Customize intake forms with templates

Intake templates control which questions your client answers when you send them an intake link. Every new account starts with 8 ready-made templates, and you can edit, delete, or add your own at any time from Settings.

Where to find it

Dashboard → account menu → Settings → Templates tab. You can also get there by clicking Build a template inside the New project modal.

The default templates

FirstSlate seeds 8 starter templates the first time you visit your templates: Standard Brand Video, Live Event Coverage, Podcast Production, Wedding Video, Corporate / Interview Video, Social Media Content Package, Music Video, and Editing Only (Post-Production). Each one asks a different set of questions suited to that kind of job, for example event logistics and audio setup for Live Event Coverage, or footage location and post specs for Editing Only.

You can rename, edit, or delete any starter template. If you delete one and want it back, click Restore starter templates on the Templates tab. It brings back any missing defaults without duplicating templates you've kept.

Build a custom template

Click New template on the Templates tab. You can start from one of the 8 presets, or Start from Scratch:

1. Give it a name, an icon, and a color so it's easy to spot in the project picker.
2. Toggle the question steps you want. Built-in steps cover things like Primary Goal, Production Planning, Target Audience, Budget Range, Deliverables, Delivery Timeline, and Additional Details, plus category-specific steps such as Event Logistics, Podcast Setup, or Editing & Footage depending on what you're building around.
3. Add your own Custom Cards with custom fields when the built-in steps don't cover something you always need to ask. Each field can be short text, long text, yes/no, single choice, multi choice, or a number.

Preview the form as you build it, then save. Any time field on the form (like ceremony or event start times) displays in a 12-hour clock.

Choosing a template on a project

You pick a template when you create a project. If a specific client needs slightly different questions without changing the shared template for everyone else, open the project's Brief send screen and click Customize questions (available while the project is still pending intake). That saves a one-off version of the questions for that project only, and the project shows a Customized questions label so you know it's been tailored.

Plan availability

Building and managing custom intake templates works on every plan, including Free.

Common questions

Will editing a template change intake forms I've already sent?

Editing a template affects any project still using it that hasn't been customized per-project. A project with its own Customized questions override keeps its saved version regardless of later template edits.

What happens if I delete a template that's assigned to an existing project?

The project keeps whatever answers were already collected. If the project hasn't been submitted yet, its intake link falls back to a basic form until you assign a new template.

Why do I only see intake templates in the project picker, not my contract or crew agreement templates?

FirstSlate keeps intake, contract, crew agreement, and deal memo templates in separate lists by design, so the project picker only ever shows templates meant for client intake.