A method and apparatus for automating the configuration of network entities with a network management system. More particularly, a graphical user interface incorporates a template to allow administrators to configure attributes of network entities. The graphical user interface and template reduce the number of blocks required to configure network entities and also minimize user errors. The graphical user interface also allows an administrator to add and manage templates for future use. The method and apparatus are also for monitoring the progress of configuring network entities and generating an operation log.