The built-in Template Policy is intended as a template for creating other policies. By default, the initial Device and Advanced settings of the first policy you create are based on the settings of this Template Policy, although you can base the initial settings on any other existing policy, including the Default Policy.

Note: Policies inherit only the Device Settings and Advanced Settings from their template policy. Settings on the top panel of the Add/Edit Policy page, including Enforcement Level, are not inherited. Device Settings and Advanced Settings appear on the Edit Policy page once you save a new policy.

You can edit the Template Policy to include the Device and Advanced settings you expect to want most of the time, simplifying policy creation. Once you create a policy, there is no ongoing linkage to its template policy, so you can change any setting in the new policy.

One important part of policy configuration is assigning notifiers to each setting in the policy that could block an action. Initially, each policy setting has a notifier assigned to it, and the message from each can differ depending on the setting that caused the block. If you want to change the messages from their defaults, it is best to alter the Template Policy before you create other policies. See Customizing and Creating Notifiers for more information. You also can let a setting block actions without displaying any notifier.

A key difference between the Template Policy and the Default Policy is the Advanced Setting called "Locally approve unapproved files on transition from Visibility or Low Enforcement Level to Medium or High". Activating this setting usually makes sense for a newly created policy, so it is activated by default (and not shown) for the Template Policy.

The Template Policy has the following special characteristics:

  • it appears only on the Policies page and its own Edit page
  • it cannot be assigned to any computer
  • no AD mapping rules can be created that point to the Template Policy
  • there is no agent installation package corresponding to the Template Policy
  • like the Default Policy, the Template Policy cannot be deleted
  • the setting "Locally approve unapproved files on transition from Visibility or Low Enforcement Level to Medium or High" is not shown but is automatically activated
Caution: When you create a new policy, be sure to verify or, if needed, change the setting values you inherited from the existing policy you based it on.