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How to create a collection

To create a collection, click + in the top bar, choose Collection, type a title and click Create. Creating it takes seconds, but a new collection is only visible to its managers and Admins until you put it on a page, so work through the checklist at the end of this article.

Who can do this: Admins and Managers. Collection managers who don’t have one of these roles can’t create collections.

What a collection is

A collection is the place where your hive gathers ideas around one question or challenge, for example “How can we cut packaging waste in the warehouse?”. Each collection has its own title, description and cover, a submission form, an Inbox where new ideas land, and optional steps that ideas move through.

Ideas is the default word. A collection can call them feedback, posts, insights, solutions or suggestions instead, depending on the workflow it uses. For an overview of all the building blocks, see Hives explained.

Create a collection from the + button

  1. Click + in the top bar.
  2. In What do you want to do?, choose Collection.
  3. Type a Title (up to 100 characters).
  4. Click Create.

Hives opens your new collection in Manage mode, on the Overview page. You are added as a collection manager automatically.

A collection created this way isn’t in a folder. It appears under Uncategorized on the Folders page until you move it.

Create a collection inside a folder

  1. Open the folder.
  2. Click Add > Collection > New.
  3. Type a Title and click Create.

The collection is placed straight into that folder. Anyone who manages the folder also manages the collection. See Working inside a folder.

What your new collection starts with

The create dialog only asks for a title. Everything else is set afterwards. A new collection starts with:

  • no steps, so every idea stays in the Inbox until you add steps or choose a workflow;
  • a simple submission form with three questions: Title (required), Description (required) and Attachment (optional);
  • Access set to Everyone with access, so anyone who can see the collection can submit ideas;
  • likes switched on;
  • no page, no cover, no description and no share link.

Next steps: make your collection visible and useful

Work through this checklist before you tell people about the collection.

  1. Add a description and cover. Switch to the Edit tab, add a cover image and explain what kind of ideas you want. See How to change a collection’s title, cover and thank-you message.
  2. Choose a workflow or add steps. In Manage mode, the left sidebar shows No steps yet. Click Select a workflow to copy a ready-made set of steps and questions, or add your own steps. See What is a workflow? and Changing the steps of one collection.
  3. Check the submission form. Open Inbox > Form & step settings to change the questions people answer when they submit. See The submission form and the Inbox.
  4. Put it on a page. Go to Manage > Share, pick a page in the Page card and click Save. This is what makes the collection visible to members. Make sure the page itself is published. See Choosing who can see a collection.
  5. Add co-managers. In Overview > Collection details, click Managers to add colleagues who will review ideas with you. See Collection managers.
  6. Share it. Send people a link to the collection, or switch on a share link and QR code. See Sharing a collection with a link or QR code.

Optional: put the collection in a folder with Overview > Collection details > Add to folder, and review the collection settings for reactions, hidden ideas and contributor privacy.

Tip: ask a specific question

You get more useful ideas when the challenge is specific. Instead of “How can we improve?”, try “How can we answer customer tickets 20% faster?”. Use the description to explain why it matters and what a good idea looks like.

Common questions

Why can’t my colleagues see the collection I just created? It isn’t on a page yet. Until you choose a page under Share > Page, only you, other collection managers and Admins can see it.

Can I choose a workflow when I create the collection? No. Create the collection first, then click Select a workflow in the Manage sidebar.

Can I change the collection’s web address? No. Hives creates the address automatically.

Is there a limit on how many collections we can have? No.