There are numerous templates on Wikipedia that should be – and in almost all cases are – substituted when used, as opposed to being transcluded; that is, when they are placed, the code is called from the existing template and placed on the page as if you had typed it there. When templates are substituted there is no longer any direct connection with the template page the text was called from other than, often, a commented out note placed by the template indicating its origin, in the form: <!-- Template:Name -->.
Such commented out text is not searchable. For this reason it is impossible in most cases to track in any consistent and easy way the use of a template that is normally substituted. By contrast, since transcluded templates are always connected with their source template pages, all one needs to do to track usage of such templates is to check "what links here".
The z number templates, starting at {{z1}} and ascending ({{z2}}, {{z3}}, {{z4}} etc.) are blank, never substituted templates, whose only purpose is to provide a tracking mechanism in other templates that are substituted. Each z number template is assigned to (and placed in) one specific, normally-substituted template, where usage tracking is expected to be useful. This allows the outside template to be tracked by what links to the z number template assigned to it, without changing the template or its function in any way. The small footprint z number template is simply added to the existing template's code and thereafter remains invisible in the assigned template except when viewed in "edit mode", transcluding into its assigned template no material whatsoever as it has no text or code of its own.
To begin using a z number template to track a substituted template's usage, you must:
<noinclude>{{Z number doc}}</noinclude>
(yes, that's it){{z84}}<!-- Template:Name -->
{{Edit protected}}
request on the template's talk page, requesting that the z number template you have created be added.Once you have completed creation and assignment of a z number template to a normally substituted template, simply navigate to the z number template, click what links here, then click "Hide links" and all pages shown are those in which the assigned template appears. For convenience, this is the WLH tool with "hide links" option selected: just fill in the template's name in the field next to Page: and click Go.
{{Z1}} → {{Talkbacktiny}}
{{Z2}} → {{Declinedsd}}
{{Z3}} → {{Refref}}
{{Z4}} → {{Sdd}}
{{Z5}} → {{Sdd2}}
{{Z6}} → {{Sdd3}}
{{Z7}} → {{Uw-lblock}}
{{Z8}} → {{Uw-hblock}}
{{Z9}} → {{Uw-ewblock}}
{{Z10}} → {{Uw-3block}}
{{Z11}} → {{Uw-botblock}}
{{Z12}} → {{Uw-ublock}}
{{Z13}} → {{Uw-uhblock}}
{{Z14}} → {{Uw-npblock}}
{{Z15}} → {{Uw-softerblock}}
{{Z16}} → {{Uw-botublock}}
{{Z17}} → {{Uw-spamublock}}
{{Z18}} → {{Uw-vaublock}}
{{Z19}} → {{SD warn-needed}}
{{Z20}} → {{Helpme-nq}}
{{Z21}} → {{Wb}}
{{Z22}} → {{Uw-afcaddition}}
{{Z23}} → {{Uw-articletodraft}}
{{Z24}} → {{Articledeleted}}
{{Z25}} → {{Astray}}
{{Z26}} → {{Creation}}
{{Z27}} → {{Ping fix}}
{{Z28}} → {{Linking}}
{{Z29}} → {{Lostpassword}}
{{Z30}} → deprecated
{{Z31}} → {{Otherwiki}}
{{Z32}} → {{Otherwiki-sister}}
{{Z33}} → {{Ds/alert}}
{{Z34}} → {{Refref2}}
{{Z35}} → {{Renaming}}
{{Z36}} → {{Reportvandal}}
{{Z37}} → {{RD1}}
{{Z38}} → {{RD2}}
{{Z39}} → {{RD3}}
{{Z40}} → {{UPIMG}}
{{Z41}} → {{Vanish}}
{{Z42}} → unused
{{Z43}} → {{Uw-create1}}
{{Z44}} → {{Uw-create2}}
{{Z45}} → {{Uw-create3}}
{{Z46}} → {{Uw-create4}}
{{Z47}} → {{Uw-create4im}}
{{Z48}} → {{Please see}}
{{Z49}} → {{Uw-vandal-rand1}} case 0
{{Z50}} → {{Uw-vandal-rand1}} case 1
{{Z51}} → {{Uw-vandal-rand1}} case 2
{{Z52}} → {{Uw-vandal-rand1}} case 3
{{Z53}} → {{Uw-vandal-rand1}} case 4
{{Z54}} → {{Uw-vandal-rand1}} case 5
{{Z55}} → {{Uw-vandal-rand1}} case 6
{{Z56}} → {{Uw-vandal-rand1}} case 7
{{Z57}} → {{Uw-vandal-rand1}} case 0 (exp. #2)
{{Z58}} → {{Uw-vandal-rand1}} case 1 (exp. #2)
{{Z59}} → {{Uw-vandal-rand1}} case 2 (exp. #2)
{{Z60}} → {{Uw-test1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #3)
{{Z61}} → {{Uw-test1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #3)
{{Z62}} → {{Uw-spam1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #3)
{{Z63}} → {{Uw-spam1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #3)
{{Z64}} → {{Uw-error1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #3)
{{Z65}} → {{Uw-error1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #3)
{{Z66}} → {{Uw-unsor1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #3)
{{Z67}} → {{Uw-unsor1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #3)
{{Z68}} → {{Uw-npov1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #3)
{{Z69}} → {{Uw-npov1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #3)
{{Z70}} → {{Uw-bio1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #3)
{{Z71}} → {{Uw-bio1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #3)
{{Z72}} → {{Uw-attack1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #3)
{{Z73}} → {{Uw-attack1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #3)
{{Z74}} → {{Uw-blank1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #3)
{{Z75}} → {{Uw-blank1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #3)
{{Z76}} → {{Uw-delete1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #3)
{{Z77}} → {{Uw-delete1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #3)
{{Z78}} → {{Proposed deletion notify-rand}} case 1
{{Z79}} → {{Proposed deletion notify-rand}} case 2
{{Z80}} → unrelated purpose
{{Z81}} → {{AfD-notice-rand}} case 1
{{Z82}} → {{AfD-notice-rand}} case 2
{{Z83}} → {{ArbCom 2019 special circular correction}}
{{Z84}} → {{Uw-vandal-rand1}} case 1 (exp. #4)
{{Z85}} → {{Uw-vandal-rand1}} case 2 (exp. #4)
{{Z86}} → {{Uw-vandal-rand1}} case 3 (exp. #4)
{{Z87}} → {{Uw-spam1-bot}} case 1
{{Z88}} → {{Uw-spam1-bot}} case 2
{{Z89}} → {{Uw-spam2-bot}} case 1
{{Z90}} → {{Uw-spam2-bot}} case 2
{{Z91}} → {{Uw-spam3-bot}} case 1
{{Z92}} → {{Uw-spam3-bot}} case 2
{{Z93}} → {{Uw-spam4-bot}} case 1
{{Z94}} → {{Uw-spam4-bot}} case 2
{{Z95}} → {{Welcomeanon-rand}} case 1
{{Z96}} → {{Welcomeanon-rand}} case 2
{{Z97}} → {{Welcomeg-rand}} case 1
{{Z98}} → {{Welcomeg-rand}} case 2
{{Z99}} → {{Uw-test1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #4)
{{Z100}} → {{Uw-test1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #4)
{{Z101}} → {{Uw-spam1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #4)
{{Z102}} → {{Uw-spam1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #4)
{{Z103}} → {{Uw-error1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #4)
{{Z104}} → {{Uw-error1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #4)
{{Z105}} → {{Uw-unsor1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #4)
{{Z106}} → {{Uw-unsor1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #4)
{{Z107}} → {{Uw-npov1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #4)
{{Z108}} → {{Uw-npov1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #4)
{{Z109}} → {{Uw-bio1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #4)
{{Z110}} → {{Uw-bio1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #4)
{{Z111}} → {{Uw-attack1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #4)
{{Z112}} → {{Uw-attack1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #4)
{{Z113}} → {{Uw-blank1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #4)
{{Z114}} → {{Uw-blank1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #4)
{{Z115}} → {{Uw-delete1-rand}} case 1 (exp. #4)
{{Z116}} → {{Uw-delete1-rand}} case 2 (exp. #4)
{{Z117}} → {{Csb-notice-pageincludes-rand}} case 1
{{Z118}} → {{Csb-notice-pageincludes-rand}} case 2
{{Z119}} → {{Csb-notice-pageincludes-exp-rand}} case 3
{{Z120}} → {{Csb-notice-pageincludes-exp-rand}} case 4
{{Z121}} → {{Csb-notice-pageincluded-rand}} case 1
{{Z122}} → {{Csb-notice-pageincluded-rand}} case 2
{{Z123}} → {{Csb-notice-pageincluded-exp-rand}} case 3
{{Z124}} → {{Csb-notice-pageincluded-exp-rand}} case 4
{{Z125}} → {{Csb-notice-wikipage-rand}} case 1
{{Z126}} → {{Csb-notice-wikipage-rand}} case 2
{{Z127}} → {{Csb-notice-wikipage-exp-rand}} case 3
{{Z128}} → {{Csb-notice-wikipage-exp-rand}} case 4
{{Z129}} → {{Welcomelaws-rand}} case 1
{{Z130}} → {{Welcomelaws-rand}} case 2
{{Z131}} → User:OrphanBot/nosource nolicense-rand case 1
{{Z132}} → User:OrphanBot/nosource nolicense-rand case 2
{{Z133}} → User:OrphanBot/nosource nolicense-rand case 3
{{Z134}} → User:OrphanBot/untagged-rand case 1
{{Z135}} → User:OrphanBot/untagged-rand case 2
{{Z136}} → User:OrphanBot/untagged-rand case 3
{{Z137}} → User:OrphanBot/nosource-rand case 1
{{Z138}} → User:OrphanBot/nosource-rand case 2
{{Z139}} → User:OrphanBot/nosource-rand case 3
{{Z140}} → User:OrphanBot/nolicense-rand case 1
{{Z141}} → User:OrphanBot/nolicense-rand case 2
{{Z142}} → User:OrphanBot/nolicense-rand case 3
{{Z143}} - {{Z146}} → deprecated
{{Z147}} → {{The Defender of the Wiki Barnstar}}
{{Z148}} → {{No more links}}
{{Z149}} → {{Uw-hasty}}
{{Z150}} → {{Astray astray}}
{{Z151}} → {{Uw-softestblock}}
{{Z152}} → {{ArbCom 2019 special circular}}
{{Z153}} → {{bio-warn-deletion}}
{{Z154}} → {{Contrib-ro1}}
{{Z155}} → {{Ds/editnotice}} case 1
{{Z156}} → {{Ds/editnotice}} case 2
{{Z157}} → deprecated
{{Z158}} → {{Sdd4}}
{{Z159}} → {{Uw-paid1}}
{{Z160}} → {{Uw-paid2}}
{{Z161}} → {{Uw-paid3}}
{{Z162}} → {{Uw-paid4}}
{{Z163}} → {{helpmessage}}
{{Z164}} → {{Welcome to Wikipedia}}
{{Z165}} → deprecated
{{Z166}} → {{Nothanks-sd-NPF}}
{{Z167}} → {{Stop NPP}}
{{Z168}} → {{Stop NPP 2}}
{{Z169}} → {{Stop NPP 3}}
{{Z170}} → {{Stop NPP 4}}
{{Z171}} → {{Uw-NPR-1}}
{{Z172}} → {{Uw-NPR-2}}
{{Z173}} → {{Uw-NPR-3}}
{{Z174}} → {{Uw-NPR-4}}
{{Z175}} → {{Uw-joke1}}
{{Z176}} → {{Uw-joke2}}
{{Z177}} → {{Uw-joke3}}
{{Z178}} → {{Uw-joke4}}
{{Z179}} → {{Uw-joke4im}}
{{Z180}} → {{Uw-ecgaming}}
{{Z181}} → {{Tlx}} parameters
{{Z182}} → {{UAA-no edits}}
{{Z183}} → unused
{{Z184}} → {{Under review}}
{{Z185}} → {{Afc-warn-NPF}}
{{Z186}} → {{uw-vandalism1}}
{{Z187}} → {{uw-vandalism2}}
{{Z188}} → {{uw-vandalism3}}
{{Z189}} → {{uw-vandalism4}}
{{Z190}} → {{uw-vandalism4im}}
{{Z191}} → {{uw-test1}}
{{Z192}} → {{uw-test2}}
{{Z193}} → {{uw-test3}}
{{Z194}} → {{test}}
{{Z195}} → {{test2}}
{{Z196}} → {{test3}}
{{Z197}} → {{test4}}
{{Z198}} → {{test5i}}
The following z number templates are in use, but their corresponding templates have been deleted.
{{Z30}} → {{Notwiki}}
{{Z143}} → User:28bot/templates/registered case 1
{{Z144}} → User:28bot/templates/registered-new case 2
{{Z145}} → User:28bot/templates/unregistered case 1
{{Z146}} → User:28bot/templates/unregistered-new case 2
{{Z157}} → {{Delay archiving}}
{{Z165}} → {{Uw-patrolled}}