How to Create a Google Sheets Template Link

Sharing a Google Sheet as a template can save you from a major headache. Instead of users accidentally writing over your original file, you can give them a special link that forces them to create their own copy right from the start. This article will show you exactly how to create these 'template links' for your Google Sheets, protecting your original work and making life easier for everyone you share it with.

Why a "Template Link" Is Better Than Just Sharing

If you've ever shared a link to a Google Sheet, you've probably received a flood of "access request" emails or, even worse, logged in to find someone has edited your original file by mistake. You tell them to go to File > Make a copy, but people often miss that step in their rush to get started.

This creates frustrating and unnecessary back-and-forth communication. The standard "Share" feature is great for collaboration on a single document, but it's not designed for distributing templates or master copies.

A template link completely solves this problem. When someone clicks your special link, they aren't taken to your document. Instead, they land on a page that prompts them to "Make a copy" of the sheet. This immediately duplicates the spreadsheet into their own Google Drive, giving them a personal version they can edit freely without ever touching your original file. It’s the perfect way to share things like:

• Budget planners
• Project timelines
• Content calendars
• Client onboarding checklists
• Report templates

This simple trick ensures your original document remains pristine and saves everyone time.

How to Create a Google Sheets Template Link: Step-by-Step

Creating a template link is surprisingly easy. It just involves a small tweak to the standard shareable URL. Let's walk through the process.

Step 1: Get Your Google Sheet Ready

First, open the Google Sheet you want to use as your template. Make sure it's finalized, clean, and ready for sharing. You might want to delete any placeholder text or old data so users start with a fresh slate. This is the version everyone will be copying, so it should be perfect.

Step 2: Adjust Your Sharing Settings

This is the most critical step. Before anyone can make a copy, they need permission to see the original file.

Click the big green "Share" button in the top-right corner of your screen. A new panel will pop up.

Under the "General access" section, you’ll likely see it’s set to "Restricted." You need to change this. Click the dropdown and select "Anyone with the link."

Next to this, you'll see another dropdown for permissions. It's usually set to "Viewer" by default, which is exactly what you want. Double-check that it says "Viewer." You don't want to give "Editor" or "Commenter" access, as that would allow people to modify your original file (if they found the original link), defeating the whole purpose of the template link.

By setting it to "Anyone with the link can view," you're making your template accessible to whoever clicks your link, without requiring them to request permission. It's read-only for their protection and yours.

Step 3: Copy the Share Link

Once you've set the permissions to "Anyone with the link," click the "Copy link" button and then click "Done." You now have the standard shareable URL copied to your clipboard.

This link is the foundation for our template link. Paste it into a text editor, a notepad, or even another browser tab so you can see it clearly. It will look something like this:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aBcD-EfgHiJ_KlmNoPQRstUVwxYzAb1cD2eFgHI3/edit?usp=sharing

Step 4: Edit the URL to Create Your Template Link

Here comes the magic trick. Look at the end of the URL you just pasted. You’ll see the word /edit followed by a question mark and some extra parameters (like ?usp=sharing).

All you need to do is delete everything from /edit to the end of the URL and replace it with /copy. That’s it!

Let's look at an example.

Original URL:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aBcD-EfgHiJ_KlmNoPQRstUVwxYzAb1cD2eFgHI3/edit?usp=sharing

Your New Template URL:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aBcD-EfgHiJ_KlmNoPQRstUVwxYzAb1cD2eFgHI3/copy

This new URL ending in /copy is your finished template link. Grab this link and share it anywhere you want people to immediately make their own copy.

Step 5: Test Your New Link!

Before you send your new link out to the world, give it a quick test to make sure it works as expected. The best way to do this is to open a new incognito window in your browser (or log out of your Google account). This lets you see the link just like a first-time user would.

Paste your /copy link into the incognito browser's address bar and hit Enter. You should see a webpage with a blue "Make a copy" button. If so, congratulations — it works!

Advanced Tip: The “/template/preview” Alternative

If you want a slightly more professional-looking landing page for your template, there’s another small URL trick you can use: replace /edit with /template/preview.

This creates a preview page that shows your audience a full-screen, non-editable version of your spreadsheet. In the top-right corner, they'll see a blue "Use Template" button. Functionally, it does the same thing as the /copy link: clicking "Use Template" saves a new copy to their Drive. The main difference is aesthetic - the preview provides context before they commit to making a copy.

Here's how that looks:

Original URL:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aBcD-EfgHiJ_KlmNoPQRstUVwxYzAb1cD2eFgHI3/edit?usp=sharing

Preview Template URL:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aBcD-EfgHiJ_KlmNoPQRstUVwxYzAb1cD2eFgHI3/template/preview

Which should you use?

• Use /copy when you want the fastest, simplest experience. It's direct and gets the job done instantly. Perfect for internal teams or when you’ve already explained what the link does.
• Use /template/preview when sharing templates externally, like with clients, blog readers, or customers buying a digital product. The preview page looks more polished and allows people to see what they’re getting before clicking.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

Is your link not working? Here are the two most common reasons why.

Problem 1: Users Get an “Access Denied” Error

This almost always happens because the sharing permissions are wrong. Go back to your original Google Sheet and click the "Share" button. Make sure "General access" is set to "Anyone with the link" can "View." If it's still set to "Restricted," people won't be able to see the sheet to copy it.

Problem 2: The Link Goes to a “Page Not Found” Error

This usually means there’s a typo in the link you created. The most common mistake is deleting too much of the original URL. Remember, you should only delete the part that starts with * /edit *.

Compare your edited link to the original again. The sequence of random letters and numbers after * /d/ * is the unique ID for your document - if any part of that is missing or changed, the link will break.

Final Thoughts

Creating a force-copy template link is a simple but effective way to streamline how you share Google Sheets. That one tiny URL change — from /edit to /copy or /template/preview — protects your master document and eliminates confusion, saving you time and preventing frustrating mistakes.

Manually updating templates is often the first step toward better reporting, but as your business grows, it can become a time-sink. We actually built Graphed to automate that entire process. Imagine connecting your data sources (like Google Analytics, Shopify, or your CRM) one time, and then being able to ask for any dashboard or report in plain English. Graphed turns tedious reporting work into a simple conversation, giving you back hours of your week that were once spent copying, pasting, and wrangling spreadsheet data.