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Template Files and Folders

Updated: 2021-01-15

Built-in templates are part of TaxCycle and are not saved in a separate file unless you clone them (learn how in the Template Editor help topic). After cloning they are either saved to your templates folder or to the active Options Profile.

Template Files

Templates are usually named with the file extension .taxcycletemplate. However, the underlying template code is in HTML and CSS, and TaxCycle also recognizes files with the .html extension.

Clone and Save a Template

  1. In an open tax return in TaxCycle, open the correspondence you want to edit, for example CLetter.
  2. Right-click on the letter and select Edit template to open the template for editing in the Template Editor.
    Screen Capture: Open the Template Editor
  3. In the Template Editor, click the clone link in the red message at the top of the editor window.
    Screen Capture: Clone Template
  4. Click the Properties sidebar and set a new name and description for the template. For more details on the available properties for template files, see the Template Properties help topic.
    Screen Capture: Name Template
  5. Go to the Home menu and click Save.
    Screen Capture: Save Menu
  6. If you wish, edit the file name for the template. By default, it is named with the module and year, then the name you gave the template.
  7. To replace an existing template file, select a name in the list of files in the folder.
  8. The message at the bottom of the dialog box indicates where the template will be saved, whether in a local or network drive, or in an Options Profile.
  9. Click Save.
    Screen Capture: Save Dialog

Templates Folder

By default, TaxCycle saves any templates you customize or create in C:\ProgramData\Trilogy\TaxCycle\Templates. You can change this path to point to a network folder to share templates with others. For example \\MyComputer\Templates. This folder can be on your local computer or on a network folder, but everyone who wants to use it must at least have permissions to view the templates. This requires read/write permissions to make modifications to any templates.

You can share custom templates in an Options Profile. TaxCycle puts any custom templates into the Options Profile zip file, in a subfolder called Templates.

To change where your custom templates are stored:

  1. To open Options from the Start screen, click Optionsin the blue bar on the left side of the window. If you have a file open, go to the File menu, then click Options.
  2. On the left side of the dialog box, expand Files and Folders and click on Template Files.
  3. Browse to change the path to the Templates folder to a different location on your network. If you are sharing this path in an Options Profile, make sure you use a UNC file path so that other computers can find it. For example, \\MyComputer\Templates
  4. Click the Share link to share the Windows® folder with others on your network.
  5. Click the View files link to open the folder in Windows® File Explorer.
  6. To store the template files in the active Options Profile or to add them to the local options folder instead, click the Copy folder to… link. (The name of the location where the files will be placed changes based on whether you are currently using an Options Profile or local options.)
  7. Click Use default to use the default location for the files, but not to copy the files to that default location.
    Screen Capture: Put templates in this folder
  8. If your files are already stored in an Options Profile or default folder, the path will start with the words PROFILE rather than a drive letter or server name.
  9. The list at the bottom of the page shows all the template files stored in the folder or Options Profile.
    Screen Capture: PROFILE:Templates

Image Files

Any images you insert into your template are saved within the template file, as part of the HTML code rather than as a relative link to the images. Logos and signatures added on the Correspondence page in options are saved in the Options Profile or local options folder.

Install a Template File

Occasionally, you may want to send a template to a colleague or need to install a template someone else has given to you. To install a template file:

  1. Open the Template Editor.
  2. Click on Templates Folder on the Home menu.
    Screen Capture: Templates Folder Button
  3. Click the link at the bottom of the dialog box to open the templates folder or the containing folder where the Options Profile is stored in the Windows® File Explorer.
    Screen Capture: Template Files
  4. Copy and paste the files into:
    • The folder on the drive or server where you store your custom templates folder, or
    • When the templates folder is within the Options Profile zip file.
  5. Restart TaxCycle and the Template Editor.