If you’re tired of sending documents back and forth, chasing the “final_final_v3” version, and wondering who touched what, you’re in the right place. This guide is for anyone who needs real-time, reliable teamwork on documents in Octavehq—whether you’re new to it or trying to get your crew on the same page (literally).
We’ll walk through how to actually work together on live docs, what tools and settings matter, and a few things to skip unless you like headaches. No marketing fluff—just what it’s like in real use.
1. Get the Basics Set Up
Before you start live collaboration, make sure you’ve got the essentials sorted. Sounds obvious, but missing one step here can waste hours later.
- Everyone needs an account: Invite your teammates to your Octavehq workspace. If they’re new, they’ll get an email to join.
- Permissions matter: Decide who should have edit, comment, or view access. Don’t skip this—too many cooks with editing rights can ruin a doc fast.
- Shared space: Put your documents in a shared folder or project. If you’re working from your private folder, nobody else will see changes.
Pro tip: Double-check your sharing settings before you start anything important. It’s boring but saves embarrassment later.
2. Create (or Import) the Document
You can start fresh or pull in something you’ve already got.
- To create a new doc: Click “New Document” in your shared space. Name it clearly—future you will thank you.
- To import: You can upload Word, Google Docs, or PDFs. Octavehq will convert them, but formatting isn’t always perfect. Double-check after import.
- Templates: If your team uses the same structure a lot (like meeting notes or project outlines), set up a template to save time.
Heads up: Don’t get sucked into tweaking templates for hours. Good enough is good enough—move on.
3. Invite Your Team (The Right Way)
Once your doc’s set up, it’s time to loop in the right people.
- Share with intention: Only invite people who genuinely need to be involved. Too many viewers = distractions and “who changed this?” confusion.
- How to invite: Click “Share,” copy the link, or enter teammates’ emails. Set permissions: “Can edit,” “Can comment,” or “Can view.” Be strict at first—you can always loosen up later.
- Notify wisely: Octavehq can ping folks by email or in-app. Use this sparingly; nobody likes notification overload.
Pro tip: If someone’s just reviewing, set them as “Can comment” so they can’t accidentally overwrite your work.
4. Start Collaborating—Live
This is where the magic (or chaos) happens.
Editing in Real Time
- See who’s in: Octavehq shows profile icons when others are in the doc. You’ll see colored cursors for each person.
- Simultaneous edits: You can all type at once. Changes appear instantly. But: if you’re all in the same paragraph, expect some weirdness.
- Track changes: Octavehq keeps a version history. If someone makes a mess, you can roll back.
Comments and Suggestions
- Highlight and comment: Select text and leave a comment. Tag specific people with @mentions if you want a response.
- Suggestions: If your team prefers, use “Suggest” mode to make changes that need approval.
- Resolve or reply: Mark comments as resolved when done, or keep threads going if there’s debate.
What works: Comment threads are clear and easy to follow. No more “What did you mean by this?” emails.
What doesn’t: Real-time editing gets messy if your team isn’t disciplined. Set ground rules—like who owns which section—before everyone jumps in.
5. Manage Versions and History
Things move fast in live docs, and it’s easy to lose track.
- Automatic saving: Octavehq saves everything as you go. No “Save” button needed.
- Version history: Click “History” to see who changed what, and when. You can name key versions—useful after big meetings or deadlines.
- Restore: If something goes wrong, you can revert to any previous version. Don’t be afraid to use it.
Pro tip: Name major versions (like “Post Kickoff” or “Final Draft”) so you’re not guessing later.
6. Notifications and Activity Tracking
Don’t miss changes, but don’t drown in alerts either.
- Notifications: Octavehq can send you emails or push notifications for mentions, comments, or edits.
- Customize alerts: Tweak your notification settings. If you’re in a busy doc, you probably want fewer alerts.
- Activity feed: See a running list of recent changes—handy if you step away for a day.
What to ignore: You don’t need to watch every single edit. Focus on comments and mentions unless you’re the doc owner.
7. Set Ground Rules for Smoother Collaboration
Live docs are only as good as your team’s habits. A few basics go a long way.
- Assign sections: Before everyone jumps in, agree who owns which part. Avoids accidental overwrites.
- Comment, don’t overwrite: If you disagree, comment or suggest instead of deleting someone else’s work.
- Keep docs tidy: Use headings, bullets, and clear formatting. Messy docs slow everyone down.
- Close the loop: Resolve comments when done so you’re not wading through old threads.
Pro tip: If a doc gets out of hand, schedule a quick call to sort it out. Sometimes talking is faster than typing.
8. A Few Things to Watch Out For
Not every feature is worth your time, and some things can trip you up.
- Formatting bugs: Imported docs (especially from Word) can look weird. Clean up formatting early.
- Too many cooks: More editors isn’t always better. Sometimes, one person should own the doc and others just comment.
- Over-notification: If you get too many pings, dial back your settings or mute the doc for a while.
- Attachment overload: Don’t turn your doc into a dumping ground for files. Link out to big docs instead.
9. When to Use (and Not Use) Live Documents
Live collaboration is great for fast-moving work, brainstorming, and shared notes. But sometimes, it’s overkill.
- Best for: Meeting notes, project plans, drafts that need lots of input.
- Maybe skip it for: Sensitive docs with a single owner, or anything that shouldn’t change often.
If you need a locked-down, “single source of truth” doc, consider limiting edits or using a published, read-only version.
10. Keep It Simple (and Iterate)
You don’t need to use every feature or get your system perfect on day one. Start small: invite a few people, try editing together, and see what works for your team. Adjust as you go. Most problems come from overcomplicating things or giving too many people editing rights.
Cut the noise, keep your docs tidy, and don’t be afraid to roll back changes if something breaks. Collaboration should make your life easier, not harder.
That’s it—now get your team in Octavehq and start working together for real.