Using a Custom SharePoint Site Collection Template

When creating a custom SharePoint Site Collection Template by saving an existing Site Collection as a template, you cannot, unfortunately, upload the solution as a Farm Solution so that it is always available.  Instead, you have to upload the Site Collection Template into the local Site Collection's Solution Gallery and then use that solution to create the Site Collection.

Below are the steps for creating a Site Collection Template from an existing Site Collection and subsequently using this template to create a Custom Site Collection:

1. From an existing Site Collection, go into Site Settings
2. Click on the "Save site as template" link beneath "Site Actions"
3. The template will be saved into the Solutions Gallery
4. Beneath the "Web Designer Galleries" section, click on "Solutions"
5. Click on the name of the solution in order to download the solution file (.wsp) to your local computer
6. Now go into Central Administration and create a brand new Site Collection
7. After the new Site Collection has been created, select the tab for "Custom"which shows the option "Select template later..."
8. Once the Site Collection has been created, you can now navigate to the Solution Gallery for the Site Collection and upload your solution.
9. Once the solution has been uploaded, you must subsequently activate your solution.
10. You can now return to the template selection screen for your Site Collection and choose your recently uploaded Site Collection template.
11. This will now create your Site Collection using your Site Collection template!