Using a template in an existing base

[laurenCTCL]

I found a great Airtable template but I can't for the life of me figure out how to get that template into my existing base. I get it that I can sync and then remove the sync, but the reason the template is so cool is because of the multiple tables, views and interfaces.

Am I right that I would have to sync each table in the template to my base and then edit to get all of the configurations, like views and interfaces?

I also understand that I can make a copy of the template and sync my existing tables to this new base and then delete the old one, but this means that all of the links I've shared out will no longer work, which leads to frustration and less uptake of the tool

If I understand this right, templates are designed only for when you're starting a brand new base and not good for adding to existing bases. Is this correct? I feel like I'm missing something!

ETA: I see this feedback from 2017 but I'm only the 3rd person to upvote it in 7 years. Is this really not possible or not interesting to anyone else?

[TheTimeSavingCo]

re: If I understand this right, templates are designed only for when you're starting a brand new base and not good for adding to existing bases. Is this correct? I feel like I'm missing something!

Yeah I think this is pretty much it I'm afraid

[melvas66 · Accepted solution]

You're right that Airtable templates are designed primarily for creating new bases from scratch. Integrating a template into an existing base can be a bit tricky because Airtable doesn’t provide a straightforward method for merging templates into existing structures.

Here’s a summary of your options:

1. Sync Tables Individually: As you mentioned, you can sync each table from the template to your existing base. This approach will involve configuring each table, view, and interface manually. While it's a bit cumbersome, it allows you to integrate the specific parts of the template you need.

2. Duplicate and Sync: Another approach is to duplicate the template base, then sync your existing tables to the new base. After syncing, you’d need to update links and share settings. This might be less ideal if you have many links and integrations set up.

3. Copy and Customize: You could also copy the template base, then manually recreate or adjust the views and interfaces to match your existing base. This can be time-consuming but avoids disrupting existing links.

Unfortunately, as you noted, there’s no built-in feature in Airtable to directly import or merge templates into existing bases seamlessly. It’s a common frustration among users, and your feedback from 2017 highlights that it's a notable issue. It seems that Airtable’s focus has been on new base creation rather than integrating templates into existing workflows.

For more complex integrations, you might also consider reaching out to Airtable support or exploring third-party tools that can facilitate base migrations or template integrations Your Texas Benefits

[laurenCTCL]

Thanks, both. I'm feeling quite frustrated by this- templates are advertised as a great AT feature (and they are), but how many of us know exactly how we want to design our bases when we start? Or need part of a template but not others as we build out the base? 

I think option #1 above is probably the way I'll go, but it's such a pain that I might just build something out using the template as a model (ie: not a template).