Guided templates let you turn an existing Zap into a step-by-step setup wizard so your coworkers can create their own copy and customize it for their needs. Instead of sharing a basic outline of your Zap, you can configure a guided template to walk users through the process of setting up a Zap according to your configuration.
Example
You've built a Zap that sends a Slack notification whenever a new row is added to a Google Sheet. With guided templates, you can help users copy your Zap with built-in guidance like:
- Lock the Slack channel field so everyone uses the same channel.
- Make the Google Sheet field editable so each teammate connects their own spreadsheet.
- Add help text that explains what to do at each step.
How guided templates work
Guided templates involve three experiences:
- Creating a guided template: A Zap creator turns an existing Zap into a guided template by configuring which fields are editable, adding help text, and publishing the guided template.
- Using a guided template: A teammate opens a shared guided template, connects their own app accounts, fills in editable fields, and publishes their own Zap.
- Managing guided templates: A Guided templates page where you can browse, search, and manage all guided templates that you own or have been shared with you.
What you can configure
When creating a guided template, you can configure:
- Basic info: A title, description, and overview that explain what the guided template does.
- App connections: Custom help text for each app connection the guided template user will need to set up.
- Fields: Whether each field is locked or editable by the guided template user. You can add help text for editable fields.
- Variables: Global or Zap variables that the consumer can fill in during setup.
- Sharing: Who can access the guided template.
Guided templates vs. shared Zap templates
Guided templates are different from shared Zap templates feature.
| Feature | Shared Zap templates | Guided templates |
|---|---|---|
| What's included | An outline of the Zap with only apps and app events pre-selected. | A fully configured Zap with fields pre-populated. |
| Setup experience | Consumer configures the Zap on their own. | Step-by-step wizard with help text at each stage. |
| Field control | All fields are editable. | Creator can lock or unlock individual fields. |
| Custom guidance | No custom help text. | Custom help text. |
| Variables | Not supported. | Supports Zap and global variables. |
Next steps
- Create a guided template
- Use a guided template
- Manage guided templates
- Learn about variables and Sub-Zaps for other ways to build reusable components