Accessing the Templates Library

1. Open Schedule Hub (Power App).
2. Navigate to the Project Plans or Templates section, depending on your environment configuration.
3. Select “Open in SharePoint” to access the underlying SharePoint library.
4. Locate the subfolder or view dedicated to templates (often named Templates, Schedule Templates, or Project Plan Templates).

Maintaining Template Schedules

Prepare the Template in MS Project Desktop

1. Open MS Project Desktop.
2. Create or edit your schedule structure:
   • Define phases, tasks, dependencies, and milestone structure
   • Add or update local custom fields, which will be replicated to schedules created from this template
   • Apply your organisation’s naming conventions and governance standards
3. Save the file as an .mpp file.

Save the Template to SharePoint

1. Go to the Schedule Hub Templates library.
2. Select Upload → Files.
3. Choose your .mpp file.
4. Add metadata if required (e.g., Template Category, Business Unit).
5. Publish the file as a major version to make it available for use.

Step 3 — Verify Availability in Schedule Hub

Once uploaded, the template will appear automatically in the New Project Plan drop‑down, allowing users to create schedules from it.

4. Updating an Existing Template

There are two supported methods for updating templates, depending on your governance model.

Method A — Edit in MS Project Desktop (recommended)

1. Open the template directly from the SharePoint Templates library:
   • Click the template
   • Select Open in MS Project
2. Make the required updates in MS Project Desktop:
   • Adjust tasks, phases, dependencies
   • Modify custom fields
   • Update standard roles or resource placeholders
3. Save and check the file back into SharePoint.
4. Publish as a major version to release the updated template.

Because Schedule Hub supports full version history through SharePoint, you can roll back to previous template versions if needed.

5. Managing Template Versions & Metadata

Version Control

SharePoint automatically stores:

• Major and minor versions
• Who changed the template
• When it was updated

This gives you an audit trail for template governance.

Metadata

You may optionally apply metadata such as:

• Template Type (Full Plan, Simple Plan, Agile, etc.)
• Business Unit
• Owner
• Status (Draft / Published)

Metadata makes template selection easier for end‑users and improves reporting.

6. Best Practices for Template Governance

• Keep templates lightweight but structured: focus on phases, key tasks, and required custom fields.
• Avoid including project‑specific details (resources, dates, costs).
• Publish major versions only after review by PMO or governance teams.
• Document template purpose and use cases in SharePoint file properties or a README file.
• Periodically review templates to ensure alignment with delivery methodology and governance changes.

7. How Users Apply Templates

When users create a new plan in Schedule Hub, they simply:

1. Select New → Project Plan
2. Choose from the populated drop‑down list of templates
3. A new .mpp file is created based on the selected template, including all defined custom fields and structure

This process supports consistent, repeatable planning and aligns directly with the capabilities described in the Solution Brief.