--- title: Managing, Copying, and Maintaining Workflows description: Learn how to manage workflow changes in Aclarian, copy workflows between forms, set up temporary coverage for planned absences, skip approvers when needed, and troubleshoot common workflow failure points. --- [Skip to content](https://support.aclarian.com/aclarian-client-support-knowledge-base/managing-copying-and-maintaining-workflows#main-content) English - United States Show submenu for translations [Client Support Portal](https://support.aclarian.com/aclarian-tickets?hsLang=en-us) [![BRANDING ELEMENTS LIBRARY (11)](https://support.aclarian.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BRANDING%20ELEMENTS%20LIBRARY%20(11).png?width=500&height=141&name=BRANDING%20ELEMENTS%20LIBRARY%20(11).png)](https://Aclarian.com) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English - United States Show submenu for translations - [Client Support Portal](https://support.aclarian.com/aclarian-tickets) How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Aclarian Client Support Knowledge Base](https://support.aclarian.com/aclarian-client-support-knowledge-base?hsLang=en-us) 2. [Workflow Management](https://support.aclarian.com/aclarian-client-support-knowledge-base/workflow-management?hsLang=en-us) August 25, 2026 # Managing, Copying, and Maintaining Workflows ## Learn how to manage workflow changes, copy workflows, handle temporary coverage, and troubleshoot common workflow issues Once your workflows are built, you will need to manage them over time. This article covers how workflow changes work, how to copy workflows, how to handle temporary coverage, and how to troubleshoot the most common workflow issues. --- ### Workflow and User Management Dependencies Some workflow step types depend on User Management being configured correctly. If these settings are not in place, the workflow will not route correctly. #### Department Head and Entity Manager Requirements | Requirement | Why It Matters | | --- | --- | | GL coding on the form | Determines routing | | Entity and Department Roles configured | Defines who the approver is | | User has permissions | Enables the user to approve | --- ### Common Failure Points Most workflow issues are caused by configuration gaps, not system errors. Use this table when troubleshooting. | Issue | Root Cause | | --- | --- | | Step not triggering | Missing required data on the form such as GL coding or amount | | No approver appearing | Role not configured in User Management | | User cannot approve | Missing permissions | | Wrong approver receiving the form | Incorrect GL coding or roles | Before concluding there is a system error, confirm that User Management is configured correctly and that the form contains the required trigger data. --- ### Copying Workflows The Copy Workflow feature lets you duplicate an existing workflow configuration from one form to another. This is a one-time action that copies the structure and step setup of the selected workflow. Copying does not create a permanent link between the two workflows. After copying, each workflow exists independently. If you make changes to the original workflow later, those updates will not carry over to the copied version automatically. Any future updates must be made manually in each workflow where the changes are needed. This feature works best for: - Quickly setting up similar workflows across multiple forms - Maintaining consistency during initial configuration Plan ongoing maintenance with the understanding that copied workflows must be updated individually. --- ### Managing Workflow Changes When you update a workflow configuration, those changes apply only to forms submitted after the update is saved. Forms that are already in progress will continue to follow the workflow structure that was in place when they were originally submitted. This is a common point of confusion when troubleshooting. If a form does not appear to be following the expected workflow, confirm whether the workflow was modified after that form entered the approval process. If it was, the behavior is expected and is not an error. --- ### Temporary Coverage and Exceptions #### Workflow User Designation Workflow User Designation allows approvals to be temporarily reassigned from one user to another for a defined period of time. This is the recommended approach for planned absences such as vacations or scheduled leave. When a designation is active: - New forms submitted during that time will route to the designated substitute - The system will still display the original approver in the Substitute For field for visibility and audit purposes This ensures continuity in the workflow without requiring permanent changes to the workflow configuration. --- #### Skip Approver The Skip Approver feature allows an authorized user to bypass the current approval step and move the form forward in the workflow. This action is: - Fully logged in the audit trail - Visible with both the expected approver and the user who performed the skip Skip Approver should be used sparingly. It is best suited for unplanned, short-term situations such as an unexpected absence. It is not intended as a long-term solution. If a particular approver is frequently being skipped, the underlying workflow should be reviewed and adjusted. --- ### Troubleshooting Checklist If a workflow is not behaving as expected, check these four things in order: 1. Does the form contain the required data such as GL coding or amount? 2. Is User Management configured correctly for the intended approver? 3. Is the workflow group logic set up correctly? 4. Does the user have the correct permissions? Most workflow issues are resolved by addressing one of these four areas. ### Need Help If you have questions about managing workflows in Aclarian, contact the Aclarian Client Support team for assistance. - Email: [clientsupport@aclarian.com](mailto:clientsupport@aclarian.com) - Contact your assigned Customer Support liaison - For urgent issues, use the Live Chat Feature   - [Billing/AR](https://support.aclarian.com/aclarian-client-support-knowledge-base/billing-ar?hsLang=en-us#main-content) - [Forms](https://support.aclarian.com/aclarian-client-support-knowledge-base/billing-ar?hsLang=en-us#forms) - [Data Management](https://support.aclarian.com/aclarian-client-support-knowledge-base/billing-ar?hsLang=en-us#data-management) - [Budgeting](https://support.aclarian.com/aclarian-client-support-knowledge-base/budgeting?hsLang=en-us#main-content) - [Forms](https://support.aclarian.com/aclarian-client-support-knowledge-base/budgeting?hsLang=en-us#forms) - [Data Management](https://support.aclarian.com/aclarian-client-support-knowledge-base/budgeting?hsLang=en-us#data-management) - 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