To nominate a single template, copy and paste the following code at the top of the template:

{{subst:tfm|OtherTemplate}}

• Note: OtherTemplate should be replaced by the name of the other template to be merged, excluding the prefix Template: (or Module:).

To nominate multiple templates for merging under the same header, type the following at the top of each individual template:

{{subst:tfm|OtherTemplate|heading=NameOfHeading}}

where NameOfHeading is the name of the section heading under which you will list the templates for merging at TfD. You can also spell this |header=.

Unless you do something unusual such as enclosing in noinclude tags, articles that use the nominated template will provide a notification and link to the discussion. By default the article will show the following just above the display of the nominated template:

There are various other options, specified by the |type= parameter.

To nominate inline templates, set |type=inline. This will help with formatting issues that occur when the large notification is displayed. Type the following:

{{subst:Tfm|OtherTemplate|type=inline}}

The notification on articles looks like this: ‹The template Tfm is being considered for merging.› 

To use even smaller notifications, for inline template nominations, set |type=tiny. Type the following

{{subst:Tfm|OtherTemplate|type=tiny}}

which will produce the following notification: ‹See TfM›

To nominate templates that are used as sidebars, such as infoboxes, specify |type=sidebar, i.e.

{{subst:Tfm|OtherTemplate|type=sidebar}}

which produces:

You can alternatively use |type=infobox or |type=box to produce the same result.

Finally it is possible to disable the notification completely by typing |type=disabled. You can use this when everything else fails.

{{subst:Tfm|OtherTemplate|type=disabled}}

which outputs nothing at all on all transclusions of the template.

By default, if multiple notices would be displayed within a single element such as a paragraph or table, all but the first will be hidden. To show all of them, set |dedup=no.

For example, by default a sentence might appear as

This is useful when the same template is used more than once, but can hide notices if multiple templates under discussion are used together. In these situations use |dedup=no:

• {{subst:Tfd}} – the parallel template for deletion
• {{subst:Tfm|OtherTemplateName}} – basic TfM template (use at the template)
• {{subst:Tfm2}} – second step in a TfM process (use at WP:TFD daily log page)
• {{subst:Tfm notice|OtherTemplateName}} – to leave a notification at the template creator's talk page or other relevant pages