After getting great internal feedback about my "Live, Laugh, Labels" subject line last month, I'm back with one of my favorite product announcement allusions of all time. To paraphrase Vanilla Ice, if there was a collaboration problem, yo I'll solve it: Today let's talk Collaboration on Submissions.
Whether you've been a heavy user since we first released it six years ago, or you newly have access following the package updates we made in December, my goal is to share tips, tricks and reminders for everyone today. Hat tip to our amazing tech support team for much of this content!
What is collaboration on submissions?
At your discretion, you can allow your submitters to work with others on a submission. This is helpful for circumstances such as:
Colleagues at a nonprofit collaborating together on a grant application
A scholarship applicant collaborating with a parent on financial information
Any individual who needs assistance with their submission
Collaboration is in real time and includes field presence, which means collaborators can see where others are in the form (similar to Google Docs).
Submitters can collaborate on all forms they have access to:
Initial Forms
Additional Forms
Request Forms
How to enable collaboration
For Initial Forms, enable Collaboration on the Project General Settings tab:
For Additional and Request Forms, enable collaboration within the specific form:
Messaging with collaborators
You can include collaborators on messages to submitters when beginning a message from the submission details page.
Collaborators can reply to your messages, but cannot initiate a message on their own.
Collaboration FAQs
How can I see who collaborated on a submission?
You’ll see collaborators just under the submission title on the submission details page.
Can I turn on collaboration retroactively?
Yes! You can enable collaboration on either your Project or an Additional or Request Form at any time. Submitters may need to refresh the page in order to invite collaborators.
Do collaborators need a Submittable account?
Yes, unlike references, collaborators must create a Submittable account. They will find the forms they have been invited to collaborate on under the Collaborations tab within their account.
Can collaborators submit a form?
No. We are currently considering enhancements to allow for collaborators to submit under some or all circumstances. Additionally, please see the reminder about transferring submission ownership below.
Will collaborators on an Initial Form automatically have access to Additional or Request Forms?
No. Submitters must re-add a collaborator to every form they wish them to access.
What can collaborators see after form submission?
Collaborators retain access to view all forms they have collaborated on. They can also see messages they were included on. They cannot see submission statuses.
Are there any fields collaborators cannot access?
Yes. For security purposes, collaboration is automatically disabled for Fraud Prevention and Social Security Number fields.
Can submitters collaborate while a submission or form is open to editing?
Yes.
Can collaboration be required?
No, inviting collaborators is always at the discretion of the applicant.
Can submitters give collaborators context about their needs from within Submittable?
Yes, following the initial invitation. Once at least one collaborator has been invited, clicking Manage Collaborators will give submitters the ability to send an email to all collaborators or pending collaborators.
Reminder: Submission Ownership Transfer
We acknowledge that collaboration is an imperfect tool for when you are truly working with a submission that is jointly owned (e.g., by employees of a nonprofit organization). As we work to continue to enhance this experience, keep in mind that transfering the ownership may be a better solution. You can initiate the transfer, or your submitters can (they can even send it back and forth, if necessary).
I hope you found this helpful (and that the trip back to 1990 made you smile).
One final tip: If you're going to newly introduce collaboration into your workflow, you may wish to proactively let your applicants or awardees know. Here's a help article they can reference.