> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://developer.harness.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://developer.harness.io/harness-solutions-factory/3.0/troubleshooting-and-resources/best-practices/resource-hierarchy.md).

# Resource Hierarchy

When creating flexible templates, resources can exist at the account, organization, or project scope.

To do this, you must do three things:

* Have the user specify the location where the template should be placed
* Place the resource \[using the terraform code] at the target location
* Dynamically give the users links to the created resources

This can be achieved using the following pattern in your catalog and terraform code.

### Specify location <a href="#specify-location" id="specify-location"></a>

You can use the following template section in your catalog to ask the user where the resource should be placed.

```yaml
  parameters:
    - title: Template Location
      description: Where should this be placed?
      required:
        - template_location
      properties:
        template_location:
          title: Template Location
          type: string
          description: Where should we place the template?
          enum:
            - Account
            - Organization
            - Project
      dependencies:
        template_location:           
          oneOf:
          - properties:
              template_location:
                enum:
                  - Account
          - properties:
              template_location:
                enum:
                  - Organization
              org_id:
                title: Org Identifier
                description: Harness Organization Identifier
                type: string
                ui:field: HarnessOrgPicker
            required:
              - org_id
          - properties:
              template_location:
                enum:
                  - Project
              project_id:
                title: Project Identifier
                description: Harness Project Identifier
                type: string
                ui:field: HarnessProjectPicker
              org_id:
                title: Org Identifier
                description: Harness Organization Identifier
                type: string
                ui:field: HarnessOrgPicker
            required:
              - project_id
              - org_id
```

You can then pass the org and project IDs to your terraform based on the values selected:

```yaml
RESOURCE_VARS:  
  organization_id: ${{ parameters.org_id if parameters.project_id else ( parameters.org_id if parameters.org_id else "") }}
  project_id: ${{ parameters.project_id if parameters.project_id else "" }}
```

### Use location <a href="#use-location" id="use-location"></a>

Now in your terraform, you need to define variables for the org and project IDs, and use them in your resource definition.

```hcl
variable "organization_id" {
  type        = string
  description = "[Optional] The organization where the step template will live, leave blank for account level. Provide an existing organization reference ID.  Must exist before execution"
  default     = null
}

variable "project_id" {
  type        = string
  description = "[Optional] The project where the step template will live, leave blank for organization or account level. Provide an existing project reference ID.  Must exist before execution"
  default     = null
}
```

Data sources validate that the locations exist before Terraform tries to create them, turning a confusing apply failure into a clear plan failure.

```hcl
data "harness_platform_organization" "this" {
  count      = var.organization_id == null ? 0 : 1
  identifier = var.organization_id
}

data "harness_platform_project" "this" {
  count      = var.project_id == null ? 0 : 1
  identifier = var.project_id
  org_id     = data.harness_platform_organization.template[0].id
}
```

The data sources can then be used to place the resources being created at whatever level the user specified.

```hcl
resource "harness_platform_template" "this" {
  org_id     = var.template_organization_id == null ? null : data.harness_platform_organization.template[0].id
  project_id = var.template_project_id == null ? null : data.harness_platform_project.template[0].id
}
```

### Return resource links <a href="#return-resource-links" id="return-resource-links"></a>

Finally, give the user handy links in their template so they can easily navigate to the created resource. The resource URL is crafted based on the org or project specified. This may change based on the resource you are linking to; the following is an example for some of the common resources.

```yaml
output:
  links:
    - title: Created Resource
      url: ${{ parameters.solutions_factory_details.harness_account_url }}/ng/account/${{ parameters.solutions_factory_details.harness_account_id }}/all${{ ("/orgs/" + parameters.org_id) if parameters.org_id else "" }}${{ ("/projects/" + parameters.project_id) if parameters.project_id else "" }}/settings/templates/${{ template_id }}
```