Update a template

Rename a template, edit its description or grouping, or replace its columns. The slug never changes, and edits are refused while a migration using the template is running.

PATCH https://app.vern.so/api/v1/templates/{template_slug}

Partial update of an active template: send any of name, description, grouping, or columns — omitted fields keep their stored value.

The slug is frozen: renaming a template changes only its display name, never its address. Template references in your integration stay stable across renames — the opposite of sources, which are addressed by name.

Authentication

Requires an x-api-key header. See Authentication.

Request body

At least one field is required.

name · string

New display name. Does not change the slug.

description · string | null

The template’s description / knowledge shown to the agent and your team. Pass null to clear it.

grouping · string | null

Free-text group label used to organise the template list in the Vern dashboard. Pass null to clear it. Not returned by template reads.

columns · object[]

A full replacement of the column set — send every column you want the template to have, in order. Each column takes the same shape template reads return: name (required), description, required, unique, desiredRule, strictRule, plus schema (a per-column JSON Schema; pass null to remove one) and linkRule (reference targets). What each setting enforces is documented in Column options. Cross-cell rules stored on the template are always preserved. Validation-rule changes automatically revalidate the sheets already using this template.

Two things a replacement does not carry over for you:

• A column’s schema is re-attached when you omit it, but linkRule is not — omit it and the column’s links are removed. Echo it back with the column to keep it.
• linkRule names its target template by internal id, which this API does not expose. Author links in the dashboard and round-trip them here.

Response

200 OK — the updated template, in the same shape as Fetch one template.

{
  "slug": "suppliers",
  "name": "Suppliers",
  "description": "Suppliers master list. One row per active supplier.",
  "columns": [ /* … */ ]
}

Errors

Status	Meaning
400	Malformed body, empty body, empty columns, or a column without a name.
401	API key missing or invalid.
404	No active template with that slug (archived templates can’t be edited through the API).
409	A migration that uses this template is currently running — retry after it settles.
429	10 requests per minute per account (the Writes class). Check Retry-After. See Rate limits.
500	Server error.

Example

# Update the description
curl -X PATCH https://app.vern.so/api/v1/templates/suppliers \
  -H "x-api-key: $VERN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{ "description": "Suppliers master list. One row per active supplier." }'

# Replace the column set
curl -X PATCH https://app.vern.so/api/v1/templates/suppliers \
  -H "x-api-key: $VERN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "columns": [
      { "name": "Supplier Name", "description": "Legal entity name", "required": true },
      { "name": "ABN", "required": false, "desiredRule": "strict", "strictRule": "^\\d{11}$" }
    ]
  }'

Next

• List templates — the current template set and column shapes.
• Column options — what every column setting enforces.
• Create a migration — templates become the migration’s sheets.