Step-by-step instructions
1.Navigate to Templates module
2.Find template to edit:
Browse by category
Search by name or keyword
Filter by author or date
3.Click "Edit" button (or pencil icon)
4.Modify template components:
Name: Update template name if needed
Category: Change category assignment
Description: Revise description for clarity
Content: Edit template text:
Update outdated clauses
Add new sections
Remove obsolete content
Fix typos or formatting
Variables & Clauses:
Add new: Insert
{{new_variable}}in content or add them from the settings section on the right.Modify: Click on the Variable and change variable names (updates all instances)
Remove: Click on the variable and remove it.
Edits are saved automatically.
5.All workspace members see updated template when they next access it
6.No version history: Previous version overwritten (unless version history feature enabled)
7. Ongoing drafts unaffected: Documents already created from old template version are not automatically updated
Practical example
Office manager Sophie Laurent discovers that the shared "Liquidation Deed - Standard" template contains an outdated tax clause referencing 2022 regulations. Belgian company law changed in 2024, requiring new disclosure requirements. She opens the template, clicks Edit, navigates to the tax clause section (paragraph 8), updates the clause text to reference 2024 regulations and add the new disclosure requirement, adds a new variable {{disclosure_statement}} for required text, updates the description to note "Updated for 2024 Belgian company law changes", saves. All 8 notaries in the office immediately see the updated template when they next insert it into Smart Drafting. Junior notary Thomas, who used the old template yesterday, reviews his draft and manually updates the tax clause to match the new standard. Future drafts automatically use the compliant version.
Notes and limitations
No version history: Editing overwrites previous version - no rollback capability (unless version history feature enabled separately)
Immediate effect: Changes apply instantly - all users see updated template next time they access it
No approval workflow: Anyone with edit permissions can modify shared templates without review
Ongoing drafts unchanged: Documents already created from template are not automatically updated - must manually revise
Variable name changes: Changing variable name breaks it for documents using old name (creates new separate variable)
No change tracking: No audit log showing what changed, when, or by whom (unless audit feature enabled)
Cannot revert: To undo changes, must manually re-edit to previous content (unless you kept backup)
Shared template conflicts: If multiple users edit simultaneously, last save wins (no merge conflict resolution)
FAQ
Q: Will ongoing drafts using the old template automatically update to the new version?
A: No, documents already created from a template are independent copies - they do not automatically update when the template changes. If you need to apply template updates to existing drafts, you must manually edit those documents. This prevents unexpected changes to in-progress work. Only new documents created after the template edit will use the updated version.
Q: Is version history tracked so I can see what changed?
A: By default, most implementations do not track version history - editing a template overwrites the previous version with no history. Some configurations may have version history enabled as a separate feature. Best practice: before making major changes, export or copy the current template as backup (e.g., "Liquidation Deed - Standard - v1 backup") so you can revert if needed.
Q: Who can edit templates - only the creator or anyone in the workspace?
A: By default, everyone can edit the templates.