Obsidian is a free note-taking tool that runs on all major systems and can manage notes and projects in a modern and professional way. One of the best ways to take advantage of the tool is to create your own templates to give your notes a consistent structure. This article will tell you everything you need to know about obsidian templates.
Create Obsidian Templates
Sometimes it is useful to have a predefined structure in your notes. This is where a template comes in handy. Follow these steps to configure your system and create your own Obsidian template:
Get started with configuring template storage
Because Obsidian does not come with built-in templates and folders, you will need to create a folder to make storing your templates easy and organized. It is simple by following the following steps:
- Open the Obsidian app.
- In the top left menu, select “Create new folder.”
- Name the folder “Templates” or whatever name you prefer.
- Click the “Settings” menu (the gear icon).
- Select the “Templates” section.
- Point the “Template Folder Location” to your new template folder.
Now Obsidian is ready to store any original templates you create! You can also store any templates you find online in this folder for your use.
Enabling the Templates Plugin
Before using a template, you must also enable them. Follow these steps to configure Obsidian to use templates.
- Open the Obsidian app.
- Click the “Settings” menu (the gear icon).
- Select “Top Plugins”.
- Scroll down to the “Templates” section.
- Make sure the “Templates” and “Command Palette” features are enabled.
Creating a template
Now it’s time to create your first template.
- Open the Obsidian app.
- Open a new note, which will be blank. To create a new note, click the plus sign.
- Format the note with the layout you want for a template.
- Save the note with the “.template” extension to save a new template for future use.
Every time you open a new note, you can now choose this template from the menu to use for that note.
Using obsidian templates
Now that you’ve created a new template and stored it in the right place, it’s time to use it. Follow these steps to import your template into your next note.
- Open the Obsidian app.
- Open the “Command Palette”.
- Type “Template” to begin your search.
- Select “Insert Template.”
- Choose your preferred template.
Your template will be added to the current note and you can start using it.
As you become more familiar with Obsidian, a shortcut for inserting templates is:
- Click “Insert Template.”
- Select the template you want to insert into the current note. It will be inserted at the cursor location.
Experiment with template ideas and see what creative things you can add to your Obsidian notes.
When to use a template
Templates can be used in many situations to save time and effort. Here are some of the best ways to use obsidian templates.
Take notes
Templates are a great way to organize your daily notes. Using a note-taking template keeps all of your notes consistent no matter when they are written. If you want to pide them into specific sections or use particular headings to organize your notes, you can create them in a template to avoid having to enter them each time you create a specific note.
Data collection
When you use Obsidian to store data you’ve collected, such as recipes or a list of video games you own, use templates to configure the information so it can be easily compiled with other items in your data collection. Storing information in a consistent pattern helps organize your data in useful ways.
Organize lists
A template can ensure that the base text of one note matches the base text of another. For shopping lists or to-do lists, for example, templates can give you the organizational structure you need to enter text in a useful order and save time and effort.
Teamwork
When working on a project with a team, it is important that all team members have the same way to work. Templates can ensure that each person works with the same structure for their notes or project.
Taking reference notes
When using Obsidian to take notes for writing or as references, templates can help separate the information you need from each source. By using bold headings for different sections, you can keep your source information, such as the title and authors, clearly organized.
Project management
Obsidian is extremely useful in business applications for note taking or project management. A template can provide a professional feel that is consistent and quickly set up. Templates are also useful if you request feedback from your coworkers and want to format how that feedback will be received to make it easier to compile. Projects are easier to manage with consistent settings for your notes.
Where to find pre-designed templates for obsidian
You can search the Internet to see what types of obsidian templates other people have created. Many templates can be found in the Obsidian Website. Obsidian users also have a presence on social media sites like Discord and Facebook, where they share template ideas. You can also search Obsidian forums for both templates and general help using Obsidian.
Use variables in templates
Obsidian offers users the option to insert variables into templates. These are fragments of text that are dynamic, changing and updating automatically. For example, using {{time}} in your Obsidian template will update the placeholder with the current time. Using {{Date}} will dynamically update the date and {{title}} will be replaced in the text with the note title. Variables are another tool to save time when organizing your notes.
Obsidian Stencils
Obsidian is a powerful tool in the personal and professional sphere and can help improve efficiency and organization. By creating your own templates, you’ll customize the tool to the exact format you need.
What obsidian templates have you made? How have these templates improved your personal or work life? Share your tips and ideas in the comments section below.
