--- title: Why Are So Many People Being Asked to Approve My Template? description: Learn why so many approvers appear when you submit a form using a template in Aclarian, how GL coding drives the approval path, and how to check approvers before submitting. --- [Skip to content](https://support.aclarian.com/aclarian-client-support-knowledge-base/why-are-so-many-people-being-asked-to-approve-my-template#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. [FAQs](https://support.aclarian.com/aclarian-client-support-knowledge-base/faqs?hsLang=en-us) 3. [Templates](https://support.aclarian.com/aclarian-client-support-knowledge-base/faqs?hsLang=en-us#templates) October 8, 2026 # Why Are So Many People Being Asked to Approve My Template? ## Learn why templates pull in multiple approvers and what you can do about it ### What Is the Problem? You submitted a form using a template and more approvers than expected appeared. It may feel like something is wrong, but in most cases this is expected behavior. This article explains why it happens and what you can do. --- ### What Is a Template? A template is a saved copy of a regular form with the fields already filled in. It is not a separate type of record. It is the same form with a template setting turned on. Think of it like a shortcut. Instead of filling out the same form from scratch every time, a template pre-fills the details for you. But the form itself is still the same. It behaves exactly the same way as if you had filled it out manually. When you submit a form using a template, the system looks up the approval path for that form type. It does not look for a separate approval setup on the template. Templates have no approval setup of their own. This means the approval path you see is not coming from the template. It is coming from the form type and the GL coding on the form. --- ### Why Are So Many Approvers Appearing? The number of approvers is driven by the GL coding on the template, not the template itself. Here is how it works. If the workflow includes a Department Head or Entity Manager approval step, the system looks at every department or fund listed on the GL lines of the form. It then sends the form to everyone assigned to those departments or funds. If your template is coded to multiple departments or funds, all of the people assigned to those areas will be pulled in as required approvers. For example, if your template has GL lines for three different departments and each department has two people assigned as Department Head, all six of those people may be required to approve before the form can move forward. --- ### Other Settings That Can Add Approvers Beyond Department Head and Entity Manager, other workflow settings can also bring in additional approvers: - **Rules-based:** rules that check department, fund, GL account, submitter, or amount can each add their own approvers - **Threshold:** when the form amount reaches a set dollar limit, higher level approvers are required - **Segmentation:** the form is routed based on the GL line segments, which can add department or fund specific approvers --- ### How to Check Approvers Before Submitting You can see exactly who will be asked to approve before you submit a form. Use the **Workflow Simulator.** 1. Go to Forms Workflow 2. Click **Open Workflow Simulator** 3. Enter the values from your template 4. The simulator will show all steps and approvers based on those values The simulator does not create or submit anything. It is a read only tool for planning purposes. --- ### What If the Approval List Feels Too Large? If you believe the number of approvers is more than it should be, the fix is in the workflow setup. Review which departments and funds are assigned to the GL lines on your template. If a department or fund has many people assigned, all of them will be required approvers. Work with your Aclarian administrator or contact Client Support to review the workflow configuration. --- ### A Note on Skip Approver You may have access to a Skip Approver option. This is intended for unexpected situations such as when an approver is suddenly unavailable. It is not a long-term solution for managing a large approval list. Every skip is recorded in the system, including who performed it and when. 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