SharePoint Document Issues

SharePoint Site Templates: Custom Provisioning & REST API Best Practices

Rana Garcia Oct 9, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to compare SharePoint's built-in template feature with advanced methods like PnP PowerShell and REST API to provision custom sites, lists, and libraries.

SharePoint Site Templates: Custom Provisioning and REST API Best Practices

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Provisioning new SharePoint sites that include custom pages, SPFx web parts, customized lists, and specific content.
Observed behavior: The built-in Save as template feature fails to properly include complex custom web parts, and users are not prompted to select custom templates during new site creation without manual PowerShell intervention or Solution Gallery uploads.

Before you start

Ensure you have SharePoint Administrator or Site Collection Administrator permissions and that custom scripting is enabled for your tenant before attempting to export or upload custom site templates.

Solution 1

Use the Built-In 'Save as Site Template' Feature

Best for basic SharePoint site structures that only require simple lists and document libraries without complex SPFx web parts.

Navigate to Site Settings

Open your SharePoint site, click the gear icon in the top right corner to open the Settings menu, and select 'Site information' followed by 'View all site settings'.

Save as Template

Under the 'Site Actions' category, click on 'Save site as template'. Enter a file name, template name, and description.

Choose to Include Content

Check the 'Include Content' box only if you need to copy existing files and list items. Click 'OK' to save the template to the Solution Gallery.

Modern Site Limitations: The 'Save as site template' option is often hidden or disabled on modern Microsoft 365 Group-connected sites and Communication sites.

Solution 2Recommended

Provision Custom Sites Using PnP PowerShell

The recommended approach for highly customized sites containing modern SPFx components, customized lists, and repeatable enterprise deployments.

Solution 3

Troubleshoot Custom Template Uploads and 404 Errors

Resolve common deployment issues such as templates not appearing in the creation menu or returning 404 errors.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't 'Include Content' copy my custom web parts in SharePoint?

The built-in Save as site template feature has strict size limits (usually 50MB) and does not natively support migrating modern customized SPFx web parts or certain classic features. PnP PowerShell is required for complex web parts.

Why do I get a 404 error when applying a SharePoint site template?

A 404 error during deployment usually means the target site URL is incorrect, a referenced template element (like a specific list or file) is unsupported, or there is a base-template mismatch between the source and target sites.

How do I make my custom template appear when creating a new SharePoint site?

If a saved template does not appear in the Custom tab during site creation, you must ensure custom scripting is enabled for your tenant, manually upload the exported .wsp file to the Site Collection Solution Gallery, and activate it before provisioning the new site.

Document & File Issues