Do you use templates? What is in them?

I've just finished a fairly complex project, and I'm thinking of stripping out the midi / audio data and creating a template for future projects. I've spent some time customising midi controllers and configuring routing and fx and it seems logical to try and re-use them.
However, I'm wondering how much to leave, and how much to strip out? I could leave all the 'standard' instruments, but then there's a danger that I'll just re-use the same patches each time, and I won't bother to look for 'new' sounds. (And the same principal applies to FX as well)
What do you do? Do you use templates? What is in them?

There are two kinds of Template in Sonar - there is a Project Template, as well as a Track Template.
 
I myself don't do any grand Project Templates - I took the default Normal project template and slightly modified it to set some of the options the way I like to see things displayed.
 
All of the reset of things I do with templates, I do with Track Templates.  Most of the Track Templates I have are made for each different Drum Kit I use, where each track template would have each drum kit piece (each tom tom, each cymbal, snare, kick) sending its output to a separate audio output from the drum synth, as well as a track folder for Drums, that contains 2 midi tracks (1 for clicks and the other for the real drum midi data), all of the audio tracks for the different kit pieces, all of the routing assignments from those audio tracks back to the appropriate output from the drum synth, a bunch of buses, Drums bus, Toms bus, Cymbals bus, Snare bus, Kick bus, Parallel Comp bus, and I have each kit piece's gain pre-staged so that each kit piece is properly balanced to a common level.
 
So - by creating a Track Template for each and every different drum kit I create or use - I have built up a pretty good set of these templates, which I would then be able to reuse for new projects that happen to be using one of those kits I already built a template for.  
 
The above saves me lots and lots of time - as all of the work for setup only has to be done once for a given drum kit - and then any other time I want to use that same kit - a couple of mouse clicks and all of those tracks and settings and buses, etc. are all inserted and ready to rock.
 
Other folks may chime in with their own thoughts on Track Templates, and Project Templates as well.  I find the templates a HUGE time saver.
 
By the way - the audio data does not get saved in a template, so when you create a track template, you just click on the various tracks you want included, and when you export as a track template it will automatically include the relevant buses and effects and synths, and the various settings and patches - and for a project template you would delete off any stuff you didn't want included and the rest (except no audio) would be saved as a project template if you save it as such.
 
Bob Bone
 

I went to town on project templates about a year ago.
It seemed as versions of sonar went on, my older templates would act a little strange. So I would update them every version. Since the inception of Platinum I haven't had to do that anymore.
 
But I have several main project templates I use.
 
Synth template- all synths.
Audio template- all audio.
Mongrel template- a mix of both audio and synths.
Mastering template- I have several different ones.
 
This is a pretty basic (and pretty boring) video that I made a few years back but still applies.

 

I started out using project templates but have all but completely converted to track templates now. I have a vast collection for all of my favourite synths (complete with folders and audio tracks to bounce to) and input sources ready to go. More often than not I start with an empty project and load up as I need to.
Whichever way you go, they are a huge time saver and well worth spending time on.
 
As Chuck mentioned, I do find I have to redo them occasionally as they become flakey as Sonar versions progress. I have found this to be so even with Platinum. 

I have a project template used to start all of my projects.
There's AD installed, set to my standard kit, 10 Audio tracks to feed the AD outputs into Sonar, all with instrument icons, track names, and routing already set.  All in a Drum Tracks track folder.
One audio track set for vocals, with a compressor and reverb in the FX bin.
Two audio tracks set for whatever instruments I'm recording first.
Drum Buss, Vocal Buss, Guitar Buss, "Other" Buss, all feeding a Master Buss.
 
I'm planning on setting more up: a track template for my standard guitar track (audio track, input Left, Amplitube in the FX bin set to my go-to sound), standard bass track (audio track, input Left, Amplitube SVT sound in the bin), vocal track (audio track, input right, compressor & reverb in the bin).

I have a project template that I use for mixing - it has most of my busses already added and the PC modules and FX that I use on them.  It also includes 1 audio track for reference material that is routed to my master bus.  I don't put any plug-ins on the master.
 
I have track templates for AD2 (one with 1 midi track and 1 with 3).
 
I also use the mastering templates sometimes to finish up a mix.

As well there are many basic track templates already created for you to try.

Go to the insert menu and look for tracks/ templates and from there there a a variety of choices. Have a look. Very worthwhile.