets anyone with the link sign their own copy. See [Share links](/docs/share-links).
- A **Kiosk** runs the template on a shared tablet for walk-in visitors. See [Kiosk mode](/docs/kiosk-mode).

Both are under **Other ways to collect** on the template's page.

## Filing rules

A template's **Filing rule** applies to every envelope created from it, so they file themselves into folders as their status changes. Set it in the template's **Details** panel. See [Folders and filing rules](/docs/filing-rules).

## Find templates

The **Templates** page has:

- **All**, **Mine** (templates you created) and **Archived** views
- Search by name
- Sorting by **Recently used**, **Newest**, **Oldest** or **Name A–Z**
- Grid and list layouts
- Template folders, created with **New folder**

Open a template to see its roles, fields, documents and how many envelopes have been created from it. The **Document** tab shows its pages with the fields drawn on.