Syncing Site Templates
When sites are linked to a site template, you can enable propagation to keep them in sync. Running a Site Template Sync updates all participating sites at once. This process adds elements a site doesn’t have and overwrites local changes to shared elements. Deleting pages from a template doesn’t remove them from the linked sites during the sync.
Keep in mind that site template syncs don’t copy permissions. Permissions are only copied when a site is first created from the template.
To use Site Template Sync, you must enable the New Site Template Sync release feature flag (LPD-82107). Keep in mind that syncs can’t run while Publications is enabled. Additionally, you cannot enable template propagation for sites with Staging enabled.
Each linked site controls whether it takes part in a sync, so confirm the participating sites before you run one. See Choosing Which Sites a Sync Updates.
Running a Sync
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Open the Global Menu (
), go to the Control Panel, and click Site Templates. -
Click Actions (
) for the site template and select Execute Site Template Sync.This action appears only when the site template is active and you have the Update permission on it. For an inactive site template, activate it first.
-
Click OK to confirm the sync.
Remember that custom changes to shared elements on the linked sites are overwritten by sync operations.
A message confirms the sync has started, and it continues to run in the background. When finished, a notification reports whether the sync succeeded, ended with errors, or failed. Ending with errors means some linked sites updated and others didn’t, and you can run the sync again.
Choosing Which Sites a Sync Updates
You control whether each site takes part in a sync from that site’s settings.
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Open the Site Menu (
), expand Configuration, and go to Site Settings. -
Click Site Template Sync.
-
For a site with no pages and no linked template, select a site template.
-
Enable or disable Enable propagation of changes from the site template.
Enable it to include the site in the next sync. Disable it to leave the site’s content unchanged.
ImportantYou cannot enable propagation for sites with Staging enabled. Staging and site template propagation are mutually exclusive.
-
Click Save.
Linking a site to a site template after the site is created doesn’t copy template content, so you must run a sync. The same applies to organization sites, user group sites, and users’ profile and dashboard pages.