Collaboration

The Canvelete (opens in a new tab) Design Editor provides powerful collaboration features that enable teams to work together seamlessly on design projects. From real-time editing to permission management, these tools ensure productive teamwork while maintaining design quality and project control.

Collaboration Overview

Real-time Collaboration

Work together with team members simultaneously:

Live Cursors: See where team members are working in real-time
Simultaneous Editing: Multiple people can edit different elements
Instant Updates: Changes appear immediately for all collaborators
Conflict Prevention: Smart locking prevents editing conflicts

Collaboration Modes

Choose the right collaboration approach:

Open Collaboration: Anyone with access can edit freely
Structured Collaboration: Defined roles and permissions
Review Mode: Stakeholders can comment but not edit
Presentation Mode: View-only access for presentations

Sharing Designs

Share Dialog

Access sharing options through the share button in the header:

Share Button: Located in the top-right corner of the editor
Quick Share: Generate shareable links instantly
Advanced Sharing: Detailed permission and access controls
Share History: Track who has been given access

Sharing Methods

Multiple ways to share your designs:

Public Links

View-only Links: Allow viewing without editing permissions
Comment Links: Enable commenting on designs
Download Links: Allow downloading of design files
Embed Links: Embed designs in websites or presentations

Direct Invitations

Email Invitations: Send invites directly to team members
Team Integration: Add existing team members instantly
External Collaborators: Invite people outside your organization
Bulk Invitations: Invite multiple people at once

Organization Sharing

Team Workspaces: Share within organizational teams
Department Access: Grant access to entire departments
Project Groups: Share with specific project teams
Client Portals: Dedicated spaces for client collaboration

Permission Management

User Roles

Define what collaborators can do:

Owner

Full Control: Complete access to all design features
Permission Management: Can add/remove collaborators
Deletion Rights: Can delete the design
Transfer Ownership: Can transfer ownership to others

Editor

Design Editing: Can modify all design elements
Version Creation: Can save versions and milestones
Asset Management: Can add and organize assets
Comment Resolution: Can resolve comments and feedback

Commenter

View Access: Can view the design in detail
Comment Creation: Can add comments and feedback
Suggestion Mode: Can suggest changes without direct editing
Discussion Participation: Can participate in design discussions

Viewer

Read-only Access: Can view the design only
Download Permission: May download design files (if enabled)
Presentation Mode: Can view designs in presentation format
Limited Interaction: Cannot edit or comment

Permission Settings

Fine-tune access controls:

Element-level Permissions: Control access to specific elements
Layer Permissions: Restrict editing of certain layers
Tool Restrictions: Limit which tools collaborators can use
Export Permissions: Control who can download designs

Real-time Features

Live Collaboration Indicators

See collaboration activity in real-time:

User Avatars: Show who's currently viewing/editing
Active Cursors: See where team members are working
Selection Indicators: Highlight what others have selected
Typing Indicators: Show when someone is editing text

Collaborative Editing

Work together without conflicts:

Smart Locking: Automatically lock elements being edited
Edit Queuing: Queue edits when elements are locked
Merge Conflicts: Handle simultaneous edits gracefully
Undo Coordination: Maintain undo history across collaborators

Communication Tools

Stay connected while collaborating:

In-editor Chat: Built-in messaging system
Voice Comments: Record audio feedback
Video Calls: Integrated video conferencing
Screen Sharing: Share screens during collaboration

Comments and Feedback

Adding Comments

Provide feedback directly on designs:

Click to Comment: Click anywhere to add comments
Element Comments: Attach comments to specific elements
General Comments: Add overall design feedback
Thread Comments: Reply to existing comments

Comment Types

Different ways to provide feedback:

Text Comments: Written feedback and suggestions
Voice Notes: Audio comments for detailed feedback
Annotated Screenshots: Visual markup with arrows and highlights
Linked Comments: Comments that reference other elements or versions

Comment Management

Organize and track feedback:

Comment Status: Mark comments as open, resolved, or archived
Comment Assignment: Assign comments to specific team members
Comment Filtering: Filter by status, author, or date
Comment Export: Export feedback for external review

Feedback Workflows

Establish structured feedback processes:

Review Rounds: Organize feedback into review cycles
Approval Stages: Define approval checkpoints
Stakeholder Reviews: Manage client and stakeholder feedback
Change Requests: Track requested modifications

Team Management

Adding Team Members

Invite people to collaborate:

Open Share Dialog: Click the share button
Enter Email: Add collaborator email addresses
Set Permissions: Choose appropriate role for each person
Send Invitation: Collaborators receive email invitations
Access Confirmation: Track who has accepted invitations

Managing Collaborators

Control team access and permissions:

User List: View all current collaborators
Permission Changes: Modify roles and access levels
Remove Access: Remove collaborators when needed
Transfer Ownership: Change design ownership

Team Workspaces

Organize collaboration at scale:

Workspace Creation: Set up dedicated team spaces
Project Organization: Group related designs together
Team Templates: Share design templates across teams
Centralized Assets: Shared asset libraries for teams

Collaboration Workflows

Design Review Process

Establish effective review workflows:

Initial Review

Share for Review: Send view-only links to stakeholders
Collect Feedback: Gather comments and suggestions
Review Comments: Analyze all feedback received
Prioritize Changes: Decide which changes to implement

Revision Cycle

Make Changes: Implement approved modifications
Create Version: Save revised version with changelog
Re-share: Send updated design for additional review
Final Approval: Get sign-off from stakeholders

Client Collaboration

Work effectively with external clients:

Client Portals: Dedicated spaces for client projects
Simplified Interface: Streamlined view for non-designers
Approval Workflows: Clear approval and rejection processes
Progress Tracking: Show project status and milestones

Agency Workflows

Optimize for agency environments:

Client Separation: Keep different client projects separate
Team Assignments: Assign team members to specific projects
Time Tracking: Monitor time spent on collaborative work
Billing Integration: Track billable collaboration time

Advanced Collaboration

Branching for Collaboration

Use branches for parallel work:

Feature Branches: Work on specific features separately
Designer Branches: Each designer works on their own branch
Client Branches: Different versions for different clients
Experimental Branches: Test ideas without affecting main design

Merge Strategies

Combine collaborative work effectively:

Manual Merging: Carefully review and merge changes
Automatic Merging: System merges non-conflicting changes
Selective Merging: Choose specific elements to merge
Conflict Resolution: Handle overlapping changes

Integration Tools

Connect with external collaboration tools:

Slack Integration: Notifications and updates in Slack
Microsoft Teams: Collaborate through Teams channels
Project Management: Sync with Asana, Trello, or Jira
File Storage: Integration with Google Drive, Dropbox

Security and Privacy

Access Control

Maintain security during collaboration:

Two-factor Authentication: Secure account access
IP Restrictions: Limit access to specific networks
Session Management: Control active collaboration sessions
Audit Logs: Track all collaboration activities

Data Protection

Protect sensitive design information:

Encryption: All collaboration data is encrypted
Privacy Controls: Control what information is shared
Data Retention: Manage how long collaboration data is kept
Compliance: Meet industry security standards

External Sharing

Safely share with external collaborators:

Guest Access: Limited access for external users
Expiring Links: Set expiration dates for shared links
Watermarking: Add watermarks to shared designs
Download Restrictions: Control file download permissions

Best Practices

Collaboration Guidelines

Establish effective team practices:

Communication

Clear Feedback: Provide specific, actionable feedback
Regular Check-ins: Schedule regular collaboration sessions
Status Updates: Keep team informed of progress
Documentation: Document decisions and changes

Organization

Naming Conventions: Use consistent file and version names
Folder Structure: Organize shared designs logically
Asset Management: Keep shared assets organized
Archive Completed: Move finished projects to archives

Workflow Efficiency

Define Roles: Clearly establish who does what
Set Deadlines: Establish clear timelines for feedback
Use Templates: Create templates for common collaboration patterns
Regular Cleanup: Remove outdated collaborators and permissions

Troubleshooting Collaboration

Common issues and solutions:

Sync Problems: Refresh browser or check internet connection
Permission Issues: Verify user roles and access levels
Conflict Resolution: Use version control to resolve conflicts
Performance: Limit simultaneous collaborators for complex designs

This comprehensive collaboration system enables teams to work together effectively while maintaining design quality and project control throughout the creative process.

Next Steps

Learn about Version Control for tracking design changes
Explore Layer Management for organizing team projects
Check out the API Reference for programmatic collaboration
Start collaborating at canvelete.com/dashboard (opens in a new tab)

Layer Management Version Control