template + page properties + variables?
Asked by Ashley Renlund:

I'd love to create a template for my space that includes the page properties macro with defined variables inside of it. In particular, I want a pick-list for a status field.

I was able to create the template itself -- but I could never create a page \*from\* that template successfully. It kinda half-loaded but without any of the editing functionality, no way to edit the page title, no ability to click on anything and have a cursor appear. When I removed the variables from the template, though, it behaved beautifully.

Do you happen to know if there's a trick to including variables in a page properties macro in a template? or is this not supported?

For context, I'm working in Confluence Cloud. I am a space admin but not an overall Confluence admin.

Many thanks!


Answers:
author: Diego
body: Hello [@Ashley Renlund](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/1200517) !

As I understand, when you use Template variables in your templates, editing pages created with the template become impossible.

I tried to replicate the same behavior but was unable to. When I use template variables, the first thing that Confluence asks from me is that the variables need to be filled.

After doing that, I am able to edit the page normally. Here is what it looks like:
> **Creating Template Variable:**
>
> ![Screen Shot 2020-08-06 at 16.59.25.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/105843iCCC15B3D90D240AA/image-dimensions/179x145?v=v2 "Screen Shot 2020-08-06 at 16.59.25.png")
>
> **Variable After Creation:**
>
> ![Screen Shot 2020-08-06 at 16.59.29.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/105845iDDD75709DA489D61/image-dimensions/270x149?v=v2 "Screen Shot 2020-08-06 at 16.59.29.png")
>
> **Variable value screen:**
>
> ![Screen Shot 2020-08-06 at 16.59.49.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/105844iE3BA4D6B6C54414F/image-dimensions/182x224?v=v2 "Screen Shot 2020-08-06 at 16.59.49.png")![Screen Shot 2020-08-06 at 16.59.55.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/105846i3F052F6C10125892/image-dimensions/215x250?v=v2 "Screen Shot 2020-08-06 at 16.59.55.png")
>
> **After variable value has been set:**
>
> ![Screen Shot 2020-08-06 at 17.00.06.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/105847i7E8ACF7826C8473A/image-dimensions/218x220?v=v2 "Screen Shot 2020-08-06 at 17.00.06.png")

With the behavior I described in mind, I would like to ask a few questions:
> 1. *Are you presented with the screen to defined the values for the variables?*
> 2. *If not, would it be possible for you to share a screenshot of what is actually displayed for you?*
> 3. *Is this happening with all templates that contain variables or only this specific one?*

Let us hear from you!

comments: author: Ashley Renlund
body: Apologies for being so slow to get back to you, [@Diego](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/1188952) -- some other matters came up, and I had to drop my various Confluence quests.

When I return to the template, I now see the option to define the values for the variables. That was not the case when I wrote in August. Similarly, pages that are created from the template now seem to be behaving themselves.

Whatever the issue was, it seems to be resolved now.


Tags: cloud

page-property

property

template