The collaborative applications feature allows applicants to invite other users to help complete an application. Collaborators can view, edit, or submit the application depending on the permissions granted. This guide explains how to enable collaboration, invite collaborators, manage permissions, and transfer application ownership.
Collaborative editing behaviour
When collaborators work on an application:
- Multiple users can edit the application at the same time
- Only one user can edit a field at a time
- Fields being edited appear greyed out to others
- A message displays showing who is editing the field
The field lock is released when:
- The user clicks out of the field
- There is 20–30 seconds of inactivity
Updates appear in real time, so collaborators do not need to refresh the page.
Enable collaborative applications
- In the Manage workspace, go to Forms
- Click the ellipsis (three dots) next to the form and choose Form settings
- Open the 'Advanced' tab
- Select the Allow collaboration between multiple users checkbox
- Click Save
Configure the collaborator notification
When a collaborator is invited, Good Grants can send a notification email or SMS.
- In the Manage workspace, go to Settings > Communications > Notifications
- Click the Collaborator invited notification
- Edit the email subject and message body if required
- Ensure the {message} merge field remains in the notification
- Click Save
To learn more about notifications see Ultimate guide to notifications.
Add collaborators to an application
Collaborators can be invited after the application has been created.
- In the application form, click the + icon near the top of the page
- Enter the email address of the collaborator—multiple collaborators can be added at once by separating email addresses with commas, new lines, semi-colons, or colons.
- Select the appropriate permission level
- View: can view the application but cannot make changes
- View + edit: can edit application fields but cannot submit
- View + edit + submit: can edit the application and submit it
- Add an optional message if required
- Click Send invite
Transfer application ownership
Applications can only have one owner. Ownership can be transferred by a manager or the current owner.
Managers
- In the Manage workspace, navigate to Applications
- Open the application
- Hover over the applicant name and click Edit
- Search for the new owner
- Select the user and click Save
The user must already exist in the account.
Applicants
- In the Apply workspace, open your desired application
- Add the new owner as a collaborator
- Click Collaborators at the top of the application
- In the pop-up, click the ellipsis (three dots) next to the collaborator
- Choose Make owner
- Confirm the change
Editing collaborator permissions
- In the Apply workspace, open your desired application
- Click Collaborators
- Open the permissions drop-down next to the collaborator
- Select the new permission level
Remove a collaborator
- Open the application in the Apply workspace
- Click Collaborators
- Click the ellipsis (three dots) next to the collaborator
- Select Remove collaborator
Once removed, the collaborator can no longer access the application.
Customise your user profile
Add a profile photo
- Click your name in the top-right corner
- Select Profile
- Upload or drag-and-drop an image
- Resize, scale, and edit the photo as desired in the editor
- Click the checkmark to confirm
- Click Save
Profile images must be 1MB or smaller.
Select a profile highlight colour
- Click your name in the top-right corner
- Select Profile
- Click the circular avatar icon
- Choose a colour from the swatches or use the picker
- Click Save
Good to know
- Collaboration applies to all categories in the application form and cannot be enabled per category.
- Only the application owner can copy, delete, or change the category of an application.
- Existing Award Force users will be added immediately when invited as collaborators.
- New collaborators must complete registration and will receive the default program role.
- The {message} merge field inserts the optional note written by the applicant in the collaborator notification.
FAQs
Can fields be assigned to specific collaborators?
No. All collaborators can access the full application form. If only certain fields should be accessible to third parties, use action flow instead.
Can multiple people edit at the same time?
Yes. Multiple collaborators can edit the same application simultaneously, but not the same field.
Can deleted files be recovered?
No. Files deleted from an application cannot be restored.
How many owners can an application have?
Applications can only have one owner at a time.
Can collaborators be removed?
Yes. Once removed, the collaborator loses all access to the application.
Is there a maximum number of collaborators?
No. Application owners can add as many collaborators as required.
Can managers set a collaborator limit?
No. Grant managers cannot currently define minimum or maximum collaborator limits.
Do collaborators receive updates when changes are made?
Not currently. Collaborators are not notified when edits occur.
Can collaborators message each other within the application?
No. Collaboration does not currently support in-platform messaging.
Can SSO be used with collaborative applications?
Yes. Programs using SSO authentication also support collaborators logging in via SSO; see 3rd party authentication.
Can managers submit applications on behalf of applicants?
Yes. Grant managers can edit or submit applications on behalf of applicants if required; see Edit or submit an application on behalf of an applicant.
Can collaborators see when a grant manager views the application?
No. Collaborators can only see when other collaborators are editing the application.