diff --git a/front/js/pialert_common.js b/front/js/pialert_common.js
index 380738d2..313f8f29 100755
--- a/front/js/pialert_common.js
+++ b/front/js/pialert_common.js
@@ -300,6 +300,13 @@ function showMessage (textMessage="") {
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // General utilities
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+// check if JSON object
+function isJsonObject(value) {
+  return typeof value === 'object' && value !== null && !Array.isArray(value);
+}
+
+
 // remove unnecessary lines from the result
 function sanitize(data)
 {
diff --git a/front/php/templates/language/en_us.json b/front/php/templates/language/en_us.json
index b6587ca9..6ab01bc5 100755
--- a/front/php/templates/language/en_us.json
+++ b/front/php/templates/language/en_us.json
@@ -421,6 +421,8 @@
         "settings_old" : "The settings in the DB (shown on this page) are outdated. This is probably caused by a running scan. The settings were saved in the <code>pialert.conf</code> file, but the background process didn not have time to import it yet to the DB. You can wait until the settings get refreshed so you do not overwrite your old values. Feel free to save your settings either way if you don not mind losing the settings between the last save and now. There are also backup files created if you need to compare your settings later.",
         "settings_imported" : "Last time settings were imported from the pialert.conf file:",
         "settings_expand_all" : "Expand all",
+        "Setting_Override" : "Override default",
+        "Setting_Override_Description" : "TBD",
         "General_display_name" : "General",
         "General_icon" : "<i class=\"fa fa-gears\"></i>",
         "ENABLE_ARPSCAN_name" : "Enable ARP scan",
diff --git a/front/plugins/known_template/config.json b/front/plugins/known_template/config.json
index 0afb80dd..f83ad0f6 100755
--- a/front/plugins/known_template/config.json
+++ b/front/plugins/known_template/config.json
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@
           "type": "text.template",
           "maxLength": 50,
           "default_value": "(unknown)",
-          "value": {
+          "override_value": {
             "value":"(unknown)",            
             "override": true
           },
diff --git a/front/settings.php b/front/settings.php
index 5eb7fb1d..1cca1579 100755
--- a/front/settings.php
+++ b/front/settings.php
@@ -173,66 +173,111 @@ while ($row = $result -> fetchArray (SQLITE3_ASSOC)) {
       // go thru all settings and collect settings per settings group 
       settingsData.forEach((set) => {
 
+        let val = set['Value'];
+        const codeName = set['Code_Name'];
+        const setType = set['Type'].toLowerCase();
+        const isMetadata = codeName.includes('__metadata');
+        // is this isn't a metadata entry, get corresponding metadata object from the dummy setting
+        const setObj = isMetadata ? {} : JSON.parse(getSetting(`${codeName}__metadata`));
+
+        // constructing final HTML for the setting
         setHtml = ""
 
         if(set["Group"] == group)
         {
-          // hide metadata by default by assigning it a special class
-          const isMetadata = set['Code_Name'].includes('__metadata');
+          // hide metadata by default by assigning it a special class          
           isMetadata ? metadataClass = 'metadata' : metadataClass = '';
           isMetadata ? infoIcon = '' : infoIcon = `<i 
-                                                      my-to-toggle="row_${set['Code_Name']}__metadata"
+                                                      my-to-toggle="row_${codeName}__metadata"
                                                       title="${getString("Settings_Metadata_Toggle")}" 
                                                       class="fa fa-circle-question pointer" 
                                                       onclick="toggleMetadata(this)">
                                                     </i>` ;
 
+          // NAME & DESCRIPTION columns
           setHtml += `
-                    <div class="row table_row ${metadataClass}" id="row_${set['Code_Name']}">
+                    <div class="row table_row ${metadataClass}" id="row_${codeName}">
                       <div class="table_cell setting_name bold">
-                        <label>${getString(set['Code_Name'] + '_name', set['Display_Name'])}</label>
+                        <label>${getString(codeName + '_name', set['Display_Name'])}</label>
                         <div class="small">
-                          <code>${set['Code_Name']}</code>${infoIcon}
+                          <code>${codeName}</code>${infoIcon}
                         </div>
                       </div>
                       <div class="table_cell setting_description">
-                        ${getString(set['Code_Name'] + '_description', set['Description'])}
+                        ${getString(codeName + '_description', set['Description'])}
                       </div>
                       <div class="table_cell setting_input input-group">
                   `;
 
-          // Render different input types based on the settings type
-          let input = "";
+          // OVERRIDE
+          // surface settings override functionality if the setting is a template that can be overriden with user defined values
+          // if the setting is a json of the correct structure, handle like a template setting
 
-          const setType = set['Type'].toLowerCase();
+          let overrideHtml = "";  
 
+          //pre-check if this is a json object that needs value extraction
+
+          let overridable = false;
+          let override = false;
+          let overrideValue = val;
+
+          // TODO finish
+          if ('override_value' in setObj) {
+            overridable = true;
+            const overrideObj = setObj["override_value"]
+            const override = overrideObj["override"];
+            overrideValue = overrideObj["value"];
+
+            console.log(isJsonObject(val))
+            console.log(setObj)
+            console.log(group)
+          }
+
+          if(overridable)
+          {
+            let checked = override;            
+            overrideHtml = `<div class="override">
+                              <span class="overrideText" title="${getString("Setting_Override_Description")}">
+                                ${getString("Setting_Override")}
+                              </span>
+                              <span class="overrideCheck">
+                                <input onChange="overrideToggle()" my-data-type="${setType}" class="checkbox" id="${codeName}_override" type="checkbox" ${checked} />
+                              </span>
+                            </div>`;
+          }
+
+          
+          // INPUT
+          // pre-processing done, render setting based on type        
+
+          let inputHtml = "";
           if (setType.startsWith('text') || setType.startsWith('string') || setType.startsWith('date-time') ) {
             
             if(setType.includes(".select"))
             {
-              input = generateInputOptions(set, input, isMultiSelect = false)
+              inputHtml = generateInputOptions(set, inputHtml, isMultiSelect = false)
 
             } else if(setType.includes(".multiselect"))
             {
-              input = generateInputOptions(set, input, isMultiSelect = true)
+              inputHtml = generateInputOptions(set, inputHtml, isMultiSelect = true)
             } else{
-              input = `<input class="form-control" onChange="settingsChanged()"  my-data-type="${setType}"  id="${set['Code_Name']}" value="${set['Value']}"/>`;
+              inputHtml = `<input class="form-control" onChange="settingsChanged()"  my-data-type="${setType}"  id="${codeName}" value="${val}"/>`;
             }            
           } else if (setType === 'integer') {
-            input = `<input onChange="settingsChanged()"  my-data-type="${setType}" class="form-control" id="${set['Code_Name']}" type="number" value="${set['Value']}"/>`;
+            inputHtml = `<input onChange="settingsChanged()"  my-data-type="${setType}" class="form-control" id="${codeName}" type="number" value="${val}"/>`;
           } else if (setType === 'password') {
-            input = `<input onChange="settingsChanged()"  my-data-type="${setType}"  class="form-control input" id="${set['Code_Name']}" type="password" value="${set['Value']}"/>`;
+            inputHtml = `<input onChange="settingsChanged()"  my-data-type="${setType}"  class="form-control input" id="${codeName}" type="password" value="${val}"/>`;
           } else if (setType === 'readonly') {
-            input = `<input class="form-control input"  my-data-type="${setType}"  id="${set['Code_Name']}"  value="${set['Value']}" readonly/>`;
+            inputHtml = `<input class="form-control input"  my-data-type="${setType}"  id="${codeName}"  value="${val}" readonly/>`;
           } else if (setType === 'boolean' || setType === 'integer.checkbox') {
-            let checked = set['Value'] === 'True' || set['Value'] === '1' ? 'checked' : '';
-            input = `<input onChange="settingsChanged()" my-data-type="${setType}" class="checkbox" id="${set['Code_Name']}" type="checkbox" value="${set['Value']}" ${checked} />`;          
+            let checked = val === 'True' || val === '1' ? 'checked' : '';
+            inputHtml = `<input onChange="settingsChanged()" my-data-type="${setType}" class="checkbox" id="${codeName}" type="checkbox" value="${val}" ${checked} />`;          
           } else if (setType === 'integer.select') {
 
-            input = generateInputOptions(set, input)
+            inputHtml = generateInputOptions(set, inputHtml)
           
           } else if (setType === 'subnets') {
-            input = `
+            inputHtml = `
             <div class="row form-group">
               <div class="col-xs-5">
                 <input class="form-control"  id="ipMask" type="text" placeholder="192.168.1.0/24"/>
@@ -245,55 +290,55 @@ while ($row = $result -> fetchArray (SQLITE3_ASSOC)) {
               </div>
             </div>
             <div class="form-group">
-              <select class="form-control" my-data-type="${setType}" name="${set['Code_Name']}" id="${set['Code_Name']}" multiple readonly>`;
+              <select class="form-control" my-data-type="${setType}" name="${codeName}" id="${codeName}" multiple readonly>`;
 
 
-            options = createArray(set['Value']);
+            options = createArray(val);
 
             options.forEach(option => {
-              input += `<option value="${option}" disabled>${option}</option>`;
+              inputHtml += `<option value="${option}" disabled>${option}</option>`;
             });
 
-            input += '</select></div>' +
+            inputHtml += '</select></div>' +
             '<div><button class="btn btn-primary" onclick="removeInterfaces()">Remove all</button></div>';
-          } else if (setType === 'list') {
+          } else if (setType === 'list' || setType === 'list.readonly') {
 
-            settingKeyOfLists.push(set['Code_Name']);
+            settingKeyOfLists.push(codeName);
 
-            input = `
+            inputHtml = `
               <div class="row form-group">
                 <div class="col-xs-9">
-                  <input class="form-control" type="text" id="${set['Code_Name']}_input" placeholder="Enter value"/>
+                  <input class="form-control" type="text" id="${codeName}_input" placeholder="Enter value"/>
                 </div>
                 <div class="col-xs-3">
-                  <button class="btn btn-primary" my-input-from="${set['Code_Name']}_input" my-input-to="${set['Code_Name']}" onclick="addList(this)">Add</button>
+                  <button class="btn btn-primary" my-input-from="${codeName}_input" my-input-to="${codeName}" onclick="addList(this)">Add</button>
                 </div>
               </div>
               <div class="form-group">
-                <select class="form-control" my-data-type="${setType}" name="${set['Code_Name']}" id="${set['Code_Name']}" multiple readonly>`;
+                <select class="form-control" my-data-type="${setType}" name="${codeName}" id="${codeName}" multiple readonly>`;
 
-            let options = createArray(set['Value']);
+            let options = createArray(val);
 
             options.forEach(option => {
-              input += `<option value="${option}" disabled>${option}</option>`;
+              inputHtml += `<option value="${option}" disabled>${option}</option>`;
             });
 
-            input += '</select></div>' +
-            `<div><button class="btn btn-primary" my-input="${set['Code_Name']}" onclick="removeFromList(this)">Remove last</button></div>`;
+            inputHtml += '</select></div>' +
+            `<div><button class="btn btn-primary" my-input="${codeName}" onclick="removeFromList(this)">Remove last</button></div>`;
           } else if (setType === 'json') {
-            input = `<textarea class="form-control input" my-data-type="${setType}" id="${set['Code_Name']}" readonly>${JSON.stringify(set['Value'], null, 2)}</textarea>`;
+            inputHtml = `<textarea class="form-control input" my-data-type="${setType}" id="${codeName}" readonly>${JSON.stringify(val, null, 2)}</textarea>`;
           }
 
+          // EVENTS
+          // process events (e.g. run ascan, or test a notification) if associated with the setting
           let eventsHtml = "";          
 
-          const eventsList = createArray(set['Events']);
-
-          console.log(eventsList)
+          const eventsList = createArray(set['Events']);          
 
           if (eventsList.length > 0) {
             eventsList.forEach(event => {
               eventsHtml += `<span class="input-group-addon pointer"
-                data-myparam="${set['Code_Name']}"
+                data-myparam="${codeName}"
                 data-myevent="${event}"
                 onclick="handleEvent(this)"
               >
@@ -302,8 +347,9 @@ while ($row = $result -> fetchArray (SQLITE3_ASSOC)) {
               </span>`;
             });
           }
-          
-          setHtml += input +  eventsHtml + `
+
+          // construct final HTML for the setting
+          setHtml += inputHtml +  eventsHtml + overrideHtml + `
               </div>
             </div>
           `
@@ -318,7 +364,11 @@ while ($row = $result -> fetchArray (SQLITE3_ASSOC)) {
 
   }
 
-  //
+
+
+
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------
+  // generate a list of options for a input select
   function generateInputOptions(set, input, isMultiSelect = false)
   {
 
@@ -338,7 +388,8 @@ while ($row = $result -> fetchArray (SQLITE3_ASSOC)) {
     return input;
   }
 
-  // todo fix
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------  
+  // Generate an array object from a string representation of an array
   function createArray(input) {
     // Empty array
     if (input === '[]') {
diff --git a/pialert/helper.py b/pialert/helper.py
index 947c66b7..4cac9713 100755
--- a/pialert/helper.py
+++ b/pialert/helper.py
@@ -336,4 +336,8 @@ class noti_struc:
     def __init__(self, json, text, html):
         self.json = json
         self.text = text
-        self.html = html        
\ No newline at end of file
+        self.html = html        
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+def isJsonObject(value):
+    return isinstance(value, dict)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pialert/initialise.py b/pialert/initialise.py
index 1125538d..f9224610 100755
--- a/pialert/initialise.py
+++ b/pialert/initialise.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import json
 
 import conf 
 from const import fullConfPath
-from helper import collect_lang_strings, updateSubnets, initOrSetParam
+from helper import collect_lang_strings, updateSubnets, initOrSetParam, isJsonObject
 from logger import mylog
 from api import update_api
 from scheduler import schedule_class
@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@ from plugin import get_plugins_configs, print_plugin_info
 #===============================================================================
 # Initialise user defined values
 #===============================================================================
-# We need access to the DB to save new values so need to define DB access methods first
-#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Import user values
 # Check config dictionary
-def ccd(key, default, config_dir, name, inputtype, options, group, events=[], desc = "", regex = "", setJsonMetadata = {}):
+def ccd(key, default, config_dir, name, inputtype, options, group, events=[], desc = "", regex = "", setJsonMetadata = {}, overrideTemplate = {}):
+
+    # use default inintialization value    
     result = default
 
     if events is None:
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ def importConfigs (db):
                     events = set.get("events"), 
                     desc = set["description"][0]["string"], 
                     regex = "", 
-                    setJsonMetadata = set)
+                    setJsonMetadata = set)                   
 
             # Save the user defined value into the object
             set["value"] = v
diff --git a/pialert/mac_vendor.py b/pialert/mac_vendor.py
index aa576039..056b1223 100755
--- a/pialert/mac_vendor.py
+++ b/pialert/mac_vendor.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ def update_devices_MAC_vendors (db, pArg = ''):
 
     # Update vendors DB (iab oui)
     mylog('verbose', ['    Updating vendors DB (iab & oui)'])    
-    update_args = ['sh', pialertPath + '/update_vendors.sh', pArg]
+    update_args = ['sh', pialertPath + '/back/update_vendors.sh', pArg]
 
     # Execute command
     if conf.LOG_LEVEL == 'debug':