# Templates API

Source: https://userguide.qualytics.io/data-quality-checks/templates/api/

Check templates are managed through the same API as checks. A template is returned in the same shape as a check, without a table or fields. Every endpoint below requires the **Manager** or **Admin** role, except listing templates and creating a single check from one. For interactive request and response schemas, open `/api/docs` on your deployment.

## Endpoints

| Method | Endpoint | What it does |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `GET` | `/api/quality-checks?template_only=true` | Lists check templates. Add `template_locked=true` or `false` to list only locked or unlocked ones. |
| `GET` | `/api/quality-checks/{id}` | Returns one template by its `id`. |
| `POST` | `/api/quality-check-templates` | Creates a template. |
| `PUT` | `/api/quality-check-templates/{id}` | Updates a template. On a locked template, the change also reaches its linked checks. |
| `PATCH` | `/api/quality-check-templates` | Updates several templates at once. See [Bulk Edit Templates](https://userguide.qualytics.io/data-quality-checks/templates/how-tos/bulk-edit/). |
| `DELETE` | `/api/quality-check-templates/{id}` | Archives a template and unlinks its checks. A template is never deleted permanently. |
| `DELETE` | `/api/quality-check-templates` | Archives several templates, sent as a list of entries with each template's `id`. |
| `POST` | `/api/quality-checks/{id}/template` | Creates an unlocked template from the check `{id}` and links the check to it. |
| `POST` | `/api/quality-checks` | Creates one check. Send `template_id` to create it from a template. This follows the check's team permissions, not the Manager role. |
| `POST` | `/api/quality-check-templates/{id}/bulk-create` | Creates one check per entry from the template `{id}`, as **Draft**. |
| `POST` | `/api/quality-check-templates/{id}/bulk-validate` | Validates the same entries as `bulk-create` without creating anything. |

## Create a Template

`POST /api/quality-check-templates` takes the template's definition:

| Field | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `rule` | Yes | The rule type, such as `notNull`. It cannot be changed later. |
| `description` | Yes | The description the checks start with. |
| `template_locked` | No | `true` to keep the linked checks in sync with the template. Defaults to `false`. |
| `filter` | No | The filter clause. It can use `each()`. See [Filter Permutations](https://userguide.qualytics.io/data-quality-checks/templates/deep-dive/filter-permutations/). |
| `coverage` | No | The coverage, from `0` to `1`. |
| `properties` | No | The rule type's properties, the same as on that rule type's API page. |
| `tags` | No | The tag names. |
| `additional_metadata` | No | Key-value metadata. |

> **Example: Create a locked Not Null template**
>
> ```json
> {
>   "rule": "notNull",
>   "description": "Every customer record must carry a customer ID",
>   "template_locked": true,
>   "filter": "is_test = false",
>   "coverage": 1,
>   "tags": ["customer-data"]
> }
> ```

`PUT /api/quality-check-templates/{id}` takes the same fields, minus `rule`. Fields you leave out keep their value.

## Create Checks from a Template

`POST /api/quality-check-templates/{id}/bulk-create` takes a list, one entry per check:

| Field | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `container_id` | Yes | The table or file that will hold the check. |
| `description` | Yes | The check's description. |
| `fields` | No | The field names the check applies to, when the rule type takes fields. |
| `filter` | No | A filter clause for this check. |
| `coverage` | No | The coverage, from `0` to `1`. |
| `owner_id` | No | The user who owns the check. |
| `default_anomaly_assignee_id` | No | The user assigned to the check's anomalies. |
| `tags` | No | The check's tags. |

> **Example: Apply a template to two tables**
>
> ```json
> [
>   {"container_id": 101, "fields": ["customer_id"], "description": "Every customer record must carry a customer ID"},
>   {"container_id": 202, "fields": ["cust_id"], "description": "Every customer record must carry a customer ID"}
> ]
> ```

Send the same list to `bulk-validate` first to catch problems without creating anything. Creating the checks also needs the **Drafter** team permission on each target datastore.

## Errors

| Status | When |
| --- | --- |
| `403` | Your role is below Manager, or a template edit would reach linked checks in datastores you cannot access. |
| `406` | Archiving a locked template that still has linked checks, or creating a template from a check that is already a template. |
| `409` | Creating a template from a check that is already linked to a template, or creating `each()` permutations a table already has. |

## Export

Templates can also be written to an enrichment datastore with a **Global Export** operation. See [Export Templates](https://userguide.qualytics.io/data-quality-checks/templates/how-tos/export/).

*Last updated: November 10, 2026.*