Collaborative Mode starts on its own when two or more members edit the same SmartDoc field at once. Each member sees the others' cursors and edits as they happen, and any of them can save.
Example: the policy owner and the legal reviewer update the Information Security Policy in the Policy Statement field in the same hour. The owner rewrites the scope while legal edits the exceptions section. Each sees the other's colored cursor, and the owner saves when both are done.
Plan Availability | All plan types. |
Permissions | Any member who can edit the record. Each collaborator edits within the permissions set on the field. |
Platform | Web |
Related Reading |
What you see
Live edits: another member's typing appears at once, before anyone saves.
Cursors: each collaborator's cursor and recent edits show in their own color.
No member limit: any number of members can edit at the same time.
Turning it on
There is nothing to turn on. Collaborative Mode starts when a second member begins editing the same SmartDoc field. It ends when the editors leave.
Saving and unsaved edits
Any collaborator can save with the Save button. The saved version replaces the one before it on the record.
A member who leaves without saving keeps their edits while others are still editing. When they return, the document shows its latest state, with the others' changes.
If the last collaborator leaves without saving, the unsaved changes are dropped and the saved content comes back.
Note: Save often. Unsaved edits are lost when the last collaborator leaves without saving.
Working well together
Split the document by section before you start, as the policy owner and legal did.
Use comments for questions, so edits do not collide.
Watch the colored cursors to see who is in which section.
Frequently asked questions
How do I start Collaborative Mode?
How do I start Collaborative Mode?
You do not start it. It begins when a second member edits the same SmartDoc field and ends when the editors leave.
How many people can edit a SmartDoc at once?
How many people can edit a SmartDoc at once?
There is no member limit. Any number of members with edit access can edit at the same time.
Who can save the document?
Who can save the document?
Any collaborator. The saved version replaces the previous one on the record.
What happens if everyone leaves without saving?
What happens if everyone leaves without saving?
The unsaved changes are dropped and the last saved content comes back.
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Last verified 1 Nov 2026.