Template permissions determine who can edit templates and who can use them to create documents. Templates define approved content, roles, and signing workflows, so editing access is restricted to protect consistency, legal accuracy, and workflow stability across the organization.
This article explains who can edit templates, who can use them, and what regular users can modify when a document is created from a template.
1. Who Can Edit Templates
Only Admins (and Workspace Owners) can edit template content.
Admins can:
Edit text, blocks, layouts, and PDF fields
Add, delete, or rename template roles
Configure signing order at the template level
Apply validation and formatting rules
Modify pricing tables and conditional content
Replace the underlying PDF in PDF-based templates
Lock or unlock elements
Regular users cannot edit templates.
2. Who Can Use Templates
All users can use templates to create documents, even if they cannot edit the template.
Users with access can:
Select a template when creating a document
Assign real recipients to the template roles
Personalize deal-specific details
Review content before sending
Templates ensure that all documents follow approved formats and workflows.
3. Editing Content in a Document Draft (Created From a Template)
When a user generates a document from a template, it becomes a draft.
In this draft stage, users get editing flexibility — but only within the content that isn’t locked.
Regular users can:
Edit content in unlocked editor blocks
Adjust pricing table values
Add additional recipients (signers/viewers)
Replace a signer or approver
Remove a recipient (not the template role)
Change the signing order for the actual recipients in the document
Update merge field values if editable
Regular users cannot:
Remove template roles
Rename or modify template roles
Change which fields are assigned to which template role
Edit locked elements
Change the template structure
Modify the signing order defined in the template (they can only change the order for the document’s recipients)
This ensures flexibility for real-world workflows without compromising the template’s integrity.
4. Locked Elements and Their Role in Permissions
Templates may include locked elements set by Admins.
Locked elements:
Cannot be edited in the document draft
Protect legal clauses, compliance wording, or fixed terms
Ensure the final document remains aligned with company standards
Unlocked elements:
Are editable by users in the document draft
Support personalization, deal details, and customer-specific adjustments
This is how GetAccept balances consistency with flexibility.
5. Template Roles vs. Document Recipients
A critical distinction:
Template Roles (in the template)
Created and edited only by Admins
Define the expected workflow (Signer / Approver / Viewer)
Determine which fields each role must complete
Cannot be removed or changed by regular users
Document Recipients (in the draft document)
Regular users can:
Assign people to template roles
Replace a recipient
Remove a recipient entirely (the role becomes unassigned)
Add additional signers or viewers
Change recipient-level signing order
7. Why Template Permissions Work This Way
This permission model ensures:
Legal and brand integrity
Consistent signing workflows
Fewer user errors
Compliance across teams
Controlled updates to standardized templates
Flexibility during the document draft process
It keeps templates stable while still giving users the ability to personalize or modify recipient details for each send.