# Fast layer workflows

There are many different actions and shortcuts that can make your workflows faster and more efficient. Let's go through them.

## Creating layers

There are several ways to insert a layer.

### With right click menu

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One way, though the slowest, is to find the template in the menu.&#x20;

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You can also right-click and start typing the template's name or one of its search keywords and then hit Enter.

### With shortcuts

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When you find a stock template in the right-click menu, you will see that most of them have a shortcut assigned to them. For example, for a video layer template, the shortcut is V.&#x20;

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You can create a layer by simply holding this shortcut and clicking with a left mouse button (LMB). If you want to create a video layer the shortcut would be V+LMB.

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Another way is to hold Alt and hitting this key. If you want to create a video layer the shortcut would be Alt+V.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Good to know**: the mouse needs to be in the Timeline editor window for this to work.
{% endhint %}

### By dragging and dropping

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If you drag an asset of a specific type onto the Timeline, a menu will popup that will offer all the templates which have the asset type in its name.&#x20;

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For example, if you drag a video asset onto the Timeline you will get offered a popup menu with all the templates which have *Video* in them.

## Setting variables

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To set layer variables, you can of course use the controls in the Properties window. However, there are many drag-and-drop actions that will make your workflow faster.

### Drag & drop

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For example, if you you drag any object or asset onto a layer, all variables with the correct type will get set with that object or asset. This means that if you drag a video asset onto a layer, all variables of video asset type will get set with that video asset.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Good to know**: as a practical example, if you have a video layer and you want to assign a video asset to it, simply drag that video asset onto that layer.
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2FwwwEl9sNgEdYBZ0dnVyQ%2FassigningMappingToALayer.gif?alt=media&#x26;token=5345e24a-cde8-4aa1-be4a-41a4f9aae514" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Or if you drag a mapping, say, a video screen, onto a layer, all Mapping variables will get assigned to that mapping.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Good to know**: as a practical example, if you have a video layer and you want to assign it to a particular mapping, simply drag that mapping onto that layer.
{% endhint %}