Most professional services firms do the same kinds of work over and over again. A translation agency might handle hundreds of legal document translations a year, each with the same task structure and the same rate card. A consulting firm might run the same onboarding project for every new client, with the same phases and roughly the same timeline.
Setting up each new project from scratch is not just slow — it is also a source of error. A task missed here, a rate entered slightly wrong there. Templates solve this by letting you clone a proven project structure in seconds, with all the task types, details, and pricing already in place.
In Cannelle, any project can become a template. There is no separate template editor, no special format to learn. You take a project that represents your ideal setup for a particular type of work, mark it as a template, and it becomes available to clone whenever you need it.
Open any project and go to the Settings tab. You will find two toggles:
When enabled, this project can be cloned as a new Quote. The quote will inherit the project's task list, rates, and client — ready to review and send.
When enabled, this project can be cloned directly as a new Project, skipping the quoting step. Useful for internal work or fixed-price engagements where the scope is agreed upfront.
You can enable both at the same time. A project marked as both a quote template and a project template will appear in the templates list with both clone options available. The toggle saves immediately — no extra confirmation needed.
// where to find existing templates
All templates are listed under Projects → Templates. The list shows the template's code, type (Quote, Project, or both), associated client, name, and total task value. Every column is sortable.
When you clone a template, Cannelle creates a new project or quote and fills it from the source. Most fields transfer in both cases — but a few things differ depending on whether you are cloning as a Quote or as a Project.
The project name carries over as-is. You will likely want to adjust it to reflect the specific client or engagement.
The associated client is copied. If you are using the same template for different clients, you can change the client on the clone after creation.
Every task is copied — including type, currency, rate, and task details. This is the main time-saving part.
The account manager assigned to the template is carried over.
All metadata fields come across so the clone is ready to work with from the first moment.
// clone as quote
Tasks start in Unassigned state — resource assignments are not carried over, since who does the work is typically decided after the client accepts the quote. The project manager field is also left blank.
// clone as project
Resource assignments are copied along with the tasks, so your team is already set up to start work. The project manager is carried over too. Task deadlines are not copied — dates are specific to each new engagement and should be set fresh.
Files attached to the template project are not copied. Reference documents can be uploaded on the new project once it is live.
Internal notes and client messages belong to the original project and do not carry over.
Billing records from the source project are never copied.
// new code, fresh start
The clone gets a brand new project code generated automatically — so it is a proper independent record from day one, not a confusing copy of the original.
Go to Projects → Templates. Find the template you want and click either Clone as Quote or Clone as Project, depending on what the template supports and where you are in the workflow.
Cannelle asks for a quick confirmation, then creates the clone and takes you directly to the new record. From there it is a normal project or quote — review the details, adjust what needs adjusting, and get to work.
// clone as quote
Best when you need to agree the scope and price with the client first. The new quote arrives pre-filled with all the task lines — just check the numbers, add a delivery date, and send.
// clone as project
Best when the work is already confirmed and you want to skip the quoting step entirely. Assign your team and start tracking immediately.
// name your templates clearly
The template list shows the project name, so give each template a descriptive name that will make sense to anyone on the team — not just the person who created it. Something like Standard Legal Translation — DE/EN is more useful than Project A Copy.
// one template per work type
Rather than one generic template, build one per distinct type of work you regularly sell. If your translation team handles legal, technical, and marketing texts at different rates, those should be three separate templates — each with the right task types and pricing already in place.
// see it in the demo
The live demo at demo.cannelle.io includes sample templates you can explore and clone. Go to Projects → Templates to try the flow. How to access the demo →