Applying a template creates real work in your map. Before it does, DevStride shows you a preview that is exactly what will be created — and creates nothing until you confirm.
While you're still building, Try it in the builder resolves your current draft, unsaved edits included, without creating anything. It shows the filled values, the resolved tree, blocking problems, and non-blocking warnings.
Use it constantly. It's the cheapest way to confirm a token resolves the way you expect or that your date offsets produce the schedule you had in mind.
Try it works on the draft. The Preview step in the apply flow works on the saved template against a real target — which is why the builder asks you to save before previewing.
From anywhere:
The dialog runs Template → Variables → Preview → Apply, with the target location shown across the top throughout. You can change the location while you're on step 1.
Pick where it goes and what to apply. The picker shows only templates that fit the chosen location, with a tally at the bottom — "N of M templates can be applied here." Tick Show templates that don't fit here to see the rest along with the reason each one is blocked.
Each row shows the template's name, audience, what it starts with, how many variables it asks for, and its health.
Answer whatever the template asks. Required answers must be filled before you can continue, and values are validated as you go — a Custom field variable is checked against the real field's rules here, not at the end.
A template with no variables skips this step entirely.
This is exactly what will be created. Nothing exists yet.
This is a genuine server-side dry run. DevStride resolves the saved template against the real target and re-checks everything the apply itself would check — your access to the template, your access to the target, placement legality, validation, and resolution. It uses the same plan-building code the apply job uses, so what you see is what you get.
You get a count of items to be created, the date they're anchored to, which board each cycle placement resolved to, any errors, any warnings, and the full indented tree with type, title, dates, board, and assignee.
If there are errors, the apply button stays disabled. Fix the template and come back.
Work is created and progress is reported per node.
Placement depends on what the template starts with:
| Template starts with | Can be applied to |
|---|---|
| A workstream | Workstreams only |
| A top-level work type (one with no parent type, e.g. an Epic) | Workstreams only |
| Any other work type | Workstreams, and items of its parent type |
So a template rooted at a Feature can go into any workstream, or under an Epic — but not under a Story. The Applies to chips on the template tell you this up front.
When a target doesn't fit, the picker says why, naming the target's type. If you haven't chosen a location yet, rows read Choose a location first.
Applying also requires CREATE_ITEMS_AND_WORKSTREAMS, plus permission to create in that specific location — the dialog tells you which is missing.
An apply runs as a background job, so a large template doesn't hold your browser hostage. You can press Run in background and carry on working; you'll be notified when it finishes.
Node by node, you'll see created, failed, or skipped.
An apply is not a transaction. If one node fails:
This is deliberate: partial progress on a 200-node template is more useful than losing all of it because one custom field rejected one value. The summary reads "Partially applied" and tells you exactly which nodes failed and why, with Copy error details to grab the list.
When it's done, Go to created work takes you straight to the first created root in the map.
After the fan-out, aggregations on the target are recalculated so rollups reflect the new work.
If a template references something that no longer exists, it can't be applied — and DevStride blocks it in the picker, giving the reason and telling you to ask the owner or an admin to fix it. See Template health.
Variables
Turn a fixed field into a question the template asks when it's applied — the eight variable types, token interpolation in titles and descriptions, and dates derived by day offsets.
Sharing templates
Templates start private. Share one with specific people, teams, or the whole organization — and use an explicit exclusion when a team grant reaches someone it shouldn't.