How to Create, Save, and Reuse Asana Templates (Free Plan Workaround Included)
There's a moment a lot of Asana users hit where they finish setting up the perfect process, complete the project, and then never use that setup again. The next time they need it, they build it from scratch. Again.
If that sounds familiar, Asana templates are about to change how you work. In this tutorial I'm walking you through how to create a template in Asana, how to save it, and how to set it up so it's genuinely fast to reuse — whether you're on the free plan or a paid plan.
Either keep reading or watch the video below:
Step 1: Build the Project You Want to Turn Into a Template
Before anything else, you need a solid project to work from. Think about a process you repeat regularly. Client onboarding is one of the most common — every new client goes through the same steps: welcome email, kickoff call, collecting their info, setting up their project.
Build that out in Asana as a project. Create your sections, add your tasks, and write descriptions inside the tasks for anything that has specific steps. The more detail you add now, the less you'll have to think about later.
One thing people skip at this stage: writing out the why behind each task. If a task says "send onboarding questionnaire" but doesn't explain what the questionnaire should include or where to find it, future-you (or a team member) still has to figure that out. Put it in the description.
Step 2: Save It as a Template — Paid Plan vs. Free Plan
If you're on a paid Asana plan, saving a template is straightforward. Go to the three-dot menu on your project, click Save as Template, name it, and it lives in your template library. When you use it, you can set a start date and Asana will automatically assign due dates to every task based on the timeline you built in. It's one of the most useful paid features for anyone who runs repeatable projects.
If you're on the free plan, there's a simple workaround: build one master template project and duplicate it manually every time you need it. Click the three-dot menu, hit Duplicate Project, name the new one, and choose what carries over. You'll set due dates manually, but the structure is already there — and that's the part that actually takes time to build.
Step 3: Set Up Your Template So It's Fast to Reuse
This is the step most people skip, and it's what separates a template you actually use from one that collects digital dust.
Use placeholder text in task names wherever things change from project to project. Something like "Send welcome email to [CLIENT NAME]" makes it obvious at a glance what needs to be customized without having to read through every single task.
Add an info section at the top of the project. This is where you drop in anything project-specific after you duplicate — contact info, folder links, relevant notes. Having a dedicated spot for this means you're not hunting for things later.
A good rule of thumb: if you'd have to explain a step to someone else out loud, that explanation belongs in the task description. Your template should be self-contained.
Ready-Made Templates If You Want to Skip the Build
If building templates from scratch sounds like a project in itself, my Asana System Templates are made-for-you templates covering the core systems most online business owners actually need — client management, content planning, product launches, and more. They come with step-by-step walkthrough videos so you know exactly how to use each one. Find them here.
