---
title: "Templates and bulk rendering"
canonical_url: https://docs.zvid.io/docs/dashboard/templates-and-bulk/
source: docs/dashboard/templates-and-bulk.md
content_revision: 6338386a1dd87e4a
---

# Templates and bulk rendering

Templates let you reuse a design while changing its content; bulk rendering applies many sets of content to that design in one submission.

## When to use it

Use a template when the layout stays the same but product details, text, images, colors, or other variables change between outputs. Use a batch when you already have multiple sets of values to process.

| Task                                                       | Start here                                                                                                   |
| ---------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Create, edit, duplicate, or archive a reusable design      | [Manage templates](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/dashboard/templates/)                                                                           |
| Validate one set of variable values without creating media | [Preview a template for free](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/dashboard/templates/#preview-a-template-for-free)                                    |
| Produce one personalized video or image                    | [Render from a template](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/dashboard/templates/#render-from-a-template)                                              |
| Produce outputs from a table or CSV                        | [Create a bulk render](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/dashboard/bulk-renders/)                                                                    |
| Build automation with code                                 | [Template basics](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/templates/template-basics/) and [bulk rendering API](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/automation/bulk-rendering/) |

## Templates

**Navigation: Dashboard → Templates**

![Zvid Templates page showing the New template button used to start a reusable video or image design.](https://docs.zvid.io/img/dashboard-guide/templates-new-template.png)

1. Create a template with **New template**, or save one from the [visual editor](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/editor/templates/).
2. Select the template name to open its detail page.
3. In **Use template**, enter the variable values for an output.
4. Select **Preview (free)** to resolve the saved template into JSON and validate it.
5. When ready to create media, select **Render video**. This submits a paid render and opens **Renders**.

A template has a `tpl_…` ID that your applications can use for repeated API renders. The dashboard's template list contains your saved templates.

## Bulk renders

**Navigation: Dashboard → Bulk renders → New bulk render**

1. Choose a saved template.
2. Enter one data row per output, or select **Import CSV**.
3. Review the row count, variable values, and output format.
4. Select **Render N videos**, where N is the displayed row count.
5. Monitor the new batch and open or download completed outputs.

Rendering reserves credits. Rows rejected during validation can be corrected and submitted separately; accepted rows may already be rendering. Follow the [bulk-render guide](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/dashboard/bulk-renders/) to avoid submitting successful rows twice.

## What happens next

Single renders appear in **Renders**. Batch submissions also appear in **Bulk renders**, where you can inspect counts, errors, and individual outputs.

## Related documentation

- [Manage templates](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/dashboard/templates/)
- [Create and monitor bulk renders](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/dashboard/bulk-renders/)
- [Credits and billing](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/dashboard/credits-and-billing/)
- [Variables and templates in the editor](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/editor/templates/)