Start from a template
The blank page is why the important note never gets written. KinSwitch Library templates give you a pre-written checklist for documents, accounts, insurance and bills, so what someone would need from you gets written down instead of put off.
A good checklist for documents your family would need starts with the household: the accounts, the insurance policies, the bills on autopay. The hardest part of writing it is the blank page. KinSwitch Library templates give you a note that is already written, so you start by editing instead of staring.
You open a new note. You meant to write down which card the mortgage pulls from. And the life insurance policy number. And the name of the neighbor who has a key.
That note is not really for you. It is for the person who would step in if you could not tell them yourself.
The cursor blinks. Nothing gets written. You close the note and tell yourself you will do it this weekend.
That is the blank page. It is why the important note never gets written.
KinSwitch is built around notes like that one. Write down what only you know. If you stop checking in, KinSwitch sends it to the person who needs it.
Templates change the starting point. You get a filled-in start, not an empty page. Then you edit it until it is yours.
What are Library templates?
Templates are pre-written notes and notebook plans in your Library. You start from one and make it your own.
The picker includes household operations, emergency contacts, medical information, and more.
A template opens in the editor already written.
How do I start a note from a template?
- Open your Library.
- Select + New, then choose From Template.
- Pick a template from the picker.
- Fill in the short form, or skip what you do not have yet.
- Read the note in the editor and make it your own.
That is the whole path. In the Library, + New, then From Template.
What does the short form do?
Templates have fill-in spots. Before the editor opens, a short form collects the names and numbers that matter. It writes them into the template for you.
You do not need everything at once. Skip anything you do not have handy. Blanks stay clearly marked, so you can fill them later.
The insurance agent's phone number can wait. The rest of the note does not have to.
Should I use one note or a whole notebook?
Some templates create a single note. Others create an entire notebook with starter entries already in place.
A notebook template gives you the structure up front. You fill the entries one at a time. It is the fastest way to build a digital death binder or an "If I'm Gone" journal.
Inside any notebook, you can also start a new entry from a template.
What happens after I apply a template?
The moment it is created, an applied template is an ordinary note or notebook.
It is encrypted, like everything else in your Library. It is fully editable. You can change any line of it.
Can I attach a template note to a switch?
Yes. An applied template is ready to attach to a switch like anything else you write.
Write it. Read it over. Then attach it to the switch that should deliver it. If you are wondering what happens if you miss a check-in, read what if I just forget to check in? And here is what your family actually receives when it goes out.
Will there be more templates?
New templates are added over time. They appear in the picker automatically.
If a document you wish existed is missing, write to hello@kinswitch.app.
Start with the one you have been putting off
The note you keep putting off is usually the one someone would need most. Write it once and attach it to a switch. If you stop checking in, KinSwitch sends it to the person you chose.
Pick the note you keep meaning to write. Let the template carry the first draft. Start your 30-day free trial.
Related: the full release notes for this update are on the KinSwitch changelog.
FAQ
What should a checklist for documents include?
Start with the household: every account and where its login lives, every insurance policy and its number, and every bill on autopay with the card it pulls from. Then add medical information and emergency contacts. The household operations template covers most of this.
Do I need every detail before I start?
No. Skip anything you do not have handy. Blanks stay clearly marked so you can fill them later.
Can I change the text a template gives me?
Yes. An applied template is an ordinary note or notebook, and it is fully editable.
Is a template note protected like the rest of my Library?
Yes. It is encrypted, like anything else you write in KinSwitch.