Summary
Planhat is highly customizable, and this personalization can be "top down" (managed by Admins / CS Ops etc.) and "bottom up" (configured by individual Planhat Users for themselves)
A key part of "top down" personalization is the Content Template and Role assigned by Admins to each User, which together encompass permissions and UI preferences
"Content Templates" let admins decide what each group of Users sees when they start in Planhat OS
A template can pin Sections to the top of the Library, recommend Pages, and pin Tools to the sidebar of new Users
Each template applies to the Users who match its conditions, such as a Role or Team
In pre-OS Planhat, Content Templates were called Home Templates
You'll find them in the "Settings" Tool, in the "Users & Roles" category
Who is this article for?
Planhat Admins who configure their Planhat tenant for their organization (e.g. CS Ops or RevOps)
Anyone who would like to understand why their Library and sidebar look the way they do
This feature is part of Planhat OS. Managing Content Templates needs the "Content Manager" workflow permission
Introduction
A "Content Template" is a set of Sections, Pages and Tools that admins give to a group of Users. You can think of it as a starting kit for a team.
Planhat OS can be shaped from two directions. Each User organizes their own Library and Favorites from the bottom up, but a new CSM on their first day doesn't yet know which reports, playbooks or Tools matter. Content Templates are the top-down part: an admin decides once what a CS team, a Sales team or the leadership team should see, and every matching User gets it automatically.
For example, a CS Ops admin might give the CS team a pinned "CS Playbooks" Section, recommend the "Renewals this quarter" Page, and pin Calendar and Signals to the sidebar of every new CSM.
đ Important to note
Content Templates should not be confused with Project Templates or Workflow Templates (which set up Workflows), or with Profile Templates (which control the layout of a Profile).
What are Content Templates?
Content Templates live in the "Settings" Tool, in the "Users & Roles" category, under "Content Templates". In pre-OS Planhat they were called Home Templates. Your existing Home Templates carry over to Planhat OS.
Each template has four tabs:
"Criteria" which Users the template applies to. You build conditions on User Profile fields, such as Role or Team, and see the matching Users in a table below
"Sections" Sections added to the Library of matching Users, in two groups:
"Shared at first set-up" - added when the User first starts. The User can hide them later
"Pinned to Library" always shown at the top of the User's Library, and can't be hidden. Up to 3 per template
"Pages" "Pages recommended to users" show under "Recommended from team" in the Knowledge Base
"Tools" "Tools pinned for new users" are pinned to the sidebar of new Users. Up to 5 per template.
đ Important to note
A User only ever gets one Content Template. If a User matches more than one, Planhat uses the first matching template in the list, from top to bottom. Drag templates to change their order.
Why use Content Templates?
New Users start with the content and Tools their team actually uses
Admins set it up once per team, not once per User
Pinned Sections keep core material, like playbooks or key reports, in front of everyone who needs it
Most organizations need only 1-5 templates, for example one per team.
How to set up a Content Template
Open the "Settings" Tool and go to "Users & Roles", then "Content Templates"
Click "New Content Template" (the "+" button) and give it a name, such as
CS teamIn the "Criteria" tab, add a condition for who should get this template, such as
Role is CSM. Check the "Matching Users" table to confirm the right people are includedIn the "Sections" tab, add Sections under "Shared at first set-up" or "Pinned to Library"
In the "Pages" tab, add the Pages you want to recommend
In the "Tools" tab, choose the Tools to pin for new Users. See the next section
Back in the list, drag your templates into the right order. More specific templates go above more general ones
đ Tip
Before you pin a Section, make sure the Users who match the template have access to it. A pinned Section doesn't change who can see it.
Pinning Tools for new Users
A "pinned Tool" is a Tool that shows in a User's sidebar, so they can open it in one click. Each User can pin and unpin Tools themselves from the "Tools" page.
The "Tools" tab of a Content Template sets which Tools are pinned for new Users who match the template. For example, a new CSM can start with Calendar and Signals, while a new Sales rep starts with Sessions and Data Explorer.
Open the template and go to the "Tools" tab
Click "Add tool" and choose a Tool from the list. You can add up to 5
Drag the Tools into the order they should appear in the sidebar
To remove a Tool, click the "x" next to it
đ Important to note
Pinned Tools are applied once, when the User is created. Users already in Planhat keep their own pinned Tools, and changing a template later doesn't change them
A new template starts with the default Tools: My Library, Data Explorer, Agents and Signals. If you remove them all, or a new User matches no template, the User gets these defaults
A User only sees a pinned Tool if their Role gives them access to it
Frequently asked questions
Where did Home Templates go in Planhat OS?
They are now called Content Templates. You'll find them in the "Settings" Tool, under "Users & Roles", then "Content Templates".
I changed the Tools in a Content Template. Why didn't my team's sidebar change?
Pinned Tools only apply to new Users. Existing Users keep their own pinned Tools.
Can I set a User's start page with a Content Template?
Not at this time. Admins set a tenant-wide "Default Start Page" in the "Settings" Tool, under "General", then "Account Setup". Each User can also have their own "Start Page" on their User Profile, which takes priority.
What happens if a User matches two Content Templates?
Planhat uses the first matching template in the list, from top to bottom.
Who can create Content Templates?
Users with the "Content Manager" workflow permission.