The work items that you create based on a template are populated with the same field values as those work items that you specify when you create the template. Templates are helpful for when you create work items frequently that contain much of the same content. For example, your team might use work items for reporting weekly status. You can use a template to ensure that all team members use the same format for reporting their status.
Relationships that you specify between work items in the template are included in the work items that you create based on that template. Therefore, you can use templates to capture a work breakdown structure by specifying a sequence of connected tasks, or a set of actions that are independent but have to be performed frequently. For example, you might include a Story work item with multiple child Task work items.
Templates can be captured from existing work items and imported from XML files. They are stored within a project area and can be used only within that project area.
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