Create an approval template from scratch
Open your profile menu in the top right, then go to Settings → Templates → Approval.
Click Create approval template and enter a Template name.
In the first round, name the stage and click Add approver to choose a reviewer.
Use Add Stage or Add round to build the rest of your approval process. Add approvers to each stage. Optionally, set Due (days) for relative stage deadlines.
Click Save. Your template appears in the Active list, ready to apply to an action.
Saving a workflow as a template
To begin, you'll need to add at least one stage and an approver to the workflow. You will see a More menu appear that displays proofing-specific settings for your action card.
In the approval round’s More menu, choose Save as template. Enter a Template name, select the rounds you want to include, then click Save template.
Managing your approval templates
Approval Templates are stored in the Approval tab in the Templates Menu in Workspace Settings which can be accessed through the Profile Dropdown Menu in the top right corner.
From here you can create new approval templates and edit, duplicate, or delete existing templates, subject to your permissions.
If your workspace enables Lock approval round structure, only workspace admins can add, remove, or reorder rounds and stages in approval templates. See approval structure lock settings.
Archive and reinstate approval templates
Archive an approval template when you want to keep it for later without leaving it in the active template list.
Open Settings → Templates → Approval.
In the Active list, open the template’s More actions menu (⋮) and select Archive template.
To find it again, switch to Archived.
Open its More actions menu and select Reinstate template to return it to the active list.
Archived templates cannot be edited or copied while archived. Reinstate the template first; your usual editing permissions and any approval structure lock still apply.
Archiving preserves the template. Delete template permanently deletes it and cannot be undone.
Setting stage approvers and due dates
In Workspace Settings → Templates → Approval, create or edit a template and expand a stage. You can then set:
Action assignee: In the approver picker, choose Action assignee. When you apply the template, Hive adds the action’s assignee as a stage approver. The action must have exactly one assignee; if it has none or more than one, the template cannot be applied. Once added, this approver does not change if the action is reassigned later.
Due (days): Enter a number of working days from the action due date. For example, -2 sets the stage due two working days before the action, 0 sets it on the action due date, and 2 sets it two working days after. Leave the field empty for no stage due date. If the action has no due date, Hive counts from the day you apply the template. Relative due dates follow your workspace’s weekend and holiday settings; weekends count when they are enabled.
The template preview shows the Action assignee option and each relative stage due date. When you save an existing approval workflow as a template, Hive converts its stage due dates to relative offsets rather than keeping fixed calendar dates.
Add Buzz to an approval template
If your workspace has Buzz and AI Proofing turned on, you can add Buzz as an AI reviewer in a template stage.
In Settings → Templates → Approval, create or edit a template and expand a stage.
Click Add approver and, under AI reviewer, select Buzz.
Click Review settings to choose what Buzz checks and which categories block approval. The stage shows a summary, for example "Blocks on Spelling, Grammar, Brand guidelines".
Click Save.
When you apply the template:
Buzz uses the review settings saved in the template, or the defaults if none are saved.
Hive skips Buzz on actions where he can't review: Word documents, Copy cards, or workspaces without AI Proofing. A round that only had Buzz is left out.
A stage keeps one Buzz.
When you use Save as template, Hive keeps Buzz's review settings but not his guideline documents, so the template works in other projects.
For how Buzz reviews and decides, see Add Buzz as an approver.
Applying an approval template
On the action card, open the approval round’s More → Apply template menu. Select a template, or click Preview to inspect its rounds and stages, then click Apply template. To delete a template, go to Settings → Templates → Approval and use its template actions menu.
Save an Approval Template with an External Approver
If the same external approver is approving multiple proofs, you can now save that round as a template!
You can do this by saving the Round by clicking the "Save as a template".
Then you can use the Apply Template to quickly populate the Round with that External Approver!