If you’re on a team that sends out proposals—whether you’re in sales, creative, consulting, or anything that deals with clients—you know the pain of getting everyone on the same page. Multiple drafts, scattered feedback, and “who changed this?” moments make what should be a simple process drag out way too long. If your shop uses Bidsketch, you’ve already got a tool that’s built for proposals, but its team collaboration features aren’t always obvious or foolproof.
This guide cuts through the noise. Here’s how to actually collaborate with your team on proposals in Bidsketch, what to look out for, and some hard-won advice from people who’ve spent too long chasing down version histories.
1. Get Everyone Set Up With the Right Access
Before you can collaborate, your team needs the right permissions. Bidsketch’s user management isn’t rocket science, but it’s worth double-checking up front.
- Invite Only the People Who Need It: Adding everyone in the company sounds democratic, but it usually leads to clutter and confusion. Stick to people who review, edit, or send proposals.
- Assign Roles Carefully: Bidsketch has “Admin,” “User,” and “Client” roles. Admins can see and do everything, including billing. Most team members just need “User.”
- Pro tip: Don’t give everyone admin rights. That’s asking for accidental deletions and surprise invoices.
How to add a team member: 1. Go to “Settings” > “Users.” 2. Click “Invite User.” 3. Enter their email and pick their role. 4. Send the invite—they’ll get a link to join and set up their password.
What doesn’t work: If you try to share one login for the whole team, you’ll lose track of who did what. Bidsketch doesn’t support simultaneous logins under one account, and you’ll run into session errors.
2. Create a Proposal and Assign Roles Upfront
One of the best ways to avoid chaos later is to set expectations at the start.
- Start with a Template: Use a company-approved template so you’re not reinventing the wheel every time. Templates keep branding, pricing, and legalese consistent.
- Assign Sections: Decide who owns what early. One person handles pricing, another writes the intro, someone else reviews the terms.
How to create and assign:
1. From the dashboard, click “Create New Proposal.”
2. Pick your template and fill in client details.
3. In each section, add notes or comments tagging teammates using “@” (e.g., @Alex please review pricing).
4. If someone needs to own a section, spell it out in a shared doc or Slack—Bidsketch doesn’t have section-level assignments.
What works: Using comments in the proposal or a parallel checklist in Slack/Notion to track who’s responsible for each part.
What doesn’t: Sending proposal links in random emails with “Hey, can you look at this?” You’ll lose track of feedback fast.
3. Use Comments to Share Feedback—But Don’t Rely on Them for Everything
Bidsketch lets you leave comments inside proposals. This is handy for quick notes and clarifications.
- Leave Specific, Actionable Comments: Don’t just write “fix this.” Say what needs to change and why.
- Tag Teammates: Use the “@” mention to make sure the right person sees your note.
How to comment: 1. Open the proposal. 2. Click into any section and look for the comment icon (usually a speech bubble). 3. Type your feedback and hit send.
Limits of comments: - Bidsketch doesn’t have threaded discussions, so conversations can get messy. - There’s no way to mark a comment as “resolved.” You’ll have to keep track manually. - Notifications can be spotty—some comments get buried if people aren’t checking Bidsketch.
Pro tip: For big-picture feedback or heated debates, use your team chat or a quick call. Bidsketch comments are best for small, section-specific tweaks.
4. Avoid the “Version Soup” Trap
Bidsketch saves each proposal as a draft until you send it, but it doesn’t do Google Docs-style real-time editing or robust versioning. If two people edit at once, someone’s changes will get lost.
How to avoid overwriting each other: - Designate an “Editor”: Only one person should make edits at a time. Others leave comments or suggestions. - Use a Naming Convention: If you must make a copy (say, for a totally different client), add the client name and date. Example: “Acme Proposal 2024-06-10.” - Don’t Keep 10 Drafts: Archive or delete old versions once you’ve sent the final one.
What works: One editor making changes while everyone else reviews and comments. Rotate the editing role if needed.
What doesn’t: Multiple people logged in, all editing the same proposal at 2 a.m. Bidsketch will save whatever was last, and you’ll spend your morning fixing things.
5. Use Approval Workflows (If You Need Them)
Some teams need a formal sign-off before a proposal goes to the client. Bidsketch has basic support for this, but it’s not fancy.
- Manual Approval: Ask the final reviewer to check everything, then send the proposal themselves, or give the green light in a comment.
- No Built-in “Approval Chains”: Bidsketch doesn’t have multi-step, automated approvals like enterprise tools. If you need that, you’ll have to use a checklist or your project management tool.
How to handle approvals: 1. Assign one person as the final reviewer. 2. When everyone’s done, that person does a last review, then hits “Send.” 3. If you like paper trails, add a comment: “Approved by @Sam 2024-06-10.”
Pro tip: Don’t overcomplicate this unless you have to. Most teams can get by with a quick Slack message: “Ready to send?”
6. Send, Track, and Follow Up—Together
Once the proposal’s out, collaboration doesn’t stop. Bidsketch lets you see when clients open the proposal and if they accept it online.
- Everyone Can See Status: All users with access can check if the client viewed or accepted.
- Assign Follow-ups: Decide upfront who’s responsible for nudging the client. Otherwise, everyone assumes someone else will do it.
How to track and follow up: 1. On the proposal dashboard, check the status column for each proposal. 2. Click into a proposal for more detail—view times, acceptance, etc. 3. Use internal notes or your team chat to assign follow-up tasks.
What works: A quick team huddle or message: “Client opened, no reply after 2 days—@Jordan, can you follow up?”
What doesn’t: Everyone waiting for an email reply that never comes because nobody took ownership.
7. Troubleshooting: Common Collaboration Pitfalls
Bidsketch is pretty straightforward, but here’s what trips up teams most often:
- Lost Changes: Two people editing at once = overwritten work. Always coordinate editing.
- Missed Feedback: Comments don’t always trigger emails. Double-check for missed notes before sending.
- Access Confusion: Someone deleted? Invites lost? Re-send invites or check user permissions in “Settings.”
- Template Drift: If folks modify templates on the fly, branding or legal language can get inconsistent. Lock templates or limit who can edit them.
8. Pro Tips for Smoother Teamwork
- Keep Communication Centralized: Use one channel (Slack, Teams, etc.) for proposal chatter. Don’t let feedback scatter across email, comments, and sticky notes.
- Limit Editors: Fewer cooks = fewer messes. Assign editing, stick to it.
- Review Before You Send: A final once-over catches typos, wrong prices, and embarrassing copy-paste leftovers.
- Archive Old Proposals: Clean up the dashboard regularly. Clutter hides important work.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Proposal collaboration in Bidsketch doesn’t need to be complicated. The basics—clear roles, one editor at a time, and direct feedback—work better than fancy workflows most of the time. Start simple, adjust as your team grows, and don’t be afraid to ditch what’s not working. The best teams get proposals out the door fast and fix their process as they go, not before.
Now go get that proposal sent—without the drama.