Manage templates in macOS Server
Use the Server app to select settings and save them as a template for user and group accounts. Templates allow you to apply predefined settings to a new account. Using templates, you can easily set up multiple accounts with similar settings.
You can use templates only when you create an account, not to modify an existing account. You can use templates when creating accounts manually, or when importing them from a file.
If you change a template after it’s been used to create an account, accounts already created using the template aren’t updated to reflect those changes.
Create a user template
In the sidebar of the Server app
, select Users.Click the pop-up menu, then choose Local Users or Local Network Users.
If you don’t have an Open Directory server running, Local Network Users isn’t available in the pop-up menu.
Click the More button
and choose Edit Templates.Click the Add button
to create a new user template.The following settings are available:
Setting
Description
Template Name
The name of the template.
Allow user to
Select this to make users created with this template be administrators of your server.
Home Folder
Click the Home Folder pop-up menu, then choose Local Only or None - Services Only.
Limit storage usage to
Select this, then enter a value to limit the user’s home folder storage usage.
Login Shell
The user’s UNIX shell. By default, this is /bin/bash.
Primary Group
The UNIX group the user belongs to. Typically, this is “staff.”
Groups
Other groups the user belongs to.
Keywords
Enter keywords that describe or help identify user accounts created with this template. Keywords enhance user searches.
Notes
Enter a note about the user accounts created with this template. Notes enhance user searches.
Click Done.
Create a group template
In the sidebar of the Server app
, select Groups.Click the pop-up menu, then choose Local Groups or Local Network Groups.
If you don’t have an Open Directory server running, Local Network Groups isn’t available in the pop-up menu.
Click the More button
and choose Edit Templates.Click the Add button
to create a new group template.The following settings are available:
Setting
Description
Template Name
The name of the template.
Members
Members listed here will belong to the new group created with template.
Keywords
Enter keywords that describe or help identify the group. Keywords enhance group searches.
Notes
Enter a note about the group. Notes enhance group searches.
Click Done.
Create a template from an existing user or group
To create a template from an existing user, select a user in the users list, then click the More button
and choose Create Template from User.Edit the template as needed, then click Done.
To create a group template from an existing group, select a group in the groups list, then click the More button
and choose Create Template from User.Edit the template as needed, then click Done.
Remove a user template
In the sidebar of the Server app
, select Users.Click the pop-up menu, then choose Local Users or Local Network Users.
Click the More button
and choose Edit Templates.Select the template in the template list, then click the Remove button
.Click Done.
Remove a group template
In the sidebar of the Server app
, select Groups.Click the pop-up menu, then choose Local Groups or Local Network Groups.
Click the More button
and choose Edit Templates.Select the template in the template list, then click the Remove button
.Click Done.