---
title: "How to set up a global template"
source: https://dev.pageseeder.com/get_started/tutorials/how_to_set_up_a_global_template.html
last_updated: 2026-08-11T16:25:55+10:00
tokens: ~615
---

# How to set up a global template

| Property | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Skills required | XML |
| Time required (minutes) | 15 |
| Intended audience | Developer |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Category | Document |

## Objective

In this tutorial, you’ll learn to set up PageSeeder so that it uses a [global template](../../reference/glossary/global_template.md).

A global template lets you provide common customisations such as document templates and organization configuration.

## Prerequisites

- You are an administrator
- You have privileged access to the PageSeeder host machine
- You have a PageSeeder developer license or a service provider licence

## Tutorial

### Create global project

In this step, you create a PageSeeder project called ‘config’ for use as a global template.

1. Go the **Administration dashboard** (click the tools icon)
2. Go to the **New project** page (Under **Project & groups** in the side menu)
3. Enter the **Title**, **Name** and **Description** on the form


  1. In this tutorial, we can enter "Config", "config", "Global configuration template"
4. Click **Submit** to create the project

> **Tip:** You can use any name of the project that you use as a global template. Typically, the name 'global' or ‘config’ is used. You cannot use ‘default’ as it is reserved by PageSeeder for PageSeeder default template.

### Update global properties

In this step, you change the global properties file.

1. Sign in to the host machine where PageSeeder is installed
2. Go to the **config** folder 


  1. On Linux: `/opt/pageseeder/webapp/WEB-INF/config` 
  2. On Windows `[PageSeeder install dir]/webapp/WEB-INF/config` 
3. Open the `global.properties` file in the text file editor
4. Add the following line

```properties
globalTemplate=config
```

> **Tip:** Check that the line does not already exist, if that is the case, your system already has a global template.

### Reload server properties

In this step, we enable the changes

1. Go the **Administration dashboard** (click the tools icon)
2. Go to the **Server properties** page (Under **System configuration** in the left menu)
3. Click **Reload**
4. Check that the **globalTemplate** property is set to the name of your project

> **Tip:** You can check that the global template is set up correctly by going to the **Project templates** page. The global template should appear is a list with a different coloured icon and the “global template” pill text next to it.