---
title: "Copy an element"
url: "https://docs.4hse.com/copy-templates-and-import/copy-an-element"
description: "The three steps of the copy procedure, which are the same for every kind of element."
---

# Copy an element

Every element that can be copied follows the same three-step guided procedure. What changes is only what you are copying — see [Copy, templates and import](/copy-templates-and-import/).

A copy always starts from the **destination** office: open its section, not the one of the source office.

Expand the **New** button in the toolbar of the section. It opens three options:

Option

What it does

**New**

creates an empty element

**Copy from…**

copies an existing element from offices of projects you have access to

**Create from template**

copies from a **template** project or office

## Step 1 — Select

[Section titled “Step 1 — Select”](#step-1--select)

A table lists the copyable elements of the projects and offices you have access to. Select one or more, and click **Next**.

## Step 2 — Filter

[Section titled “Step 2 — Filter”](#step-2--filter)

The screen splits in two:

-   the **navigation tree**, with the elements you selected and their relations;
-   the **detail view** of whatever is selected in the tree.

For each sub-element the detail panel shows its status relative to the destination office — `already present`, so it will be **linked**, or `not present`, so it will be **created**. You can decide item by item whether to link it, create a copy, or leave it out.

Click **Confirm** when the tree describes what you want.

## Step 3 — Copy

[Section titled “Step 3 — Copy”](#step-3--copy)

The operation runs and the result is shown: what was created, what was linked, and any errors or conflicts.

For a complete worked example, see [Copy a work phase between two offices](/copy-templates-and-import/copy-a-work-phase).

## The filters of each source

[Section titled “The filters of each source”](#the-filters-of-each-source)

**Copy from…** offers two:

Filter

Shows

**This project**

only the elements of the current project

**This office**

only the elements of the current office

**Create from template** offers two more, which combine:

Source

Shows

**Partner**

the partner’s templates, visible only to that partner’s clients

**4HSE**

the global 4HSE templates

**Country** — France · Germany · Italy · Spain · United Kingdom · USA

The elements you find are of three kinds: **template elements**, created in _template_ offices as reference models with standardised, pre-filled data; **non-template elements**, created in the real offices of your project; and **partner templates**, created in template offices by a partner.

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