# Templates Source: https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/templates > Generate documents pre-filled with a Participant's or User's details using custom templates and NDIA templates. Astalty Premium - This feature is part of the Astalty Premium plan. See What Premium includes. Use Templates to create finished documents from information already stored in Astalty. You can build a **Custom Template** for documents your organisation reuses, such as service agreements and welcome letters. Add **Placeholders** for details that change, then generate the document from a Participant or User profile. Astalty also supplies **NDIA templates** for common NDIA documents. > **Should I use a Template or a Form?** > > Use a **Template** when you need a formatted document that is ready to download, sign, send, or keep as a record. Use a [**Form**](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/forms/getting-started-with-forms) when you need someone to provide structured information, such as an incident report, check-in, or intake questionnaire. > > Use a **Template** when you want to: > > - Generate a **Service Agreement** pre-filled from a Participant's profile and linked budget, ready to send for eSignature. > - Produce an **NDIS consent form** with the Participant's details already populated. > - Create a **Schedule of Support** or **service quote** to share with a Participant or their Plan Manager. > - Pre-fill an **NDIA progress or implementation report** for review. > - Produce a **custom letter or document** your organisation reuses, such as a welcome letter or exit summary. ## Setting up templates - [Template Settings](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/settings/template-settings) explains how to create a Custom Template, choose its Usage Type and format, and add its content. - [Document Template Library](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/settings/document-template-library) lets you import a starter template, such as a Service Agreement or Support Plan, and adapt it for your organisation. - [Document Layout](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/settings/template-settings/document-layout) covers the front page, logo, contents page, body text, header, and footer for Astalty Templates. - [Available Document Template Placeholders](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/document-template-placeholders) lists the Placeholders for each Usage Type. Select a Placeholder to copy it. - [Formatting Tables](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/templates/formatting-tables) explains how to add and format tables in an Astalty Template. - [Adding Images](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/templates/images) explains how to add, resize, and describe pictures in an Astalty Template, or in a document generated from one. A template's **Usage Type** decides both where it can be generated and which Placeholders you can use: | Usage Type | Generate from | Typical use | | -------------------------- | ----------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | | Participant Template | A Participant's profile | Consent forms, letters, support plans | | Service Agreement Template | A Participant's profile | Service agreements that pull a Schedule of Support from a budget | | User Template | A User's profile | Position descriptions, employment letters, staff paperwork | ## Participant templates - [Participant Templates](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/participants/templates) explains where to find Custom Templates, NDIA templates, and previously generated documents on a Participant's profile. - [Participant Custom Templates](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/participants/templates/custom-templates) explains how to generate, edit, and finalise a Custom Template, then create a Participant record from it. - [Creating a Service Agreement](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/participants/service-agreements) covers the service agreement process from choosing a template and budget through to signing. - [Participant Records](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/participants/participant-records) explains how a finalised document is stored when you create a record from it. ## NDIA templates - [NDIA Templates](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/participants/templates/ndis-templates) explains how to find the NDIA templates Astalty supplies and generate one with the Participant's details. The **NDIA** tab can include the NDIS Consent Form, Plan Reassessment Request, Plan Variation Request, Update Name, Pronouns or Gender, Request for a Review of a Decision, Application for a Replacement Support, Support Coordinator and Recovery Coach reports, Early Childhood Provider Report, Support Evidence Form - Home and Living, Conflict of Interest Declaration, and Notify Participant Death. Some templates appear only when the related feature is enabled for your account. > **Change of Details or Situation has been replaced** > > The NDIA retired that form and split it into the **Plan Reassessment Request**, **Plan Variation Request**, and **Update Name, Pronouns or Gender** templates. See [Requesting a Plan Change or a Detail Change](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/participants/templates/ndis-templates#requesting-a-plan-change-or-a-detail-change) for which one to use. ## User templates - [User Custom Templates](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/users/templates) explains how to generate and finalise a Custom Template from a staff member's User profile, then create a User record. - [User Records](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/settings/users-settings/user-records) explains how a record created from a generated document is stored against the User. > **User templates need the HR permission** > > Only the Account Owner and Admins with **Can manage HR details for users** switched on can see and generate User templates, see [Updating Roles and Permissions](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/roles-and-permissions). Managers, Team Members, and Support Workers cannot. ## Signing and sharing - [eSignatures](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/esignatures) explains how to send a finalised document for electronic signature. - [Uploading Documents](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/uploading-documents) explains how to store documents that were created outside Astalty. ## Note templates Note Templates are a separate feature. Rather than generating a document, they drop a ready-made block of text into a note field so your team writes up consistently. - [Note Templates](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/settings/tasks-notes-settings/note-templates) explains how to create and manage reusable text for notes. - [Support Worker Case Note Templates](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/setup/what-support-workers-see/support-worker-case-note-templates) explains how to give Support Workers a consistent structure for case notes in the app.