---
schema_version: "1"
id: 49c851cfd5fed34623a1e6beb9adc25cbcd9eadfb85729fef5e1ce9bd19edf05
title: Create Goal and Action Item Templates
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/sfdo/264-0-0/cm_create_templates.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sfdo.cm_create_templates.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: dc1dc6b5b73a610a0651cd598ad7b7d891647a756f9dd366b75b0f8385ca7bc4
description: Learn about when to use these templates and learn how to create them.
products:
  - Nonprofit
release: "264"
---
# Create Goal and Action Item Templates

Learn about when to use these templates and learn how to create them.

- **[What are Goal and Action Item Templates?](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sfdo.cm_create_templates.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Program Managers can build Goal and Action Item Templates for their Programs as a way to introduce organization-wide best practices into the Case Plan process. Goal and Action Item templates automatically guide a Case Manager to include specific Goals and Action Items in a Program's Case Plan, making Case Plan creation more efficient. If a Program has Goal and Action Item Templates, you can select them in the Case Plan Wizard when creating a Case Plan (related to that Program).
- **[Create Goal Templates](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sfdo.cm_create_templates.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Save time and consistently track goals using Goal Templates.
- **[Create Action Item Templates](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sfdo.cm_create_templates.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Save time and consistently track tasks using Action Item Templates.
- **[Create a Case Plan Using Goal and Action Item Templates](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sfdo.cm_create_templates.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Based on how your Programs are set up, they may have related templates that provide goals and actions items you can apply to your Case Plan.

## What are Goal and Action Item Templates?

Program Managers can build Goal and Action Item Templates for their Programs as a way to introduce organization-wide best practices into the Case Plan process. Goal and Action Item templates automatically guide a Case Manager to include specific Goals and Action Items in a Program's Case Plan, making Case Plan creation more efficient. If a Program has Goal and Action Item Templates, you can select them in the Case Plan Wizard when creating a Case Plan (related to that Program).

The fields available on a Goal created from a Goal Template or an Action Item created from an Action Item Template are determined by field sets. By default, new Goals and Action Items use the Case Plan Viewer field set. You can create your own field sets, then apply them to your Goal or Action Item Templates as needed. For instructions, see [Customize Case Plan Goals and Action Items](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sfdo.cm_config_caseplan_viewer.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Customize the Goal and Action Item fields on a Case Plan.").

## Create Goal Templates

Save time and consistently track goals using Goal Templates.

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-sfdo-case_management-264-0-0-production-enus/4bf5cafc-4c98-4543-b5bf-3b2a6d34e498/images/icon_note.png)

Note If you don't see some of the fields, such as Field Set, Required, or Case Plan Action Item Instructions, your administrator may need to add them to the page layout. See [Configure Goal and Action Item Templates](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sfdo.cm_config_templates.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Add fields about templates to page layouts.").

1. From the App Launcher (![App Launcher icon](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-sfdo-case_management-264-0-0-production-enus/4bf5cafc-4c98-4543-b5bf-3b2a6d34e498/resources-product/images/app_launcher_icon.png)), find and select **Goal Templates**.
2. Click **New** in the Program Goals Template section.
3. Enter a Goal Template Name.
4. Select a Program to relate the Goal Template to.
5. Optionally, select a field set for this Goal Template. By default, new Goals use the Case Plan Viewer field set.
6. Select **Required** to make the Goal required for Case Plans created for clients who have active Program Engagements for the associated Program. Required Goals are pre-selected when you create a Case Plan and you can’t remove them.
7. Enter Case Plan Action Item Instructions. Instructions help the Case Manager decide which action items, related to this goal, to choose when creating a new Case Plan.
8. Click **Save**.

## Create Action Item Templates

Save time and consistently track tasks using Action Item Templates.

1. From the App Launcher (![App Launcher icon](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-sfdo-case_management-264-0-0-production-enus/4bf5cafc-4c98-4543-b5bf-3b2a6d34e498/resources-product/images/app_launcher_icon.png)), find and select **Goal Templates**.
2. From the Recently Viewed Goal Templates list, click the Name of the Goal template for which you are building the Action Item template.
3. Click the **Related** Tab of the selected Goal Template.
4. Click **New** in the Goal Action Item Templates section.
5. Click **\+ New Action Item Template** in the Action Item Template Search box.
6. Provide an Action Item Template Name.
7. Optionally, select a field set. By default, new Action Item Templates use the Case Plan Viewer field set.
8. Click **Save**.
9. Select **Required** to make the action item required for this Goal Template. Required action items are pre-selected when you create a Case Plan and you can’t remove them.
10. Click **Save**.

![Important](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-sfdo-case_management-264-0-0-production-enus/4bf5cafc-4c98-4543-b5bf-3b2a6d34e498/images/icon_important.png)

Important At this time, do not use the Save & New Button as it creates unparented Action Item Templates.

## Create a Case Plan Using Goal and Action Item Templates

Based on how your Programs are set up, they may have related templates that provide goals and actions items you can apply to your Case Plan.

We'll create an example Case Plan for Anthony Hill, who needs support to re-enter the workforce after an extended period of homelessness. Feel free to follow along!

1. Navigate to a client record using **Client Search**.
2. Click the **Case Plans** tab.
3. Click **New Case Plan**.
    
    ![Case Plans showing New Case Plan button](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-sfdo-case_management-264-0-0-production-enus/4bf5cafc-4c98-4543-b5bf-3b2a6d34e498/case_management/images/newcaseplan.png)
4. Enter a Case Plan Name. For example, Workforce Reentry Plan - Anthony Hill.
5. Enter a description. For example, Plan to get Anthony ready to join the workforce.
6. Click **Next**. You'll see a list of Program Engagements for the client, unless the client isn't associated with any Programs.
7. Select the Program.
8. Click **Next**.
9. Select the Goals to include in this Case Plan. These Goals are from the template associated with the selected Program. If the client isn’t associated with any Programs, you see a list of available Goals. You may see instructions that help you choose which Goals to select, and some Goals may be required based on the Program(s) you selected.
10. Click **Next**.
11. Select the Action Items to include for the Goal. These Action Items are from the template associated with the selected Goals. You may see instructions that help you choose which Action Items to select, and some Action Items may be required based on the Goal(s) you selected.
12. Click **Next**.
13. Review your Case Plan and click **Save**.
14. On the Case Plan record, click **Edit**.
15. Give the Case Plan an overall status of **Not Started**.
    
    ![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-sfdo-case_management-264-0-0-production-enus/4bf5cafc-4c98-4543-b5bf-3b2a6d34e498/images/icon_note.png)
    
    Note The Case Plan Status represents the case manager’s general assessment of the Case Plan as a whole. It is not a rollup of other statuses.
16. Set an In Progress Date.
    
    ![Case Plan information to display in Case Plan highlights panel](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-sfdo-case_management-264-0-0-production-enus/4bf5cafc-4c98-4543-b5bf-3b2a6d34e498/case_management/images/caseplaninfo.png)
17. Click **Save**.