Hey guys! Let's dive into the world of SharePoint site templates. Understanding SharePoint site templates is crucial for anyone looking to streamline their site creation process, maintain consistency across their SharePoint environment, and boost overall productivity. In this article, we'll explore what SharePoint site templates are, why they're so important, and how you can make the most of them. Whether you're a seasoned SharePoint pro or just starting out, this guide will provide you with the insights you need to leverage site templates effectively.

What are SharePoint Site Templates?

SharePoint site templates are pre-built designs that you can use to create new SharePoint sites. Think of them as blueprints or starter kits for your sites. Instead of building a site from scratch each time, you can use a template to quickly set up a site with a predefined structure, layout, lists, libraries, and even some initial content. SharePoint offers several built-in templates, and you can also create your own custom templates tailored to your organization's specific needs.

The built-in templates include options like team sites, communication sites, and project sites. Each of these templates is designed for a specific purpose and comes with a set of features and configurations that support that purpose. For example, a team site template typically includes document libraries, lists for tasks and announcements, and a team calendar. A communication site template, on the other hand, is geared towards sharing news and information with a wider audience, so it might include features like a news web part and a highlighted content web part.

Custom templates take things a step further by allowing you to capture the exact configuration of an existing site and reuse it to create new sites. This is incredibly useful for ensuring consistency across multiple sites, especially in large organizations where many different teams might be creating sites. By using custom templates, you can ensure that all sites adhere to the same standards for branding, navigation, and content structure. Moreover, custom SharePoint templates will help to ensure that all of your sites across the organization are consistent and in line with your company policies.

Why Use SharePoint Site Templates?

There are several compelling reasons to use SharePoint site templates. First and foremost, they save you a ton of time. Instead of manually configuring each new site, you can simply apply a template and get a fully functional site in minutes. This is especially helpful when you need to create multiple sites with similar configurations.

Consistency is another major benefit. By using templates, you can ensure that all your SharePoint sites have a consistent look and feel, which makes it easier for users to navigate and find the information they need. This is particularly important in large organizations where users might be accessing multiple different sites on a regular basis.

Templates also promote best practices. You can design your templates to incorporate your organization's standards for site structure, content management, and security. This helps to ensure that all sites are set up in a way that complies with your internal policies and industry regulations.

Furthermore, templates can improve user adoption. When sites are well-organized and easy to use, users are more likely to embrace SharePoint as a collaborative platform. Templates can help to create sites that are intuitive and user-friendly, which can lead to increased user engagement and productivity. You might want to create a few templates to help you get started so you do not have to do it all at once. You can also hire outside help if needed, but the point is that SharePoint Site templates will benefit your organization.

Finally, templates can simplify site maintenance. When all sites are based on a common set of templates, it's easier to manage and update them. For example, if you need to make a change to the navigation structure, you can simply update the template and apply the changes to all sites that are based on that template. Site Maintenance will also reduce the overall cost of maintaining your SharePoint Site ecosystem.

Types of SharePoint Site Templates

SharePoint offers several types of site templates, each designed for different purposes. Let's take a closer look at some of the most common types:

Team Sites

Team sites are designed for collaboration within a team or department. They typically include document libraries, lists for tasks and announcements, a team calendar, and other features that support team collaboration. Team sites are ideal for storing and sharing documents, managing projects, and coordinating team activities. Many companies have project teams that need to work closely together, so this is a very useful template for that purpose. Many small businesses use team sites for internal communication and collaboration.

Communication Sites

Communication sites are designed for sharing news and information with a wider audience. They typically include a news web part, a highlighted content web part, and other features that make it easy to publish and share information. Communication sites are ideal for disseminating company news, sharing updates on projects, and communicating with employees across the organization. Make sure your communication sites follow the branding and content rules that you have for the rest of your organization.

Project Sites

Project sites are designed for managing projects. They typically include task lists, document libraries, calendars, and other features that support project management. Project sites are ideal for tracking project progress, managing project resources, and collaborating with project team members. If your organization manages multiple projects, then this might be a very useful SharePoint Site template. Having consistency across your project management will help keep your organization consistent.

Custom Templates

Custom templates are templates that you create yourself based on an existing site. You can capture the exact configuration of a site, including its structure, layout, lists, libraries, and content, and save it as a template. You can then use this template to create new sites with the same configuration. Custom templates are ideal for ensuring consistency across multiple sites and for capturing best practices within your organization. You have a lot more control using custom templates over other options.

How to Create and Use SharePoint Site Templates

Creating and using SharePoint site templates is a straightforward process. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Creating a Site Template

1. Create a Site: First, create a SharePoint site that you want to use as the basis for your template. Configure the site with the desired structure, layout, lists, libraries, and content.
2. Save as Template: Once the site is configured, go to Site Settings and select