I have a gitlab pipeline with three steps and a template.
First I prepare a git checkout to another repository.
The needed files I add to the artifacts:

  artifacts:
    paths:
      - $CI_PROJECT_DIR/ingo/tests/integration_tests/*

Looks like it works well.
Then I have a job “deploy” that just deploy a pod to a cluster
This have

  needs:
    - prepare

to make sure that this deploy runs after prepare.
Finaly I have a job “test” that will perform the integration tests:

test:
  extends: 
    - .test_step
  stage: test
  needs:
    - test_deploy  
  timeout: 20 minutes
  variables:
    BUILD_VERSION: $BUILD_TIME
    TESTING_STAGE: testtemp
    TEST_FOLDER: integration_tests  
    TEST_FILES: "test_simulation.py"

Here I use a template:

.test_step:
  tags:
    - docker
  image: harbor.xxx/cache_dockerhub/python:3.8.19-slim-bookworm 
  needs:
    - job: prepare
      artifacts: true
  script:
    - cd $CI_PROJECT_DIR
    - ls

If gitlab runs this template it has always not the needed artifacts inside.

I tried also with the keyword dependencies but this will cause in an error.

jobs:test dependencies the prepare should be part of needs`

Isn’t it possible to use the artifacts inside the template? Or is there something I miss?