---
title: "What are route templates?"
description: "Save your shift times, depots, and capacities once, then reuse them every time you schedule"
url: https://help.routific.com/en/articles/9-what-are-route-templates
collection: "Route planning"
updated: 2026-11-04
language: en
---

# What are route templates?

Save your shift times, depots, and capacities once, then reuse them every time you schedule

### Watch: Scheduling routes with route templates

A route template is a reusable blueprint for your routes: when they start and end, where they start and end, and how much they can carry. Set it up once, and Routific uses it every time you schedule.

## What's in a template

-   **Shift time:** when your driver's day starts and ends (for example, 09:00 to 17:00).
    
-   **Start and end locations:** your depot, warehouse, or wherever drivers begin and finish. If drivers come back to where they started, check **Use same location for end address**.
    
-   **Tags:** match orders to the right routes, like refrigerated orders to your refrigerated van. [Learn about tags](https://help.routific.com/en/articles/58-understanding-tags.md).
    
-   **Capacity:** the most a route can carry. That can be boxes, meals, or simply a cap on orders per route. [Learn about loads and capacities](https://help.routific.com/en/articles/12-understanding-loads-and-capacities.md).
    
-   **Number of routes:** enter a number if you always run the same number of routes. Leave it blank and Routific creates the fewest routes needed for your orders, which is handy when your volume changes day to day.
    

> **Info:** Running different vehicles or shifts? Create one template for each, like a Sprinter and a truck, or a morning and an afternoon shift.

## Open your route templates

Click the **Route preferences** icon (the sliders) in the left-hand navigation, then choose **Route templates**.

![Routes screen showing numbered stops and colored routes across Vancouver, with the date selector set to Sun, Nov 15 and a Route preferences button. Visible: Routes, Sun, Nov 15, Outer Vancouver Harbour, Vancouver, Burnaby, YVR.](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/ghelparticle/NbgH2sfW7WHQD2d7kJ2i3MPOYFT8g2IaobgaPJk9l4ictldIalTnKe3FXGnhWrd7ZgxozOg5Abx.png)

If you’ve already created templates, you’ll see all your templates here with their shift time, locations, capacity, tags, and number of routes.

![The Test route preferences dialog shows the Route templates section with Sprinter and Truck templates, their settings, active checkboxes, and edit and delete controls. Visible: Test route preferences, Route templates, Optimization preferences, Add template, Sprinter, Active.](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/ghelparticle/NeuJH1yIQxnyUfBwi1IMzjqwpzJ5aD3MSRNeVCUVrLqG1QMNHmxvNi6tjXjHslOwaim65fqtNTd.png)

## Create a template

If you haven’t created a template yet or want to create a new one, click **\+ Add template**, give it a name, fill in the fields, then click **Create**. Only the name and shift time are required.

![The Create template dialog in Test route preferences > Route templates contains fields for route name, shift time, locations, tags, capacity, and number of routes. Visible: Create template, Template Name, Route, Shift Time, 09:00, 17:00.](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/ghelparticle/ztOSDKxjzSGtVi7qoh7ouoxfXLjo0H00ZFcqiD0AOoUCVhTGvpT8fxrdu8cz4oc03eMYK4hKguW.png)

## Choose which templates to use

Check **Active** on each template you want Routific to use when it creates routes. Uncheck it to keep the template for later without using it.

## Edit or delete a template

Click the **pencil icon**, make your changes, then click **Save**. To remove a template, click the **trash icon**.

![The Edit template dialog in Test route preferences shows route template settings, while a red circle and arrow point to the pencil edit icon. Visible: Test route preferences, Route templates, Optimization preferences, Edit template, Template Name, Sprinter.](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/ghelparticle/0x3C9eXy7A0TSZ4mO5SRfI5VwqpVKGTEpdF2riPRjqM7FC1skgu5i1g6XyyzQunr7atRnXyBvLs.png)

Click **Done** when you're finished. Changes only apply to routes you schedule from now on. Routes that are already scheduled stay as they are.

## Use your templates when you schedule

On the scheduling screen, choose **Automatically create routes**, then click **Schedule**. Routific builds your routes from your active templates and optimizes them. Walk through the full flow in [how to optimize and schedule routes](https://help.routific.com/en/articles/7-how-to-plan-and-optimize-routes.md).

![Route creation screen shows options to create a route, automatically create routes, or add routes from templates. Visible: Here are some quick ways to add routes..., Create route, Make a new route from scratch., Automatically create routes, Use your active route templates., Add from templates.](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/ghelparticle/rvSNXcYwkRTxZ3j4Xi35oBrRIL7GzcpaLkaQY1BBOMSIhev8NOoZKjhLAKpDFrs1oJfUJ6JqTZs.png)

![Plan routes screen for Wed, Oct 7, showing an order list, an empty Routes panel, and route optimization options with a Schedule button. Visible: Plan routes, Wed, Oct 7, Orders, Review orders, Routes, Add route.](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/ghelparticle/cr7NRZop8Hcf5OP5Is3w7OldxhBQMX4VdJEOC01q5TGu0hNCnfmlxTOG3V3J0Jum8ekegu8vrYl.png)

Learn more about [rules and constraints](https://help.routific.com/en/articles/47-how-to-set-up-rules-and-constraints.md).