---
sidebar_label: Build a checklist template matrix
sidebar_position: 1
description: Stop running deals from your head. Build a set of reusable checklists — one for each kind of deal you handle — so every new file starts fully structured.
---

<!-- Canonical: https://help.docjacket.com/docs/power-tc/template-matrix -->
<!-- Source: docs/power-tc/template-matrix.md -->

# Build a checklist template matrix

The difference between a TC who feels buried and one who runs 25+ deals calmly isn't effort — it's **encoding**. The expert moves their repeatable process into DocJacket *once*, so every new file starts fully structured. The foundation of that is your checklist templates.

:::tip The big idea
Don't have *a* checklist. Have a **matrix** of them — one for each kind of deal you actually handle.
:::

## Why one checklist isn't enough

A single generic checklist forces a choice on every file: either it's missing steps for some deal types, or it's cluttered with steps that don't apply. A matrix solves that — the right file gets the right list, with nothing irrelevant and nothing missing.

Our most productive coordinators organize their templates along four axes:

| Axis | Examples |
|---|---|
| **Side** | Buyer, Seller, Listing |
| **Deal type** | Traditional purchase, Wholesale, Novation, Joint Venture |
| **Client / team** | A high-volume agent team or investor client who works a specific way |
| **Language** | English, Spanish (for client-facing communication) |

So instead of one list, a new file gets, say, *"Buyer Side — Wholesale — [Investor Client]"* — exactly the steps that file needs.

## How to decide what deserves its own template

You don't need a template for everything. Create a new one when a deal type or client **genuinely works differently**:

- **Side** almost always deserves its own template — buyer-side and seller-side tasks differ a lot.
- **Deal type** deserves one when the *parties or steps* differ — a wholesale or novation file has different paperwork than a traditional purchase.
- **Client/team** deserves one when a specific high-volume relationship has consistent preferences (who to CC, their pace, their documents).
- **Language** deserves a parallel set if you serve clients in more than one language.

:::note Works in any state
The *structure* here is universal. The state-specific parts — how many days an inspection period runs, which documents are required — you'll plug into the tasks themselves (see [The 6-phase deal backbone](./phase-backbone.md)). The matrix idea works the same in Florida, California, or Texas.
:::

## Start with four, not forty

You don't build the whole matrix on day one. Start with the four that cover most of your business:

1. **Buyer Side**
2. **Seller Side**
3. **Listing**
4. **Your busiest client or team**

Then clone-and-tweak. Every time you notice you're hand-adjusting the same checklist the same way for a certain kind of deal, that's your signal to save it as its own template.

## How to create a template

1. Go to **Templates > Timeline Templates**.
2. Click **New Template** — or **Duplicate** an existing one to clone-and-tweak.
3. Name it clearly along your axes — e.g. `Buyer Side — Traditional` or `Seller Side — Spanish`.
4. Build out the phases and tasks (covered in the [next article](./phase-backbone.md)).

![Checklists list showing several named templates — buyer side, seller side, listing, and a client team template](/img/power-tc/template-matrix-list.png)

## Next

→ [The 6-phase deal backbone & smart due dates](./phase-backbone.md)