> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.stage3.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Editing Workflow Templates

> Modify and improve existing workflow templates to keep processes current

<Warning>
  **Admin Feature**: This feature is only available to users with admin permissions. If you don't see this option, contact your system administrator.
</Warning>

## When to Edit Workflow Templates

You should edit workflow templates when:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Process Changes" icon="arrows-rotate">
    Your business process has evolved and the workflow needs updating
  </Card>

  <Card title="User Feedback" icon="comments">
    Team members report confusing tasks or missing steps
  </Card>

  <Card title="Optimization" icon="gauge-high">
    You've identified ways to make the workflow more efficient
  </Card>

  <Card title="Error Correction" icon="triangle-exclamation">
    You've discovered mistakes or gaps in the template
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Finding Templates to Edit

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to Workflow Templates">
    Go to **Administration** > **Workflows Templates**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Search or Filter">
    Find the template you want to edit from the "All Workflow Templates" list:

    * Search by name
    * Filter by category
    * Sort by usage, date created, or name
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Template Name">
    Click on the name of the template you wish to edit. This will open the workflow template builder in edit mode.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Editing Template Details

### Updating Template Information

<Accordion title="Template Name">
  * Click the template name to edit it
  * Use clear, descriptive names
  * Include version numbers if you maintain multiple versions (e.g., "Employee Onboarding v2.0")
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Description">
  * Update the template description to reflect current purpose
  * Include when this template should be used
  * Note any recent changes or important details
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Category">
  * Change the category if the template's purpose has shifted
  * Categories help organize your template library
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Tags">
  * Add or remove tags to improve searchability
  * Examples: "onboarding", "finance", "quarterly", "acquisition"
</Accordion>

## Adding Tasks to Existing Templates

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click 'Add Task'">
    In the template editor, click **Add Task** where you want the new task to appear.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Task Details">
    Fill in all task information:

    * Task name
    * Description
    * Priority
    * Estimated duration
    * Assignment
    * Evidence requirements
  </Step>

  <Step title="Position the Task">
    Drag and drop the new task to the correct position in the workflow order.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set Dependencies">
    Define any dependencies for the new task:

    * What tasks must be completed before this one?
    * Are there tasks that depend on this new task?
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save Changes">
    Click **Save** to add the task to the template.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  When adding tasks to existing workflows, think carefully about dependencies. New tasks might affect the workflow's critical path and timeline.
</Tip>

## Modifying Existing Tasks

Click on any task in the template to edit its details:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Task Name & Description" icon="pen">
    Clarify unclear instructions or update outdated information
  </Card>

  <Card title="Priority Level" icon="exclamation">
    Adjust if task importance has changed
  </Card>

  <Card title="Estimated Duration" icon="clock">
    Update based on actual completion times
  </Card>

  <Card title="Assignment" icon="user-check">
    Change role or person responsible
  </Card>

  <Card title="Dependencies" icon="diagram-project">
    Add, remove, or modify task dependencies
  </Card>

  <Card title="Evidence Requirements" icon="file-circle-check">
    Update what evidence is needed
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### Making Task Descriptions More Helpful

Transform vague task descriptions into clear, actionable instructions:

**Before:**
Review financial documents

**After:**
Review and verify all financial documents for accuracy:

Compare balance sheet to bank statements

Verify all revenue transactions have supporting invoices

Check expense categorization for accuracy

Confirm no duplicate entries exist

Flag any discrepancies for the Finance Director

Upload completed verification checklist as evidence.

<Info>
  Good task descriptions answer: What should I do? Why does it matter? How do I do it? What do I deliver?
</Info>

## Removing Tasks from Templates

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select the Task">
    Click on the task you want to remove.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check Dependencies">
    Before deleting, check if other tasks depend on this one:

    * The system will show a warning if dependencies exist
    * You'll need to update or remove those dependencies first
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click 'Delete Task'">
    Click the **Delete** icon or button for the task.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm Deletion">
    Confirm you want to permanently remove the task.

    <Warning>
      Deleting a task from a template doesn't affect existing workflow instances - only future instances created from this template.
    </Warning>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Reordering Tasks

Change the order tasks appear in the workflow:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Drag and Drop" icon="hand-pointer">
    Click and drag tasks to reorder them in the list
  </Card>

  <Card title="Manual Numbering" icon="list-ol">
    Enter specific order numbers for precise control
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Info>
  Remember: Task order (how they appear) is different from dependencies (when they can start). Reordering tasks doesn't change their dependencies.
</Info>

## Updating Task Dependencies

Dependencies are critical to workflow logic. Update them carefully:

### Adding New Dependencies

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select the Task">
    Click the task that should depend on another task.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click 'Add Dependency'">
    In the task detail panel, click **Add Dependency**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose Prerequisites">
    Select which task(s) must complete before this task can start.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set Dependency Logic">
    Choose AND (all must complete) or OR (any can complete).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save** to apply the new dependency.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Removing Dependencies

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select the Task">
    Click the task with dependencies you want to remove.
  </Step>

  <Step title="View Dependencies">
    See the list of tasks this task depends on.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click 'Remove'">
    Click the **X** or **Remove** button next to the dependency.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm">
    Confirm you want to remove the dependency.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Visualizing Dependencies

Many workflow editors provide a visual dependency graph. Use this to:

* See the workflow's critical path
* Identify bottleneck tasks
* Spot circular dependencies
* Understand workflow complexity

## Version Control for Workflows

When making significant changes to templates, consider version control:

### Creating a New Version

<Steps>
  <Step title="Duplicate Template">
    Instead of editing the current template, click **Duplicate Template**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name New Version">
    Name it with a version number: "Employee Onboarding v2.0"
  </Step>

  <Step title="Make Changes">
    Edit the new version with your improvements.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test New Version">
    Create test instances to verify the new version works correctly.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set as Active">
    Mark the new version as the active template for future instances.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Archive Old Version">
    Keep the old version archived for historical reference.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### When to Version vs Edit

| Scenario                            | Version (Duplicate) | Edit (Modify) |
| ----------------------------------- | ------------------- | ------------- |
| Minor fixes (typos, clarifications) | No                  | Yes           |
| Adding 1-2 tasks                    | No                  | Yes           |
| Major restructuring                 | Yes                 | No            |
| Changing process flow               | Yes                 | No            |
| Testing experimental changes        | Yes                 | No            |
| Removing multiple tasks             | Yes                 | No            |

<Tip>
  When in doubt, create a new version. It's safer and preserves the existing template in case you need to roll back.
</Tip>

## Impact of Template Changes

Understanding what happens when you edit templates:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Active Workflow Instances (Already Running)">
    **Not Affected**

    Changes to templates don't affect workflows that are already in progress. Those workflows continue using the template version they were created from.

    This ensures consistency - you won't disrupt work already underway.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Future Workflow Instances">
    **Use New Version**

    All new instances created from the template after your changes will use the updated version.

    This is how improvements propagate to future work.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Completed Workflow Instances">
    **Historical Record Preserved**

    Completed workflows remain exactly as they were completed, even if the template changes later.

    This maintains an accurate historical record for audits and reference.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Info>
  If you need to apply changes to active instances, you'll need to manually update those instances individually. The system won't auto-update in-progress work.
</Info>

## Best Practices for Editing Templates

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Gather Feedback First">
    Before making changes:

    * Ask users what's confusing or missing
    * Review completed instances to see where people struggled
    * Collect data on task completion times
    * Identify patterns in evidence uploads
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Make Changes in Batches">
    Don't edit templates constantly. Batch related changes together:

    * Collect feedback over several weeks
    * Make all improvements at once
    * Test thoroughly
    * Deploy the updated template

    This prevents template churn and confusion.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Communicate Changes">
    When you update a template, notify users who work with it:

    * Send an email summarizing changes
    * Highlight new or modified tasks
    * Explain why changes were made
    * Offer training if changes are significant
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Test Before Deploying">
    Always test edited templates:

    * Create a test instance
    * Walk through the entire workflow
    * Verify dependencies work correctly
    * Confirm task descriptions are clear
    * Check that evidence requirements are reasonable
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Document Change History">
    Keep a record of template changes:

    * What changed
    * Why it changed
    * Who made the change
    * When it was deployed

    This helps when troubleshooting or understanding process evolution.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Common Template Issues and Fixes

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Tasks Taking Longer Than Expected">
    **Problem**: Estimated task durations are too short.

    **Fix**: Review actual completion times from instances and update estimates to be realistic.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Tasks Frequently Marked Complete Without Evidence">
    **Problem**: Evidence requirements aren't clear or are too burdensome.

    **Fix**: Clarify exactly what evidence is needed and why. Make requirements reasonable.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Workflows Frequently Get Blocked">
    **Problem**: Dependencies are too strict or tasks are poorly sequenced.

    **Fix**: Review dependency structure. Can some tasks run in parallel? Are all dependencies truly necessary?
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Users Confused by Task Descriptions">
    **Problem**: Instructions are vague or assume too much knowledge.

    **Fix**: Rewrite descriptions to be step-by-step. Add examples, links to resources, and expected outcomes.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Template Not Used Consistently">
    **Problem**: Template doesn't match actual work practices.

    **Fix**: Involve process owners in redesigning the template to reflect reality, not ideals.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Advanced Template Features

### Conditional Tasks

<Accordion title="Tasks That Appear Only in Certain Scenarios">
  Some platforms support conditional tasks that only appear if certain conditions are met.

  **Example**: "If acquisition value > \$5M, complete extended due diligence"

  Check with your admin if this feature is available.
</Accordion>

### Task Templates Within Workflows

<Accordion title="Reusable Task Definitions">
  Create standardized task definitions that can be reused across multiple workflow templates.

  **Example**: A "Standard Legal Review" task that's identical in 10 different workflows.

  Update the task once, and all workflows inherit the change.
</Accordion>

### Automated Task Assignments

<Accordion title="Dynamic Assignment Rules">
  Set up rules that automatically assign tasks based on:

  * Workflow context (e.g., who initiated the workflow)
  * Data fields (e.g., acquisition location)
  * Workload balancing
  * Expertise matching
</Accordion>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Start Using Workflows" icon="play" href="/workflows/starting-workflow">
    Learn how to create and start workflow instances
  </Card>

  <Card title="Generate from Guides" icon="wand-magic-sparkles" href="/workflows/generating-from-guides">
    Use AI to create workflows from documentation
  </Card>
</CardGroup>