Please refer to the images attached.conditional layout 1
The [User who is applying for leave] field is a user/group field which gets populated with the record creator by default. The problem is this layout only works when I manually select a user. Then the particular user selected can see the layout. The layout doesn't work when I select the field i.e. the user/group field. Is it that Archer is not able to capture the user from the field and therefore the layout is not visible to the user? I am not able to understand.
The field [User who is applying for leave] is autopopylated. From Archer standpoint it is a calculated field. Calculated fields are recalculated and saved when record is getting saved.
When Archer applies actions for conditional layout for new record the field [User who is applying for leave] is not populated yet, therefore Archer applies actions as if the field was empty even if you see it populated on the screen.
I suggest you to modify layout actions in a way that all users (or specific group) can see fields/sections when record is new, and after record was saved for the first time you can restrict security based on the value of the saved fields.