Entity Filter Templates

Entity filter templates are reusable entity selections that let you quickly create new diagrams with the same set of entities. They're perfect for standardizing diagrams across your organization or quickly creating similar views.

What is a Entity Filter Template?

A Entity Filter Template is a saved entity selection that can be applied to new diagrams. Think of it as a preset or blueprint that defines which entities should be included in a diagram.

Key Characteristics

• Reusable: Apply the same entity selection to multiple diagrams
• Group-Specific: Templates belong to a specific group
• Non-Destructive: Creating a template doesn't affect existing diagrams
• Updateable: You can modify template membership at any time

Why Use Entity Filter Templates?

Common Use Cases

Standardization:

• Ensure consistent entity selection across similar diagrams
• Create firm-wide standards (e.g., "Operating Entities Only")
• Maintain quality control for client presentations

Efficiency:

• Save time when creating multiple similar diagrams
• Avoid manually selecting the same entities repeatedly
• Quickly onboard new team members with pre-configured templates

Documentation:

• Create named templates that describe their purpose (e.g., "Close Family - Parents and Children")
• Preserve common entity groupings for future use
• Share best practices across your team

Creating Entity Filter Templates

There are three ways to create a entity filter template:

Method 1: From an Existing Diagram

This is the most common method - save your current diagram's entity filter as a template.

1. Open a diagram that has a entity filter (not "All Entities")
2. Look for the entity filter badge in the diagram header
3. Click the bookmark icon (📑) next to the entity filter name
4. In the dialog, enter:
   • Template Name: A clear, descriptive name (e.g., "Close Family", "Operating Companies")
   • Description (optional): Explain what this template includes and when to use it
5. Click "Save Template"

The template is now saved and can be applied to new diagrams.

Method 2: From the Diagrams List View

Create a template from the Diagrams Hub (home page):

1. Navigate to Home or Diagrams
2. Find the group card for the relevant group
3. Expand the "Entity Filter Templates" section
4. Click "Create Template"
5. In the dialog, enter:
   • Template Name: Required
   • Description: Optional
6. Click "Create"
7. Click "Manage Entities" to add entities to the template
8. Select entities and click "Save"

This creates an empty template that you can populate with entities.

Method 3: From the Entity Filters List

Mark an existing entity filter as a template:

1. Navigate to the group's entity filters list
2. Find the entity filter you want to convert
3. Click the bookmark icon next to the entity filter name
4. Confirm the conversion

Note: Diagram-owned entity filters (created automatically when you remove entities from a diagram) cannot be converted to templates.

Applying Templates to New Diagrams

Once you've created a template, you can use it when creating new diagrams:

Creating a Diagram from a Template

1. Click "Create New Diagram"
2. Select the diagram type (Family Tree or Ownership)
3. In the "Entity Filter Template" dropdown, select your template
4. The diagram will include only the entities from the template
5. Enter the diagram name and other details
6. Click "Create Diagram"

The new diagram will have a entity filter containing the same entities as the template (a copy is created - the template and diagram entity filter are independent).

Template Dropdown Behavior

• All entities in group: Creates a diagram showing all entities (no entity filter)
• [Template Name] (N entities): Creates a diagram with a entity filter containing the template's entities

Managing Entity Filter Templates

Viewing Templates

From the Diagrams Hub:

1. Navigate to Home or Diagrams
2. Find the group card
3. Expand "Entity Filter Templates"
4. You'll see all templates with their entity counts

Editing Template Membership

To change which entities are in a template:

1. Find the template in the list
2. Click "Manage Entities" or the edit icon
3. Add or remove entities using the entity selector
4. Click "Save"

Important: Changing a template does NOT affect existing diagrams created from that template. Only new diagrams will use the updated entity selection.

Renaming a Template

1. Find the template in the list
2. Click the edit icon
3. Update the name and/or description
4. Click "Save"

Deleting a Template

1. Find the template in the list
2. Click the trash icon
3. Confirm the deletion

Note: Deleting a template does NOT affect existing diagrams. They will continue to work normally with their entity filters.

Templates vs. Regular Entity Filters

Understanding the difference is important:

When to Use Each

Use a Template when:

• You'll create multiple similar diagrams
• You want to standardize entity selection
• You're documenting best practices
• You want to share entity groupings with your team

Use a Regular Entity Filter when:

• You need a one-off custom view
• The entity selection is specific to this diagram only
• You're experimenting with different views

Template Best Practices

Naming Templates

Good Names:

• "Close Family - Parents and Children"
• "Operating Companies Only"
• "Trust Structure - Current Beneficiaries"
• "Asset Portfolio - Property Holdings"

Avoid:

• Generic names like "Template 1", "Test"
• Overly long names (keep under 40 characters)
• Names that don't describe the entities included

Template Descriptions

Use the description field to document:

• What's included: "All operating companies and their directors"
• When to use: "Use for board presentations"
• What's excluded: "Excludes dormant entities"

Example:

Name: Close Family Members
Description: Parents, children, and spouses only. 
Excludes extended family. Use for family tree diagrams 
focused on immediate family relationships.

Template Organization

For groups with many templates:

• Use consistent naming conventions (e.g., prefix with category)
• Group similar templates mentally (you might name them: "FT - Close Family", "FT - Extended Family" for family trees)
• Archive or delete unused templates periodically
• Document template purpose in descriptions

Common Workflows

Workflow 1: Standard Client Onboarding

1. Create a "Client Onboarding" template with typical entity types
2. When onboarding new clients:
   • Create a new diagram
   • Select the "Client Onboarding" template
   • Add/remove entities as needed for this specific client
3. The template remains unchanged for the next client

Workflow 2: Presentation Decks

1. Create templates for each slide type:
   • "Executive Summary" (5-7 key entities)
   • "Detailed Structure" (full structure)
   • "Operating Entities" (trading companies only)
2. Create diagrams from each template
3. Export each diagram as PDF for presentation

Workflow 3: Before/After Restructures

1. Create a "Current Structure" template with existing entities
2. Create a "Proposed Structure" template with new entities
3. Use both templates to create comparison diagrams
4. Update templates as the restructure evolves

Common Questions

Can I share templates between groups?

No. Templates are group-specific. If you need the same template in multiple groups, you'll need to create it in each group separately.

What happens if I delete an entity that's in a template?

The entity is removed from the template automatically. The template's entity count is updated. Diagrams created from the template before the deletion are not affected.

Can I convert a diagram's entity filter to a template later?

Yes! Just click the bookmark icon next to the entity filter name in the diagram header, and it will be saved as a template.

Do templates affect diagram performance?

No. Templates are only used during diagram creation. Once a diagram is created, it has its own independent entity filter.

Can I update all diagrams created from a template at once?

No. Once a diagram is created from a template, its entity filter is independent. Changing the template doesn't affect existing diagrams. This is intentional - it prevents unexpected changes to existing diagrams.

How many templates can I create?

There's no hard limit, but we recommend keeping templates focused and manageable. If you have more than 20 templates for a single group, consider whether some can be consolidated or deleted.

Related Topics

• Working with Entity Filters
• Understanding Groups
• Groups vs. Entity Filters: Quick Reference
• Creating Diagrams