# Create a survey template

> Go to Pulse → Templates → Create template, choose a survey type, then set the template's details, questions and default invitation. You need Pulse Pro.

- Product: Pulse › Questions, templates and emails
- Who can do this: Super admins, HR admins, Reporting managers (view only)
- Plan: Pulse. Pulse Pro for creating templates
- Where: Admin dashboard
- Last checked: 15 Oct 2026
- Web page: https://www.vantagecircle.com/en/help/pulse/questions-templates-and-emails/create-a-survey-template/

A template is a starting point for a survey: a set of questions and a default invitation email. When an admin picks it in **Create survey**, its questions and invitation fill in, and they can still change them before launching.

Go to **Pulse → Templates** and select **Create template**. On Pulse Lite, the button has a **Pro** tag and opens an upgrade box instead.

## Steps

1. **Choose a survey type.** Pulse survey types are sent on dates you set when you create the survey. Onboarding, work anniversary and exit types are sent automatically at an employee milestone. Select **Continue**.

   ![Choose a survey type, with Pulse survey selected above Manager Feedback, Onboarding, Work Anniversary and Exit](https://cdn.vantagecircle.com/image/upload/q_auto,f_auto/v1792133376/vantagecircle/help-centre/en/pulse/questions-templates-and-emails/template-choose-type-3373836c1b730a1c.png)

2. **Template details.** Enter a **Template name** of up to 200 characters and a **Description**. Admins see the description when they choose a template.
   - For onboarding, choose how many days after joining it's sent: a preset, or any day from 1 to 330.
   - For a work anniversary, choose the year: a preset, or any year from 1 to 100.
   - Exit surveys go out on the employee's last working day, so there's nothing to set.

   There's one template per milestone. If you pick a milestone that already has a Vantage Circle template, yours replaces it for your company. If you already have your own template for it, saving updates that one. The screen tells you which will happen.
3. **Questions.** Pick questions from the **Question library**. It holds the questions available for the survey type you chose. Add at least one. Answer settings, such as whether a question must be answered, use the survey defaults and can't be changed in a template.
4. **Default invitation.** Choose **Use the company default** or **Use a saved invitation**. Saved invitations come from **Pulse → Emails**. See [Edit invitation emails](/en/help/pulse/questions-templates-and-emails/edit-invitation-emails/). The survey link is added when the invitation is sent.
5. Select **Create template**. You'll see **Survey template created**.

Nothing is saved until that last step. If you leave the page before then, you're asked first.

## What happens next

The template appears on **Pulse → Templates** with the source **Company**. Admins can pick it on the template step of [Create a Pulse survey](/en/help/pulse/run-surveys/create-a-pulse-survey/). For lifecycle templates, see [Lifecycle and exit surveys](/en/help/pulse/lifecycle-and-exit-surveys/).

## Change a template later

Open the row's menu on one of your company's templates:

- **Change template settings** lets you change the survey type and the default invitation. The name, description and questions can't change. A lifecycle template's milestone can't change either.
- **Change default invitation** opens straight on the invitation.
- **Duplicate** copies the template into a new one, named "Copy of" the original. Use it when you need different questions.

Vantage Circle templates can't be changed. Duplicate one to make your own version.

## If something goes wrong

**"No survey types are available. Create a survey type before creating a template."**
See [Create a survey type](/en/help/pulse/questions-templates-and-emails/create-a-survey-type/).

**"The linked invitation is no longer available. Choose another invitation."**
The email was deleted from **Pulse → Emails**. Pick another one.

**"The template could not be saved. Try again."**
Nothing was saved. Try again in a moment.

**"You can view survey templates, but you cannot change them."**
Reporting managers can look at templates but can't create or change them.