The safest way to do this is to follow these steps:

1. Before starting the update process, export a backup copy of any modified templates.
2. Run through the update, which includes a fresh copy of all of GFI HelpDesk's templates – but it does not overwrite any of your changes.
3. Once you are up and running, go into the Admin Control Panel and review your templates. Any modified templates is marked as Out-of-date.
4. After double-checking that you have all your backups in hand, click Restore to accept the fresh templates and overwrite your modified ones.
5. For each template that has been updated, export a copy, which gives you a local version of both the updated template and your modified version of the previous template.
6. Using a Diff & Merge tool, review your changes, and incorporate them into the updated template.
7. Once you merge your changes, copy your modified, up-to-date template, and paste it into GFI HelpDesk.
8. Repeat the compare and merge process for any templates you have modified until you are fully up-to-date.

For these steps, you need admin access to your GFI HelpDesk, as well as your server, if you are running Download.

Your first step is to make sure you have full local backups of any templates that you have modified:

1. Sign in to the Admin Control Panel.
2. Click Templates and click Import/Export in the sidebar.
3. From the Template group to export drop-down, select the group you want to back up.
4. From the Export type drop-down, choose Export modified templates.
5. Click the Export XML button.



Backing up modifications

6. Save your backup.

After updating, review your templates. For any that are modified, they have to be manually overwritten with the fresh templates that came over while updating.

1. Sign in to the Admin Control Panel.
2. From the side bar Click Templates > Restore.
3. From the Template group drop-down, select the group you want to update.
4. Next to Out of date, select Yes to find a list of all of your out-of-date templates.
5. Click Search.



Restoring fresh template version

6. A list of any of the templates, that has been modified and need to be updated to the newest versions, is displayed. Select all the templates by clicking the checkbox in the header row.



Select all the templates

NOTE:

Make sure you have local backups of your modified templates.

7. When you are ready, click Restore on the page to overwrite your modified templates with the new versions.

The complexity of this final step depends on how heavily modified your templates are. If there are just a few one-line changes, it should be pretty quick. More substantial changes might take longer to incorporate.

Whatever is the case, the process is the same:

1. Go to the Admin Control Panel > Templates > Import/Export.
2. From the Template group to export drop-down, select the group you want to modify.
3. Leave the Export type drop-down set to Export all templates.
4. Click Export XML.
5. Save your exported files to the same place you have your modified template backups.
6. If you do not have one already, download a Diff tool, which helps you to compare the two versions of each template.
NOTE:

Many development tools like Xcode, Eclipse, Visual Studio, etc. – have different utilities built-in, but you can also use standalone tools like Meld (free, OS X), Kaleidoscope (paid, OS X), or Beyond Compare (paid, cross-platform).

7. For each template you have modified, run a Diff between the customized version and the new default version.
8. Scan through the Diff and merge your changes into the fresh template.
NOTE:

You may need to edit your modifications to reconcile them with the new template.

9. When you have incorporated all your modifications into the updated template, save the XML file.
10. Repeat the previous three steps for every template you have modified.
11. Go back to the GFI HelpDesk Admin area. Click Templates > Templates sub-option to edit your templates directly.
12. From the Template group drop-down, select the group you want to update.
13. Find your first modified template in the list and click to open it.
14. Select the entire template contents and delete them.
15. In your local XML file with the modified, up-to-date template contents, select everything and copy it.
16. Paste it into the Template Contents text area in GFI HelpDesk.



Paste into template contents text area

17. In the Describe your changes text box, enter a changelog message. For example - "Restoring template modifications after upgrading to 4.80."
18. Click Save & Reload to save your changes.
19. Repeat the previous six steps for every template you have modified.
20. When you have made all your template updates, you have one last step – rebuilding your help desk cache, which you can do by clicking Diagnostics in the sidebar and then Rebuild Cache.