---
title: Telegraf template patterns
description: |
    Template patterns describe how a dot-delimited string should be mapped to
    and from Telegraf metrics.
menu:
  telegraf_v1_ref:
    weight: 10
    name: Template patterns
---

Template patterns describe how a dot-delimited string should be mapped to
and from Telegraf [metrics](/telegraf/v1/metrics/).

A template has the form:

```text
"host.mytag.mytag.measurement.measurement.field*"
```

Where the following keywords can be set:

- `measurement`: specifies that this section of the graphite bucket corresponds
  to the measurement name. This can be specified multiple times.
- `field`: specifies that this section of the graphite bucket corresponds
  to the field name. This can be specified multiple times.
- `measurement*`: specifies that all remaining elements of the graphite bucket
  correspond to the measurement name.
- `field*`: specifies that all remaining elements of the graphite bucket
  correspond to the field name.

Any part of the template that is not a keyword is treated as a tag key. This
can also be specified multiple times.

**Note the following:**

- `measurement` must be specified in your template.
- `field*` cannot be used in conjunction with `measurement*`.

## Examples

### Measurement and tag templates

A basic template specifies a single transformation to apply to all
incoming metrics:

```toml
templates = [
    "region.region.measurement*"
]
```

This results in the following Graphite to Telegraf metric transformation.

```text
us.west.cpu.load 100
=> cpu.load,region=us.west value=100
```

You can specify multiple templates and differentiate them using _[filters](#filter-templates)_.

```toml
templates = [
    "*.*.* region.region.measurement", # All 3-part measurements will match this one.
    "*.*.*.* region.region.host.measurement", # All 4-part measurements will match this one.
]
```

### Field templates

The `field` keyword tells Telegraf to give the metric that field name.

```toml
separator = "_"
templates = [
    "measurement.measurement.field.field.region"
]
```

This results in the following Graphite to Telegraf metric transformation.

```text
cpu.usage.idle.percent.eu-east 100
=> cpu_usage,region=eu-east idle_percent=100
```

The field key can also be derived from all remaining elements of the graphite
bucket by specifying `field*`:

```toml
separator = "_"
templates = [
    "measurement.measurement.region.field*"
]
```

This results in the following Graphite to Telegraf metric transformation.

```text
cpu.usage.eu-east.idle.percentage 100
=> cpu_usage,region=eu-east idle_percentage=100
```

### Filter templates

Use glob matching to filter templates to use based on the name of the bucket:

```toml
templates = [
    "cpu.* measurement.measurement.region",
    "mem.* measurement.measurement.host"
]
```

This results in the following transformation:

```text
cpu.load.eu-east 100
=> cpu_load,region=eu-east value=100

mem.cached.localhost 256
=> mem_cached,host=localhost value=256
```

### Add tags

To add additional tags to a metric, include them after the template pattern
using the InfluxDB line protocol tag format (comma-separated key-value pairs).

```toml
templates = [
    "measurement.measurement.field.region datacenter=1a"
]
```

This results in the following Graphite to Telegraf metric transformation.

```text
cpu.usage.idle.eu-east 100
=> cpu_usage,region=eu-east,datacenter=1a idle=100
```

[metrics]: /docs/METRICS.md