diff --git a/R/create_lesson.R b/R/create_lesson.R
index 13da31cb1..5c91ba819 100644
--- a/R/create_lesson.R
+++ b/R/create_lesson.R
@@ -44,10 +44,15 @@ create_lesson <- function(path, name = fs::path_file(path), rmd = TRUE, rstudio
   copy_template("setup", fs::path(path, "learners"), "setup.md")
   copy_template("index", path, "index.md")
   copy_template("links", path, "links.md")
-  copy_template("placeholder", fs::path(path, "instructors"), "instructor-notes.md")
-  copy_template("placeholder", fs::path(path, "profiles"), "learner-profiles.md")
-  copy_template("placeholder", fs::path(path, "learners"), "reference.md",
-    values = c(title = "Glossary"))
+  copy_template("placeholder", fs::path(path, "instructors"),
+    name = "instructor-notes.md",
+    values = list(title = "Instructor Notes", heading = NULL))
+  copy_template("placeholder", fs::path(path, "profiles"),
+    name = "learner-profiles.md",
+    values = list(title = NULL, heading = NULL))
+  copy_template("placeholder", fs::path(path, "learners"),
+    name = "reference.md",
+    values = c(title = "Reference", heading = "Glossary"))
 
   cli::cli_status_update("{cli::symbol$arrow_right} Generating {.file config.yaml} ...")
   account <- tryCatch(gh::gh_whoami()$login, error = function(e) "carpentries")
diff --git a/R/utils-sidebar.R b/R/utils-sidebar.R
index f0f63cf3f..311e093a7 100644
--- a/R/utils-sidebar.R
+++ b/R/utils-sidebar.R
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ page_location <- function(i, abs_md, er) {
 #' @return a list with character vectors of HTML list elements.
 #' @keywords internal
 create_resources_dropdown <- function(files, type = "learners") {
-  files <- files[!grepl("reference[.]R?md$", fs::path_file(files))]
   if (type == "learners") {
     files <- files[!grepl("setup[.]R?md$", fs::path_file(files))]
   }
diff --git a/inst/templates/config-template.txt b/inst/templates/config-template.txt
index 4bf6ed953..a498314a6 100644
--- a/inst/templates/config-template.txt
+++ b/inst/templates/config-template.txt
@@ -14,20 +14,20 @@ carpentry: {{ carpentry }}
 title: {{ title }}
 
 # Date the lesson was created (YYYY-MM-DD, this is empty by default)
-created: ~
+created: {{ created }}{{ ^created }}~ # FIXME {{ /created }}
 
 # Comma-separated list of keywords for the lesson
-keywords: {{keywords}}{{^keywords}}software, data, lesson, The Carpentries{{/keywords}}
+keywords: {{keywords}}{{^keywords}}software, data, lesson, The Carpentries # FIXME{{/keywords}}
 
 # Life cycle stage of the lesson
 # possible values: pre-alpha, alpha, beta, stable
 life_cycle: {{ life_cycle }}
 
-# License of the lesson
+# License of the lesson materials (recommended CC-BY 4.0)
 license: {{ license }}
 
 # Link to the source repository for this lesson
-source: {{ source }}{{ ^source }}https://example.com/template-source{{ /source }}
+source: {{ source }}{{ ^source }}https://example.com/FIXME-template-source{{ /source }}
 
 # Default branch of your lesson
 branch: {{ branch }}{{ ^branch }}main{{ /branch }}
diff --git a/inst/templates/placeholder-template.txt b/inst/templates/placeholder-template.txt
index b1056ed76..2e17c4b4d 100644
--- a/inst/templates/placeholder-template.txt
+++ b/inst/templates/placeholder-template.txt
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 ---
-title: FIXME
+title: {{title}}{{^title}}FIXME{{/title}}
 ---
 
-{{#title}}
-## {{title}}
+{{#heading}}
+## {{heading}}
 
-{{/title}}
+{{/heading}}
 This is a placeholder file. Please add content here.
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/build_html.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/build_html.md
index 4de7da2f1..d2771bca2 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/build_html.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/build_html.md
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
       <li>
                               <a href="profiles.html">Learner Profiles</a>
                             </li>
+      <li><a href="reference.html">Reference</a></li>
 
 # [build_home()] instructor index file is index and schedule
 
@@ -54,5 +55,6 @@
       <a href="key-points.html">Key Points</a>
       <a href="reference.html#glossary">Glossary</a>
       <a href="profiles.html">Learner Profiles</a>
+      <a href="reference.html">Reference</a>
       <a href="aio.html">See all in one page</a>
 
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/build_lesson.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/build_lesson.md
index ec4624e12..5953925cb 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/build_lesson.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/build_lesson.md
@@ -24,5 +24,6 @@
       <a href="key-points.html">Key Points</a>
       <a href="reference.html#glossary">Glossary</a>
       <a href="profiles.html">Learner Profiles</a>
+      <a href="reference.html">Reference</a>
       <a href="aio.html">See all in one page</a>