---
title: "Collecting The Correct Number of Recommendations By Program or Major"
slug: "collecting-the-correct-number-of-recommendations-by-program-or-major"
updated: 2026-07-28T16:39:03Z
published: 2026-07-28T16:39:03Z
canonical: "knowledge.technolutions.net/collecting-the-correct-number-of-recommendations-by-program-or-major"
stale: true
---

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

# Collecting The Correct Number of Recommendations By Program or Major

Recommendation letters submitted to Slate as PDFs can be managed using [Materials](/v1/docs/materials-overview). Recommendations submitted with imported applications like the Common App are usually PDFs, and they can be imported to a custom recommendation letter material.

Recommendations submitted directly to Slate using the recommendation widget on a Slate-hosted application can include a PDF type letter as an attachment; however, the recommendation itself is a form submission, not a material.

## Assign a checklist item for a PDF type - recommendation letter material

Recommendation letter materials can be assigned as checklist items using a checklist type rule.

To create the checklist item:

1. Go to **Database** → **Checklists**.
2. Select **Insert**.
3. Configure the following settings:
  - **Status:** Active
  - **Scope:** Person/Application
  - **Group (optional):** Enter an optional group name.
  - **Section:** Material
  - **Subject:** Enter a descriptive subject name (in this example, *Letter of Recommendation #1*)
  - **Material Fulfillment:** Letter of Recommendation
  - **Material Fulfillment Rank:** 1 ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/letter_of_recommendation_checklist_item.png)
4. Select **Save.**

To create the rule (the following is a sample):

1. Go to **Database → Rules**.
2. Select **New Rule**.
3. Configure the following settings:
  - **Name:** Give the rule a descriptive name. In this case, *Assign Recommendation #1 By Major.*
  - **Base:** Application
  - **Type:** Checklist
  - **Trigger:** Upon Update (Deferred)
  - **Folder:** Organize the rule in an existing folder, or select **Other** to create a new one.
4. Select **Save.**
5. Under **Filters,** create the necessary filter or filters necessary to identify the relevant records (see example). When assigning a checklist item for a PDF-material requirement (like a recommendation) to students with applications **created by import**, filter on the application ID (such as the *Common App application ID* or *Royall application ID*) to assign the Checklist item to the appropriate applications.
6. Under **Action,** configure the following settings:
  - **Checklist:** Select the item created in the previous section.
  - **Action:** Add New ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/sample_checklist_assignment_rule.png)
7. Select **Save.**

## Assigning Checklist Items For Multiple PDF Type - Recommendation Letter Materials

You will need to create an additional material checklist item for each additional letter of recommendation required beyond the first.

The subject of each additional letter of recommendation checklist item should match the material fulfillment rank on each. The material fulfillment rank ensures the first recommendation letter material collected will fulfill the first letter of recommendation checklist item, the second recommendation letter material will fulfill the second letter of recommendation checklist item, and so on...

[![Multiple_Letters_of_Recommendation_-_N_Checklist_Items.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/multiple_letters_of_recommendation_-_n_checklist_items.png)](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/multiple_letters_of_recommendation_-_n_checklist_items.png)

These checklist items are not recommender specific and they look like this on the application record:

[![Generic_Recommendation_Checklist_Item.PNG](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/generic_recommendation_checklist_item.png)](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/generic_recommendation_checklist_item.png)

#### Recommendation Forms Submitted As Part Of A Slate Hosted Application

The Slate-hosted application allows the collection of recommender-specific checklist items, assigned automatically to the application record when recommender- or reference-scoped data is added to the Slate application. They are not assigned by a rule.

These items look like this on the application record:

[![Slate-hosted_Application_Recommendation.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/slate-hosted_application_recommendation.png)](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/slate-hosted_application_recommendation.png)

## Manage changes to auto-generated, recommender-specific checklist items

Say an applicant switches to a program or major that [requires a different number of recommenders](/v1/docs/require-recommendations-references). The automatically generated, recommender-specific checklist items that no longer apply can be waived administratively on the application record checklist. This cannot be accomplished with a rule or a query.

If additional recommenders are required after the change of program or major, configure the applicant status page or portal to [conditionally display](/v1/docs/custom-applicant-status-portal#) a [reference widget](/v1/docs/custom-reference-page).

Configure the appropriate number of recommendation forms required on an application by a given program or major with [submission requirements](/v1/docs/require-recommendations-references).

#### *Awaiting Materials* or *Awaiting Decision*? Determining application status by number of received recommendations

The number of recommendations required to read an application can be managed automatically by creating a **program specific rule** in the exclusivity group *Application Status Rules*.

If your application status rules are configured on the local base Applications, you can use the **filter** *Checklist Status By Section—*in conjunction with a program or major filter—to find records with less than the appropriate number of recommendations. The following is a **sample rule** that achieves this effect.

To create the **rule**:

1. Go to **Database** → **Rules**.
2. Select **New Rule**.
3. Configure the following settings:
  - **Name:** Awaiting Materials - Recommendations
  - **Base:** Applications
  - **Type:** Application Status
  - **Folder:** Application Status
  - **Exclusivity Group:** Application Status
  - **Non-deterministic:** Rule is deterministic and has an exclusive priority
  - **Priority:** Enter a priority number [![Rule_-_Awaiting_Materials_-_Recommendations.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/rule_-_awaiting_materials_-_recommendations.png)](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/rule_-_awaiting_materials_-_recommendations.png)
4. Select **Save.**
5. Within the rule, select **Filter.**
6. Enter **"Checklist Status By Section"** in the search bar and select it. Select **Continue.**
7. Configure the following settings:
  - **Section:** Reference
  - **Status:** Use ctrl+select to highlight *Received Official* and *Received Copy*
  - **Number: <** 2
8. Select **Save.**
9. Add another **Filter.**
10. Enter **"Application Major,"** or a similar program-specific filter, in the search bar and select it. Select **Continue.**
11. Select the appropriate major(s) or program(s) to include in the filter.
12. Select **Save**.
13. Under Action, set Status to **Awaiting Materials.** [![Rule_-_Awaiting_Materials_-_Recommendations.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/rule_-_awaiting_materials_-_recommendations(1).png)](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/rule_-_awaiting_materials_-_recommendations(1).png)
14. Select **Save.**

This rule's action sets the application status of records with the application major *biology* with less than the appropriate number of recommendations to *awaiting materials.*

## Count the number of submitted recommendations on the application record with a subquery filter

Using application status rules built on the Configurable Joins **application** base, create a rule with a subquery filter that counts the number of submitted recommendations (application references) on the application record.

To create the rule:

1. Go to **Database** → **Rules**.
2. Select **New Rule**.
3. Configure the following settings:
  - **Name:** Number of Recommendations Required
  - **Base:** Applications
  - **Type:** Application Status
  - **Exclusivity Group:** Application Status
  - **Non-deterministic:** Rules within group and priority should be randomized
4. Select **Save.**
5. Under Filters, create a **Subquery Filter.**
6. Configure the following settings:
  - **Name:** Does Not Have 2 Submitted Recommendations
  - **Aggregate:** Count
  - **Value:** <= 1
  - **Filters:** Create a Subquery Filter. A popup appears.
  - Configure the following settings:
    - **Name:** Submitted Date Exists
    - **Aggregate:** Exists
    - **Exports:** Add an export, *Application References Submitted Date.* Join to *Application References.*

[![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/rule_-_number_of_recommendations_required.png)](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/rule_-_number_of_recommendations_required.png)
  - Select **Save.**
7. Select **Save.**
8. Under Status, select **Awaiting Materials.**
9. Select **Save.**