# Setting a Reference Leaf

A reference leaf is a file that has already been submitted but needs to appear in the XML backbone to indicate it is part of the current submission. You can use a previously-submitted and reviewed Submissions Archive document as a reference leaf, reducing the review time at the relevant Health Authority.



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      <p><strong>Note</strong>: This feature is only available in <a href="/en/gr/48608/">RIM Submissions Publishing</a> and RIM Submissions Archive.</p>
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## About Reference Leafs

Vault supports reference leafs to documents in previous submissions within the same application or to documents in separate applications with the same _Lead Market_. Additionally, you can only choose a reference leaf from a _Submission_ with an _Actual Submission Date_ (`actual_submission_date__rim`) and _Dossier Status_ which is not _Publishing Active_.

When you set a reference leaf, Vault does not republish the document, but instead links to the document using its _Published Output Location_. Vault populates document fields that appear in the published output with values from the referenced document's submission metadata. All other attributes come from the current content plan.

## How to Set a Reference Leaf

### Across Submissions & Applications {#across-submissions-and-applications}

To set a reference leaf for submission documents in separate applications with the same _Lead Market_:

1. Navigate to a _Content Plan Item_ record with a **Node Type** (`xml_node_type__v`) of _Leaf_ or _Reference-Leaf_. From the **Actions** menu, click **Set Reference Leaf**.
2. In the **Set Reference Leaf** dialog, confirm the selected **Application** based on the record's _Primary Application_ field. You can select a different application for any country except Canada (CA). (Cross-application reference leafs are generally not recommended outside of the US, but are only prevented for CA submissions.)
3. Optional: Select a **Submission**.
4. Click a document from the hierarchy to use as a reference leaf. Vault highlights your selection in blue and populates the **Name** and **Published Output Location** at the top of the dialog. To change your selection, single-click the new item.
5. Optionally, for Canada (CA): Check **Replace / Reuse**. When selected, Vault updates the _XML Modified File_ and _XML Operation_ fields.
6. Click **Save**.

Vault uses the target file's checksum to populate the _Checksum_ field for the current leaf element and updates the _Node Type_ and _Published Output Location_ to the new reference leaf.

### Within a Submission

To create a reference leaf within the same submission, match the same document to all applicable _Content Plan Items_. During publishing, Vault uses the first instance of the matched document within the structure to populate the _Published Output Location_ field with the location of the new reference leaf.

To replace a reference leaf when one is already created, update matched documents and then update the _Published Output Location_ with the new location.

### Correcting Leaf Source File Paths

Using the **Set Reference Leaf** feature in Submissions Publishing may indirectly impact the Submissions Archive functionality to <a href="/en/gr/263539/#">correct Leaf Source File Paths</a>. 

When using the **Set Reference Leaf** feature, Vault automatically updates the _Published Output Location_ of the _Content Plan Item_ the action is being run on.

For cross-Submission referencing, the path is constructed to locate the document within the current Application. For cross-Application referencing, the path is constructed to locate the document within the relevant Application. 

If using the **Set Reference Leaf** feature on an Application that requires the use of **Correcting Leaf Source File Paths**, ensure the action to **Correct Leaf Source File Path** is done before running **Set Reference Leaf**. 

## Related Permissions

See <a href="/en/gr/48602/#reference-leaf-configuration">Configuring Submissions Publishing</a> for information on the Content Plan Item and other object and lifecycle permissions required to set a reference leaf.