Contesimal: Share a Project

Description

The Share a Project feature allows you to invite collaborators to your projects, enabling team collaboration on content creation, research, and analysis. When you share a project, invited users can:

• View and collaborate on project content and creations
• Chat directly about content discoveries, team strategies, and content library discussions
• Access shared documents (if you grant document library access)
• Generate new creations within the shared project folder
• View all past creations generated by any team member in the project

You can also manage collaborator permissions, including document access and the ability to remove users from specific projects or all projects. Shared projectsmake fast content collaboration an exciting experience, allowing team members to contribute to the group creative process.

Accessing Shared Projects

• For project owners: You can see all your projects (both personal and shared) in the Projects tab of the left column
• For collaborators: You can access shared projects in the Projects tab of the left column, alongside your personal projects
• Shared projects are clearly marked and visible to all team members

Collaboration Features

• Generate new creations: Within the shared project folder, you can generate new creations to contribute to the group creative process
• View all creations: In the projects tab of the left column, you can see all past creations generated by either you or any other team member in the project
• Chat and discuss: Collaborate by chatting directly about content discoveries, team strategies, and content library discussions
  

Shared Library Access

• If document access is granted, collaborators receive read-only access to your document library
• The owner of a library has shared read-only access to their archive
• This allows collaborators to:
  • Access these documents to research against
  • Generate new creations using the shared library
  • Explore inside the Content Library tab
• Important: Collaborators cannot edit your data, and you can remove this access later
• To access shared libraries, use the library dropdown menu and select from the "Shared with me" section

Step-by-Step:

The step-by-step instructions, screen descriptions, and UI details in this section are examples only. They are intended to help you understand how the feature works and how to complete the flow. Screens, labels, and layout may change in future product updates.

1. Access the Share Project Feature

• Log in to your Contesimal account
• Navigate to Creations in the left sidebar menu
• Click on Projects tab (located at the top of the Creations page)
  • You'll see a list of all your projects
• Click on any content added below the project you want to share
• Look for the "Share" button at the top right of the screen (next to other action buttons)
• Click the "Share" button
• The "Share Project" modal window will open, displaying:
  • An input field for adding user emails to share project with
  • The list of Users who already has access to the Project (and Project Owner)

2.  Invite Collaborators

• In the "Share Project" modal, locate the input field labeled "Invite others by name or email"
• Click inside the input field to activate it
• Start typing the user's email address (e.g., "john@example.com") or their name
  • As you type, a dropdown menu will appear below the input field showing matching users
• Review the dropdown suggestions - they will show user names and email addresses
  • only email is shown if user does not present in Contesimal system
• Click on the user you want to invite from the dropdown list
• The selected user will appear in the input field with:
  • Their name displayed
  • An X icon next to their name (to remove them if needed)
• To add multiple collaborators:
  • Continue typing in the same input field after selecting the first user
  • The dropdown will appear again with new suggestions
  • Select additional users one by one
  • Each selected user will appear in the input field
• If you need to remove a collaborator before sending:
  • Click the X icon next to their name in the input field
  • They will be removed from the invitation list

3.  Add Optional Message

• In the "Share Project" modal, locate the "Message" text area (below the invite input field)
• Click inside the message text area to activate it
• Type a custom message that will be included with the project invitation
• The message field is completely optional - you can leave it blank if you prefer
• There is no character limit for the message, but keep it concise and professional
• The message will be visible to the collaborator in the invitation email

4.  Grant Document Library Access (Optional)

• In the "Share Project" modal, locate the checkbox below the message field
• The checkbox is labeled: "Also share DOCUMENT access and allow collaborators to view your entire document library"
• If you want to share your document library:
  • Click the checkbox to check it (a checkmark will appear)
  • This grants read-only access to your entire document library
  • Collaborators will be able to view and use your documents for research and content creation
• If you don't want to share document access:
  • Leave the checkbox unchecked (no checkmark)
  • Collaborators will only have access to the project, not your documents
• Important Notes:
  • When checked, collaborators receive read-only access - they cannot edit or delete your documents
  • You can change this setting later using the permissions menu
  • Collaborators can access shared libraries via the library dropdown menu under "Shared with me"
• You can toggle this checkbox on or off before sending the invitation

5.  Send the Invitation

• Before sending, review all the information you've entered:
  • Collaborators: Verify all email addresses/names are correct
  • Message: Check that your optional message is appropriate (if you added one)
  • Document Access: Confirm whether you want to share document library access
• Locate the "Send" button at the bottom right of the modal (red button)
• Click the "Send" button
  • A green success notification banner appears at the top of the screen: "Invitation sent successfully"
  • The invitation email is sent immediately to all collaborators you added

6.  Collaborator Receives Invitation

• The invited user will receive an email invitation from Contesimal (usually within a few minutes)
• Email Contents:
  • Subject line: "Contesimal - {User Name} invited you to join a project"
  • Sender: Contesimal (no-reply@contesimal.ai)
  • Project name: The name of the project they're being invited to join
  • Message: Your custom message (if you included one)
  • A message stating that by joining, they agree to share all rights and permissions to any contributions they make to the project in perpetuity
  • Action button: A prominent "Agree & Join Project" button
• Note: The email may go to the collaborator's spam/junk folder, so they should check there if they don't see it

7. Collaborator Accepts Invitation

• The invited user opens the invitation email
• They click the "Agree & Join Project" button in the email
• If the user is already logged into Contesimal:
  • They will be redirected directly to the project details page
  • They can immediately start collaborating on the project
• If the user is not logged in:
  • They will be redirected to the Contesimal login page
  • They need to log in with their Contesimal account credentials
  • After logging in, they will be redirected to the project details page
• If the user does not have an account yet:
  • They will be redirected to the Contesimal login page
  • They need to create an account and create first project during registration
• Once they accept and join:
  • The project appears in their Projects under My Library -> Shared with me (clicking user's name opens the list of shared projects below Projects tab)
  • They can see all project content and creations
  • They can start collaborating immediately

8.  Manage Collaborator Permissions (After Sharing)

• Access the permissions menu:
  • Navigate to Creations → Projects
  • Click on the project you want to manage
  • Click the "Share" button at the top right of the screen
  • The Share Project modal opens, showing the "Who has access" section
• Find the collaborator you want to manage:
  • Scroll through the list of project members in the "Who has access" section
  • Each member shows their name/email and current status (e.g., "Owner", "Member", "Pending")
• Open the permissions menu:
  • Locate the three dots menu (more menu icon: ⋮) to the right of the user's account information
  • Click on the three dots menu icon
• A pop-up menu appears with the following options:
  • "Document Access" - A checkbox that you can toggle:
    • Checked: Grants read-only access to your document library
    • Unchecked: Revokes document library access
  • "Remove from this project" - Removes the user from the current project only (they will still have access to other projects you've shared with them)
  • "Remove from all projects" - Removes the user from all projects you've shared with them across your account
• Make your permission changes:
  • Toggle the "Document Access" checkbox if you want to change library access
  • Click "Remove from this project" or "Remove from all projects" if you want to remove the collaborator
  • Review your changes before applying
• Apply the changes:
  • Click the "Apply" button (usually at the bottom of the pop-up menu)
  • The changes are saved immediately
  • The pop-up menu closes
  • The Share Project modal updates to reflect the changes
• Verify the changes:
  • Check that the collaborator's status or access has been updated correctly
  • If you removed a collaborator, they should no longer appear in the "Who has access" list
  • If you changed document access, the change takes effect immediately for that collaborator

Troubleshooting Guide

A. Share Button Doesn't Appear or Doesn't Work

• Issue: The "Share" button is missing from the project page, appears grayed out (disabled), or doesn't open the Share Project modal when clicked.

• Fix: 

  • Refresh the page and try clicking the Share button again

  • Ensure you're the project owner - only project owners can share projects (if you're a collaborator, you won't see the Share button)

  • Check if you're viewing the project correctly - navigate to Creations → Projects → Click on a project

  • Clear your browser cache and cookies, then try again

  • Try a different browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox) if the issue persists

  • If the Share button consistently doesn't work, contact Support and mention that the Share button isn't functioning

B. Can't Find User in Dropdown When Typing Email

• Issue: You type an email address or name in the invite field, but the user doesn't appear in the dropdown suggestions, or the dropdown doesn't appear at all.

• Fix:

  • Ensure the email address is correct - check for typos or misspellings

  • Try typing just the username part of the email (before the @ symbol)

  • Try typing the user's name if you know it (first name, last name, or full name)

  • Wait a moment - the dropdown may take a second to load suggestions

  • Check your internet connection - a slow connection may delay dropdown loading

  • Refresh the page and try typing again

  • Contact Support if you believe a user should appear but doesn't (provide the email address)

C. Invitation Not Sent or "Send" Button Doesn't Work

• Issue: You click the "Send" button but the invitation doesn't appear to be sent, you don't see the success notification, or the button doesn't respond when clicked.

• Fix: 

  • Wait a moment - there may be a brief delay before the success notification appears

  • Check if you've added at least one collaborator - you cannot send an empty invitation (the Send button may be disabled if no collaborators are added)

  • Ensure you've selected a user from the dropdown - typing an email without selecting won't work

  • Refresh the page and try sending the invitation again

  • Check your internet connection - ensure you have a stable connection

  • Clear browser cache and cookies, then try again

  • If the Send button consistently doesn't work, contact Support and mention that invitations aren't being sent

D. Collaborator Doesn't Receive Invitation Email

• Issue: You sent an invitation and saw the success notification, but the collaborator says they didn't receive the invitation email.

• Fix: 

  • Ask the collaborator to check their spam/junk folder - invitation emails may be filtered by email providers

  • Verify the email address is correct - check for typos in the email you entered (double-check the email in the "Who has access" section)

  • Check if the collaborator's email provider is blocking Contesimal emails - they may need to whitelist Contesimal

  • Try resending the invitation - click Share again and send a new invitation

  • Wait a few minutes - email delivery can sometimes be delayed

  • If the collaborator still doesn't receive emails after 24 hours, contact Support with: The email address that didn't receive the invitation, The project name, The date/time you sent the invitation

E. Collaborator Can't Accept Invitation or Join Project

• Issue: The collaborator clicks "Agree & Join Project" in the email but can't access the project, sees an error message, or is redirected to an error page.

• Fix:

  • Ask the collaborator to ensure they're logged into their Contesimal account (the correct account that matches the email address)

  • Try having the collaborator log out and log back in, then click the invitation link again

  • Check if the invitation link has expired - invitations may have expiration dates (try sending a new invitation)

  • Verify the collaborator is using the correct email address that received the invitation

  • Clear browser cache and cookies, then try the invitation link again

  • Try opening the invitation link in a different browser or incognito/private mode

  • If the collaborator consistently can't join, contact Support with: The project name, The collaborator's email address, The error message they're seeing (if any)

F. Can't Change Collaborator Permissions

• Issue: The three dots menu doesn't appear next to a collaborator, you can't click it, or clicking it doesn't show the permissions options, or changes don't apply.
• Fix:

  • Ensure you're the project owner - only owners can change permissions (collaborators cannot change permissions)

  • Click directly on the three dots menu icon (⋮) to the right of the user's account - make sure you're clicking the icon, not the text

  • Refresh the Share Project modal and try again - close it and reopen it

  • Check if the user is still pending - pending users may have limited permission options (wait for them to accept the invitation first)

  • Try closing and reopening the Share Project modal

  • Ensure you've made a change before clicking Apply - if no changes were made, Apply may be disabled

  • Check your internet connection - a poor connection may prevent changes from saving

  • Clear browser cache and cookies, then try again

  • If permission changes consistently don't work, contact Support and mention: Which permission you're trying to change (Document Access, Remove from project, etc.), The collaborator's email address, What happens when you try to make the change

G. Document Access Checkbox Doesn't Work

• Issue: You can't check or uncheck the "Also share DOCUMENT access" checkbox in the Share Project modal, or the checkbox state doesn't save when you send the invitation.

• Fix:

  • Refresh the page and try checking/unchecking the box again

  • Ensure you're clicking directly on the checkbox square, not just the text label

  • Try clicking the checkbox multiple times - sometimes it needs a few clicks to register

  • Check if you have documents in your library - if your library is empty, the option may not be relevant (but should still work)

  • Try using the three dots menu after sharing to change document access for existing collaborators (this is an alternative method)

  • Clear browser cache and cookies, then try again

  • Try a different browser if the issue persists

  • If the checkbox consistently doesn't work, contact Support and mention: Whether you're trying to check or uncheck the box, Whether you have documents in your library, What happens when you click the checkbox

H. Can't Remove Collaborator from Project

• Issue: You try to remove a collaborator using the three dots menu, but they're not removed, the removal option doesn't work, or an error appears.

• Fix:

  • Ensure you're the project owner - only owners can remove collaborators

  • Click "Remove from this project" or "Remove from all projects" in the three dots menu (make sure you select the correct option)

  • After selecting a removal option, click "Apply" to confirm the removal

  • Wait a moment for the removal to process

  • Refresh the page to confirm the collaborator has been removed from the "Who has access" list

  • If the collaborator still appears after refresh, try removing them again

  • Check your internet connection - a poor connection may prevent the removal from processing

  • Clear browser cache and cookies, then try again

  • If removal consistently doesn't work, contact Support with: The project name, The collaborator's email address you're trying to remove, What happens when you try to remove them (error message, button doesn't work, etc.)

I. Collaborator Can't See Shared Project After Joining

• Issue: A collaborator accepted the invitation and joined the project, but they can't find or access the shared project in their Contesimal account.

• Fix:

  • Ask the collaborator to check the Projects tab in the left sidebar column (not just the main page)

  • Ask the collaborator to refresh the page (F5 or Ctrl+R) or log out and log back in

  • Check if the project was removed or unshared - verify with the project owner that the project is still shared

  • Ask the collaborator to scroll through their Projects list - shared projects may be at the bottom

  • Verify the collaborator accepted the invitation - check the "Who has access" section in the Share Project modal to confirm their status

  • Check if the collaborator is logged into the correct Contesimal account (the one that received the invitation email)

  • If the collaborator still can't see the project, contact Support with: The project name, The collaborator's email address, Whether the collaborator has their own projects, What they see (or don't see) in their Projects tab

J. Collaborator Can't Access Shared Library

• Issue: Document access was granted to a collaborator, but they can't see or access the shared document library in their account.

• Fix:

  • Verify document access was granted - check the Share Project modal to confirm the "Also share DOCUMENT access" checkbox was selected when the invitation was sent

  • Check if document access was later revoked - verify in the Share Project permissions (three dots menu → Document Access checkbox)

  • Ask the collaborator to use the library dropdown menu (in the top navigation or Content Library section) and look in the "Shared with me" section

  • Ensure the library owner has documents in their library - if the library is empty, there's nothing to access (but the library should still appear)

  • Ask the collaborator to refresh the page or log out and log back in - library access may need a refresh to appear

  • Verify the collaborator accepted the project invitation - they must be a member of the shared project to access the shared library

  • Check if the collaborator is looking in the correct location - shared libraries appear in a separate "Shared with me" section, not in their personal library

  • Try having the project owner toggle document access off and back on (revoke and re-grant access)

  • If the collaborator still can't access the library, contact Support with: The project name, The library owner's email address, The collaborator's email address, Whether document access checkbox was selected, What the collaborator sees (or doesn't see) in their library dropdown

K. Can't Add Multiple Collaborators at Once

• Issue: You want to add multiple collaborators, but you can only add one at a time, or the system doesn't allow adding multiple users before sending.

• Fix:

  • Refresh the page and try again - the input field should allow multiple selections

  • Clear your browser cache and cookies, then try again

  • Ensure you're clicking inside the input field after the first collaborator is added - click directly in the text area, not on the selected user's name

  • Try clicking after the selected user's name in the input field, then start typing

  • Check if the input field is still active - click inside it to ensure it has focus

  • Try removing the first collaborator (click the X icon), then add both collaborators again

  • If the dropdown doesn't appear when typing after the first selection:

  • Click outside the input field, then click back inside it

  • Start typing again - the dropdown should appear

  • Wait a moment - there may be a brief delay before the dropdown loads

  • Check your internet connection - a slow connection may delay the dropdown from appearing

    Try a different browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox) if the issue persists

  • Alternative method if the above doesn't work:

  • Add one collaborator and send the invitation

  • Open the Share Project modal again

  • Add additional collaborators using the same process

  • Click Send again to invite more collaborators