Who this is for
Managers and Editors can change a section to Shared. Only roles with publish rights - Managers by default - can set Published. Reviewers need access to the document.
Why it matters
Reviewing a BEP by email means sending "version seven final final" to six people and merging six sets of changes. Here everyone reviews in one place, and when you publish, the agreed version is locked.
What the three statuses mean
- In Progress - people with permission can edit.
- Shared - visible to the project team. The text is read-only, but reviewers can suggest changes and comment.
- Published - authorized for use. Read-only until a manager returns it to In Progress.
Share a section for review
- On the section header, open the status pill (it reads In Progress) and choose Shared.
- Tick Set a consultation deadline and choose 3 days, 5 days, or Choose date and time.
- Under Notify, choose who to tell: None, Everybody, Assigned + Managers, Assigned only or Managers only. Add an optional message.
- Select Apply.
On a category, the status applies to every section inside it. Managers can also tick Auto-publish at deadline, which publishes accepted suggestions when the deadline passes.
Review and accept suggestions
- Reviewers open the Shared section and select text. The Suggest edits pencil appears, or they can add a comment instead.
- Their changes show in the text as suggestions from the Suggesting mode.
- You see each one with Accept and Reject buttons. Select Accept for the ones you agree with. Managers also have a Review queue in the Docs toolbar menu.
Suggestions cover text only. For a table or image change, a reviewer should add a comment.
Publish
- Open the status pill and choose Published.
- The section is now read-only for everyone, and its number is locked.
To change it again, open the pill and return it to In Progress. Plannerly asks whether you want to return it to Work In Progress so you can edit.
If it doesn't work
"Your permission role does not allow you to Publish sections"
Editors can Share but not Publish. Ask a manager to publish, or to change your role in Roles and Permissions.
Plannerly refuses to Share or Publish for another reason
Read the message on screen and pass it to a project manager or an account admin, who can look at Roles and Permissions and Plan and Billing.
I can't edit a section
Shared and Published sections are read-only. Return the section to In Progress first.
I can't see Suggest edits
It only shows on Shared sections, on selected text. Table and image changes need a comment instead.
Common questions
How do I share a BEP for review?
Change the section's status to Shared, set a consultation deadline, choose who to notify and select Apply. Reviewers then suggest edits or comment in the text.
What does Published mean in Plannerly?
The section is approved for use and read-only. It stays that way until a manager returns it to In Progress.
What happens if I change a SmartField used in a Published section?
Plannerly warns you first, then moves those sections back to Shared so they can be reviewed again.
Do reviewers need the section to be Shared?
For suggested edits, yes. Comments can be added on any section they can see.
Related
- Give every section an owner - who writes it.
- Export the PDF, get it signed, and make a Word copy - the next lesson.
- How to include section comments in your export
- How Docs helps enforce accountability
Take the free Plannerly Essentials course - every lesson is a short video like this one, with a certificate when you finish.
