Who can see and answer a question
Each question in a collection or workflow has two settings: Visible to decides who can read the answers, and Answered by decides who can answer. Both offer three levels: Managers, Contributors and Everyone. New questions start at Managers for both.
Who can do this: Collection managers and Admins in a collection. Admins in a workflow.
Where to set it
- Open the question’s card. See Question types and settings for where questions live.
- Choose a level under Visible to and under Answered by.
- Click Save.
Only people who set up questions see these levels. People reading an idea never see them.
The three levels
| Level | Who it includes |
|---|---|
| Managers | The collection’s managers (including folder managers) and Admins. For a step’s questions, also that step’s panel and the idea’s assigned reviewer for the step. The same goes for Inbox questions and the Inbox panel. |
| Contributors | Everyone in Managers, plus the idea’s submitter and contributors. |
| Everyone | Everyone who can see the idea, including people who open it through a share link. |
A few rules apply on top:
- Admins can always see and answer every question.
- If you can answer a question, you can also read its answers.
- The Manager role on its own does not count. A Manager only counts as a manager for collections they manage.
Defaults
| Question | Visible to | Answered by |
|---|---|---|
| Any new question you add | Managers | Managers |
| The default Title, Description and Attachment questions | Everyone | Contributors |
Why a submitter cannot see their own answer
This is the most common surprise. On the submission form, everyone who submits answers every question, whatever its Answered by level. But afterwards, Visible to decides who can read the answer.
So if you add a form question and keep the default Visible to Managers, the submitter answers it, and then cannot see their own answer on the idea.
To fix it, set Visible to to:
- Contributors, if only the submitter, contributors and managers should see it. Good for personal or sensitive information.
- Everyone, if all who can see the idea should read it.
Changing the level applies straight away, including to answers already given.
Answered by on form questions
On the form itself, Answered by makes no difference: the submitter answers every question. It matters afterwards. It decides who can add or change the answer once the idea exists. Submitters can still change the answers they gave themselves. For example, with Answered by Managers, a collection manager can fill in an answer the submitter skipped.
Step and Inbox questions
Step and Inbox questions are answered on the idea, in that step’s section, with Answer, Rate or Edit. Who can answer:
- collection managers and Admins, for any step at any time;
- the step’s panel members and the idea’s assigned reviewer for that step, while the idea is in the step (or the Inbox, for the Inbox panel).
A few things to know:
- Each person answers separately. Everyone who answers gives their own answer to the same question on the same idea.
- Timing. Collection managers and Admins can add or correct answers later. Earlier answers stay readable after the idea moves on.
- Overview without names. Panel members and reviewers see the step’s Voting and Scoring overview without names. Only collection managers and Admins see who rated what.
- Visible to still applies. Set it to Contributors or Everyone if you want submitters or other members to read the answers, for example a “Decision” text question on the last step.
See Rating ideas and answering step questions.
What readers see
| Type | What people with read access see |
|---|---|
| Text, Number, File upload | The answer and the name of the person who gave it. Only managers and Admins see the person’s email. |
| Rating | Every rating and the averages, without names. Only collection managers and Admins see who gave which rating. |
| Options | Their own choice and the number of people who chose each option. Collection managers and Admins see who chose what. |
Common questions
Can a submitter’s colleagues read their answers? Only if Visible to is Everyone and they can see the idea.
Can members score ideas? Yes, if they are on a step’s panel or are the idea’s assigned reviewer for that step. They can then answer and rate that step’s questions while the idea is in the step. Other members show support with likes or votes. See Reviewers and panels and Liking and voting on ideas.