SharePoint 2010: Importing and Using imported templates

Recently we talked internally about SharePoint and begining to roll it out mainstream.  This involves working with each department and building out their sites.  One department (HR) found a few templates they wanted to work with.  Following is my experience importing and generating a test site from this template: http://www.techsolutions.net/EmployeeTraining.aspx

1. Download and extract your template until you can access the .wsp file
2. Verify the following service is running on SharePoint servers/farm: Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Sandboxed Code Service
• Check out this site for step details (both CA and PS): http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff535775(v=office.14).aspx
3. Decide if deploying to new Web Application or existing. 
• New
1. Create a new Web Application 
2. Create a new Site Collection against that new Web Application (Select template "Team Site" while creating this Site Collection)
3. Goto 'Site Settings' of that new Web Application
4. Goto 'Solutions' 
5. Upload Application Template ".wsp" file, and "Activate" that when upload completes
6. Create a new "Site" in the newly created "Site Collection" (in step 2), and select the newly uploaded solution in "Template" section
• Existing
1. Goto Site Collection to apply template to
2. Goto 'Site Settings'
3. Goto 'Solutions' 
4. Upload Application Template ".wsp" file, and "Activate" that when upload completes
5. Create a new "Site" in the newly created "Site Collection" (in step 2), and select the newly uploaded solution in "Template" section

Pretty simple but took me a while as services were not running.

Check out my How-To write up on SpiceWorks: http://community.spiceworks.com/how_to/show/46419-sharepoint-2010-importing-templates