Templates
A Description Template (or simply "template") defines the structure of a Description. Every Description must be based on a Description Template.
A template contains:
- Sections — logical groupings of questions within the Description.
- Question definitions — the actual fields users must fill in, supporting input types such as text, date, boolean (yes/no), select, checkbox, file upload, and external references.
Templates are the most direct way the platform captures detailed information from users. When you add a Description to a Plan, you choose a template that matches the type of output you are documenting (for example, a "Dataset" template or a "Software" template), and then answer the questions it defines.
Description Templates are created and managed by administrators. As an end user, you select a template when adding a Description to a Plan but cannot create or edit templates yourself.
If the templates available do not match your needs, contact your OpenCDMP administrator. Details on creating templates are in the Template Administration section.