Auto-calculate timeline and dates when creating board from template

Hello,
I have a relatively detailed template because the structure of each of my boards start with the same tasks. It would be great to have a new board auto-calculate date/timeline columns immediately upon creation from a template. As far as I can tell the column links between duration, date/timeline, and dependencies transfer properly. However, the date column will not fill itself in based upon the templated dependencies unless the duration value is entered from the board. If I have the durations transfer the template board all of the timeline values start on the current day despite dependencies (true for flexible and strict dependency types).
Thank you,
Levi

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Hey Levi! Though it is likely not a perfect solution, I’m wondering if using the item default values and creating a “sample” date for every new item would help trigger the dependencies and any automations on the board.

For example, if every new item created gets the date June 21 put in its “sample date” column, and there are different dependencies and “add __ number of days” automation recipes set up in the board, these automated parts of the template could fill in another date column with the values you actually want to see calculated, by using the example date auto-filled with default item values in the sample date column.

Let me know if this makes any sense or if I’m not quite understanding what you’re looking to do! :blush:

Hi Charlotte,
Thank you so much for the idea! I had not tried automations, but it gets really close to what I was thinking. I need a timeline to populate a Gantt for my application, but this suggestion put me on the right track.

What I did was follow your recommendation to create a “simple date” column with a default value. I also noticed that when the dependency is set to flexible the timeline will update to a calculated value based on dependencies only when the duration cell is updated after the dependency. Knowing that, I created an automation recipe - when “simple date” column changes → Increase duration by 1. Then I set the standard durations in my template to 1 day less. That way when I create a new board as soon as the “simple date” or place holder column is updated the duration will update and force the calculation on the timeline.

I still think it would be good to put something like this in the development que, perhaps in the form of a button to trigger/update a date or timeline column based on linked durations and dependencies. This solution works for the time being.
Thank you again!