Using Incident Templates (Pro Feature)
Incident templates let you create pre-written responses for common issues. When something goes wrong, you can quickly create an incident from a template instead of writing everything from scratch.
Why Use Templates?
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Speed | Create incidents in seconds during stressful outages |
| Consistency | Every incident follows the same professional format |
| Accuracy | Pre-written content reduces typos and mistakes |
| Team alignment | Everyone uses the same messaging |
Accessing Incident Templates
- Go to Incidents in the left menu
- Click Templates
- You’ll see your list of saved templates
Creating a Template
- Click New Template
- Fill in the template details:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Template Name | Internal name (e.g., “Database Outage”) |
| Incident Title | Default title when using this template |
| Initial Message | Pre-written first update |
| Default Status | Starting status (usually “Investigating”) |
| Default Components | Components commonly affected |
- Click Save Template
Example Templates
Here are some templates to get you started:
Website Outage
Title: Website Unavailable
Status: Investigating
Message: We are aware that our website is currently unavailable.
Our team is investigating the issue and will provide updates
as we learn more. We apologize for the inconvenience.
API Performance Issues
Title: API Slow Response Times
Status: Investigating
Message: Some users may be experiencing slower than normal API
response times. We are investigating the cause and working on
a resolution.
Scheduled Database Maintenance
Title: Database Maintenance in Progress
Status: Monitoring
Message: We are performing scheduled database maintenance.
Some services may be intermittently unavailable during this
time. Expected completion: [TIME].
Using a Template
When creating a new incident:
- Go to Incidents > New Incident
- Click Use Template
- Select your template
- The fields are pre-filled
- Modify as needed for this specific incident
- Click Create
You can always edit the pre-filled content before publishing.
Editing Templates
To update an existing template:
- Go to Incidents > Templates
- Click the template you want to edit
- Make your changes
- Click Save
Changes only affect future incidents - existing incidents are not modified.
Deleting Templates
- Go to Incidents > Templates
- Click the trash icon next to the template
- Confirm deletion
Deleting a template does not affect incidents that were created from it.
Template Best Practices
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Create templates for common issues | Make templates for every possible scenario |
| Use professional, empathetic language | Use overly technical terms |
| Include placeholders like [TIME] for dynamic info | Include specific dates or details |
| Review and update templates regularly | Let templates become outdated |