Skip to main content
Real-Time Updates

Instantly see when anything and everything is updated: Who, what, when

Jon Darbyshire avatar
Written by Jon Darbyshire
Updated over a week ago


Plan Availability

All plan types

Permissions

General Access: View and collaborate on real-time updates in records and fields.

Related Reading


Real-Time in SmartSuite

SmartSuite’s real-time updates provide seamless collaboration by allowing your team to view and edit shared content simultaneously. This feature ensures that all users are always working on the most up-to-date version of each record. Every change, no matter how small, is captured and displayed down to the second, giving you full visibility into ongoing activities and edits. This helps avoid version conflicts and keeps everyone aligned in real time.


Updating in Real-Time

  • Highlighted Changes:

    • Any updates are highlighted with a distinctive color to indicate real-time activity.

    • The name of the user making updates is displayed, providing transparency and improving collaboration.

  • Coordinate in Real-Time:

    • See exactly where teammates are working and which fields they are updating.


Following a Record

  • Stay Informed:

    • Each record shows which team members are following it. This makes it easy to track changes in content you’re interested in.

  • How to Follow a Record:

    1. Click the bell icon in the upper-right corner of the record.

    2. Select from two options:

      • Following: Notify of all updates to the record.

      • Not Following: Notify only when someone @mentions you in the record or comments.


  • My Notifications:

    • The Notification Center provides real-time alerts about tasks and records that matter to you.

  • Mentions:

    • If a team member mentions you in a task or record, you’ll instantly receive a notification.

  • How to Access:

    • Click the bell icon in the upper-right corner of your homepage.

  • My Notification Views:

    • All – Displays all notifications to the user.

    • Unread – Shows only unread notifications that the user has not yet viewed.

    • @Mentioned – Displays records/notifications where the current user has been @mentioned.

    • Assigned to Me – Shows notifications specifically assigned to the current user.

To learn more about notifications, check out this article.


Activity History

  • Full Transparency:

    • Track every action in SmartSuite, including:

      • Item creation and updates.

      • Changes to content, showing previous and current values.

  • Change Logs:

    • View updates by date, time, and person for complete context.

  • Collaboration Built-In:

    • A live stream of actions fosters collaboration and ensures everyone is informed.


  • Hover for Details:

    • Hover over the avatars in the upper-left corner of a record to see who else is viewing or working in the record.

  • Real-Time Updates:

    • See exactly where other members are working within the record.


Commenting in Real-Time

  • Collaborate Efficiently:

    • Add comments directly to a record where your work is.

    • Comments update in real-time, eliminating the need for external emails.

  • Comments in Grid View:

    • Open comments directly in Grid View by clicking the chat icon.


Real-Time Updates in Grid View

Grid View enhances real-time collaboration:

  • Simultaneous Edits:

    • Multiple members can update content in-line.

  • Boosted Productivity:

    • Manage and edit multiple records seamlessly in real time.


Practical Use Cases and Scenarios

1. Monitoring Team Edits

Scenario: A manager wants to see live updates as team members edit a project plan.

Solution: Use real-time updates in Grid View to track changes as they happen.

Outcome: Improved collaboration and visibility into ongoing edits.

2. Collaborating on Comments

Scenario: A team is discussing a task’s progress.

Solution: Use the real-time commenting feature to have live discussions directly within the task record.

Outcome: Faster decision-making and seamless communication.

3. Keeping Tabs on Notifications

Scenario: A user wants to stay updated on tasks they’re following.

Solution: Use the Notification Center to manage and view alerts in real time.

Outcome: Enhanced awareness of task changes and updates.

Did this answer your question?