Templates are a type of subtitle file which lay the groundwork for translators. They are crafted by trained subtitlers and are a kind of base file which is timed, segmented, positioned and researched so that translators do not have to do duplicative work.
English templates are usually created for English language content, whereas pivot templates are created for non-English language content.
A pivot template has the same function as an English template but also translates from one language to another. For example, for a Korean-language original, a pivot template is produced and contains an English translation of the Korean source audio which acts as a template for translators working into other languages who do not speak or understand Korean. Working with templates means that translators never start with a blank page when localizing Netflix titles.