WaveTemplateBundle Metadata Guide

Architectural Overview#

The WaveTemplateBundle metadata type represents a CRM Analytics template bundle. In enterprise and ISV architecture, templating is the gold standard for distributing complete, repeatable analytics solutions. A template bundle packages an entire suite of analytical assets—including dashboards, lenses, recipes, dataflows, extended metadata (XMD), and folders—into a reusable blueprint that users or automated processes can instantiate as personalized analytics applications.

Architecturally, WaveTemplateBundle is a directory-based bundle rather than a single XML file. It encapsulates user configuration wizards, dynamic variable substitution rules, conditional asset creation, and schema mapping. When an end-user creates an application from a template, the template engine executes the bundle’s rules engine to alter queries, filter conditions, and dashboard widgets based on the subscriber org’s schema and configuration answers.

Mastering WaveTemplateBundle allows enterprise architects to build multi-tenant analytics frameworks, distributing standardized KPI suites across multiple subsidiary orgs with zero manual configuration.

Directory and File Suffix#

Unlike single-file metadata types, WaveTemplateBundle is organized as a structured bundle folder located under waveTemplates/:

• Bundle Directory: force-app/main/default/waveTemplates/<TemplateName>/

force-app/
└── main/
    └── default/
        └── waveTemplates/
            └── Commercial_Operations_Template/
                ├── template-info.json
                ├── ui.json
                ├── variables.json
                ├── template-to-app-rules.json
                ├── dashboards/
                │   └── Executive_Summary.json
                └── recipes/
                    └── Commercial_Data_Prep.json

Key Metadata Files and JSON Schemas#

The bundle directory contains several coordinated JSON specifications:

Declarative Configuration Examples#

Template Manifest (waveTemplates/Commercial_Operations_Template/template-info.json)#

{
  "name": "Commercial_Operations_Template",
  "label": "Commercial Operations Template",
  "description": "Enterprise commercial operations analytics blueprint including revenue pacing and pipeline velocity.",
  "assetVersion": 68.0,
  "variableDefinition": "variables.json",
  "uiDefinition": "ui.json",
  "rules": [
    {
      "type": "templateToApp",
      "file": "template-to-app-rules.json"
    }
  ],
  "dashboards": [
    {
      "label": "Commercial Executive Summary",
      "name": "Commercial_Executive_Summary",
      "file": "dashboards/Commercial_Executive_Summary.json"
    }
  ]
}

Variable Declaration (waveTemplates/Commercial_Operations_Template/variables.json)#

{
  "IncludeRenewalPipeline": {
    "label": "Include Contract Renewals in Pipeline?",
    "description": "Select true if your organization forecasts contract renewals alongside new business opportunities.",
    "defaultValue": true,
    "required": true,
    "variableType": {
      "type": "BooleanType"
    }
  }
}

Manifest Definition (package.xml)#

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Package xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <types>
        <members>Commercial_Operations_Template</members>
        <name>WaveTemplateBundle</name>
    </types>
    <version>68.0</version>
</Package>

Retrieval and Deployment#

Retrieving Template Bundles via Salesforce CLI#

Retrieve the full bundle directory with all JSON files and referenced assets:

# Retrieve a specific WaveTemplateBundle
sf project retrieve start --metadata "WaveTemplateBundle:Commercial_Operations_Template"

# Retrieve all template bundles in the target org
sf project retrieve start --metadata "WaveTemplateBundle"

Deploying across Enterprise Release Pipelines#

Deploy template bundles to packaging orgs, testing sandboxes, or production environments:

# Validate template bundle deployment
sf project deploy validate \
    --metadata "WaveTemplateBundle:Commercial_Operations_Template" \
    --target-org packaging-org

# Deploy the bundle to production
sf project deploy start \
    --metadata "WaveTemplateBundle:Commercial_Operations_Template" \
    --target-org production-org

Inspecting Templates via Analytics REST API#

You can inspect installed templates and their bundle configurations using the Analytics REST API endpoint:

sf api request rest "/services/data/v68.0/wave/templates"

Architect Deployment Best Practices & Gotchas#

Frequently asked questions

What files make up a WaveTemplateBundle directory?

A bundle includes template-info.json for general configuration, ui.json for wizard layout, variables.json for user prompts, and rules.json for dynamic asset transformations.

How do you create a WaveTemplateBundle from an existing Analytics App?

You can generate a template bundle using Salesforce CLI analytics commands or Analytics REST APIs, extracting the app into a portable template structure for version control.

Can a WaveTemplateBundle be distributed in a managed package?

Yes, ISVs and enterprise teams routinely package WaveTemplateBundle metadata in second-generation managed packages to deliver preconfigured analytics experiences to subscribers.

What is the role of template-to-app-rules.json in a template bundle?

The rules file evaluates wizard variable selections made during app creation and dynamically alters dataset schemas, dashboard layouts, and recipe transformations accordingly.