> ## Knowledge Base Index
> Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.proplanum.com/sitemap.xml
> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
> Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash).

# Copying and schedule templates

When you lay out a similar schedule week after week, you do not have to plan everything from scratch. The **Work schedule** tool lets you copy shifts from one period to the next, or save a finished layout as a template and load it again and again. The feature is used by the Manager, the Location Manager, the Advisor and the Organisation Administrator — that is, the people planning the team's work.

${frame}[](https://demo.proplanum.com/embed/cma3sh1vm390313m0cilgctha?embed_v=2&utm_source=embed)

Open **Work schedule** from the left icon bar, then expand the **"Copy"** menu in the right part of the toolbar.

![The Copy menu with the Copy schedule, Save template and Load template options](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/1/2/4/3124ad20f50ccc00/ppen-w105_1lv0j5r.png)

||| Caution: The **"Copy"** menu works only with a single location selected. If the **"Location"** filter holds several or all locations, narrow the view down to one item first.

# Copy schedule

With this option you move shifts from a chosen period to another, future period — without recreating the whole schedule by hand.

1. Expand **"Copy"** and choose **"Copy schedule"**.
2. In the **"Copy work schedule"** window point to the period in the **"copy shifts from"** field and the target period in the **"copy shifts to"** field.
3. Decide on the **"Skip shifts in case of conflicts"** switch (the details are below).
4. Click **"Save"** — a summary appears with the number of shifts added, skipped and those that went into the "Unassigned" row.

![The Copy work schedule window with the copy shifts from, copy shifts to fields and the conflict-skipping switch](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/1/2/4/3124ad20f50ccc00/ppen-w106_s1fyqd.png)

**How conflict skipping works**

* **Switch on** — shifts that clash with the target schedule are skipped (they will not be added).
* **Switch off** — shifts clashing for a given employee go into the **"Unassigned"** row, from where you assign them later by hand (Edit → Employee) or automatically through **"Generate"** → **"Assigning unassigned shifts"**.

A conflict means **approved requests only** (for example approved leave) and **published shifts**. A request that has not been reviewed and an unpublished (draft) shift do not block copying.

|| Remember: You can only copy a schedule to a future period. If the period you point to has already started, the system will tell you and the copy will not go through.

# Save template

A template is a saved schedule layout you can use for any future period — for example a holiday layout, a festive one or one with seasonal staff.

1. Expand **"Copy"** and choose **"Save template"**.
2. Enter a **name** and a **description** for the template so you can recognise it easily later.
3. Click **"Save"**.

![The Save template window with the name and description fields](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/1/2/4/3124ad20f50ccc00/ppen-w107_15gre8a.png)

|| Remember: A template saves a range of **a week, 2 or 4 weeks** — depending on the view window you chose. You cannot save a monthly view as a template.

# Load template

Loading applies a saved template to the current schedule view.

1. Set the view to the future, not-yet-started period you want to apply the template to.
2. Expand **"Copy"** and choose **"Load template"** — a list of saved templates appears.
3. Select a template and click **"Load"**, then choose the way of loading:

![The Load template window with the list of saved templates](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/1/2/4/3124ad20f50ccc00/ppen-w108_takva3.png)

* **Load everything** — recreates the schedule exactly as in the template; shifts assigned to employees go back to those people, and clashing ones (for example with approved leave) go into the "Unassigned" row.
* **Load into unassigned** — every shift from the template lands in the "Unassigned" row, from where you distribute them yourself.

||| Caution: You can only load a template onto a future, not-yet-started period. As with copying, a conflict means approved requests and published shifts only — a request that has not been reviewed does not block loading.

Once the template is loaded, make any corrections and publish the schedule with the **"Publish"** button so the shifts reach the employees.

|| Tip: Want the system to plan the shifts from a saved layout rather than just copy it? See [Automatic schedule from templates](https://help.proplanum.com/en/article/automatic-schedule-from-templates-deq1y1/).