# Configuring Lifecycles to Manifest Overlays

Conditional overlays allow Vault to automatically generate an overlay for a document when downloaded. Overlays are created from templates assigned to a specific lifecycle. You can select one template to apply to all documents in the lifecycle or add specific conditions to control which template a document will use.

Before configuring conditional overlays, you must <a href="/en/gr/6037/">create one or more overlay templates</a>
.

## How to Access Conditional Overlay Options {#conditional_overlay_options}

Settings are applied at the lifecycle level. To set them, navigate to **Admin** > **Configuration** > **Document Lifecycles** > **[Lifecycle]** > **Overlays**.

## How to Apply a Universal Template {#apply_universal_overlay_template}

To use one overlay template for all documents using the lifecycle:

  1. Click **Edit**.
  2. Select the **Apply one template to all documents** option button.
  3. Select a template from the dropdown menu.
  4. Click **Save**.

## How to Apply Templates Based on Conditions {#apply_conditional_overlay_templates}

You can control when a specific overlay template is used by configuring a set of rules for the lifecycle to evaluate. A lifecycle can support up to 25 separate rule sets with up to 10 conditions per overlay template. Rules are evaluated in order and only one template is ever used per document version. Templates are evaluated and applied to a viewable rendition when users download it from Vault.

You can set up the lifecycle to apply templates based on many different attributes, including Types, Subtypes, Status, Tags, and more.

To configure conditional criteria when determining which overlay template to use:

  1. Click **Edit**.
  2. Select the **Apply templates based on conditional criteria** option button.
  3. From the **If** picklist of the **Rule** panel, select an attribute (country, product, etc.).
  4. Select a condition (equals, is not equal to, etc.).
  5. Select an attribute value.
  6. To add additional conditions to the rule, click **Add Condition** and repeat steps 3-5.
  7. From the **Use template** dropdown menu, select an overlay template to use when all conditions for the rule are met. Note: You can also leave the template field blank to set a "No overlay" rule.
  8. For any additional rules, click **Create Rule** and repeat steps 3-7.
  9. Optional: Select a template in the **Else** panel to use if none of the conditional criteria are met.
  10. Click **Save**.

If a document in the lifecycle does not use a condition's controlling field, Vault treats the document as not fulfilling the condition.