If your team cobbles together reports by emailing PDFs back and forth, you know the pain: version chaos, last-minute edits, and someone always missing the memo. This guide is for teams who want to actually work together—not just hand off files—using Venngage. Whether you’re new to the tool or trying to clean up a messy process, here’s how to turn Venngage from “just another design tool” into a real-time teamwork hub.
Let’s cut through the noise and get your team collaborating—without the headaches.
Step 1: Get Everyone Set Up With the Right Access
First thing’s first: collaboration only works if everyone can get in the door.
- Venngage Teams vs. Free/Individual Plans: Real collaboration (editing together, sharing templates, commenting) only works with a Venngage Business or Enterprise account. The free version is fine for solo work, but you’ll hit a wall fast if you try to use it as a team. Don’t fight the tool—if you need to collaborate, get the right plan.
- Inviting Team Members: Go to “My Team” or “Team Management” and invite teammates by email. You can assign roles (admin, editor, viewer)—just don’t overthink it at the start. Most people will be editors.
- Set Up Groups if Needed: If you have a big team or different departments, setting up groups can keep things tidy. But don’t spend an afternoon organizing before you even start; add structure as you grow.
Pro Tip: Make sure everyone actually accepts their invite and can log in. You’d be surprised how many “collaboration” problems are just someone never clicking their email.
Step 2: Start With the Right Template (Or Don’t)
Venngage’s templates are good—sometimes too good. It’s tempting to pick the flashiest design, but if your team needs to update it every week, fancy layouts can become a hassle.
- Choose a Template That Fits Your Needs: For recurring reports, pick a template that’s easy to update, not just pretty. If you’re reporting on the same metrics every month, a clean, simple layout will save you headaches.
- Or Start From Scratch: If none of the templates fit, don’t waste time forcing it. A blank canvas is fine. Complexity isn’t collaboration.
What to Ignore: Don’t get sidetracked with “most popular” templates or trying to make your report look like an infographic masterpiece if your audience just wants the numbers.
Step 3: Set Up Your Report for Team Editing
Here’s where Venngage’s team features actually make a difference:
- Share With Your Team: Click “Share” in the top right and add teammates. Decide if they can edit or just view. (Hint: if you want real collaboration, give edit access.)
- Use Folders: Organize your reports and assets in shared folders. This keeps everyone working on the same version and makes it easy to find the latest file.
- Add Team Assets: Upload logos, color palettes, and brand elements to the Brand Kit so everyone’s using the same stuff. Nothing kills consistency like three different shades of blue.
Honest Take: Version control is still a bit clunky compared to Google Docs. There’s no magic “track changes” feature—if someone makes a mess, you’re restoring from a previous version. So talk about who’s working on what to avoid stepping on toes.
Step 4: Assign Roles and Sections (Divide and Conquer)
Don’t fall into the trap of “everyone edits everything.” That’s chaos. Decide who’s handling what:
- Assign Sections: Break up the report by page, slide, or section. Make it clear who’s responsible for what. Use the comments feature to tag people (“@Sarah update this chart when you get a chance”).
- Set Deadlines: Even if it’s informal, agree when each section should be done. Otherwise, someone’s always “just about to start.”
- Lock Elements if Needed: You can lock text boxes or images so they don’t get moved or deleted by mistake. Handy for templates or logos.
Pro Tip: Create a simple checklist in the report itself (a text box works) so everyone can see what’s done and what still needs attention.
Step 5: Use Comments (But Don’t Expect Slack-Level Magic)
Venngage lets you leave comments on any part of a design. It’s not as slick as Google Docs or Figma, but it gets the job done.
- How to Use: Click on any element, then click the comment icon to leave feedback or tag someone.
- What Works: Quick feedback, clarifying questions, or flagging issues (“This chart looks off—can someone double-check the numbers?”).
- What Doesn’t: Don’t try to run an entire project in the comments. There’s no threading, and notifications can get lost if people aren’t checking Venngage regularly.
What to Ignore: If you need a full project chat, stick to your main team tool (Slack, Teams, email). Comments in Venngage are great for focused, actionable notes—not conversations.
Step 6: Review, Polish, and Approve
Once everyone’s added their bit:
- Do a Final Pass: Assign someone to review the whole report for consistency—fonts, colors, data, spelling. Multiple cooks make for a messy kitchen.
- Get Approval: If you need sign-off, share a view-only link with bosses or stakeholders. They can comment without messing up the design.
- Export Carefully: Download as PDF, PNG, or share a live link. If you’re sending to clients or execs, always double-check the export—sometimes charts or images don’t look quite the same as they do on screen.
Honest Take: Venngage exports are solid for most use cases, but every so often, fonts or alignment can shift. Always open your exported file before you hit “send.”
Step 7: Set Up for Ongoing Collaboration
If you’ll be updating the report regularly:
- Duplicate Reports for Each Cycle: Don’t overwrite last month’s work. Duplicate the file, rename it (“Q1 Sales Report – April”), and update the new version.
- Archive Old Versions: Move finished reports into an “Archive” folder. It keeps your workspace tidy and prevents accidental edits.
- Keep Improving: If your team hits friction (e.g., confusion about which file to edit), tweak your process. The tool won’t fix your workflow for you.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
Let’s be honest: Venngage is great for making reports look polished and for sharing branded templates. It’s much better than cobbling stuff together in PowerPoint or Word, especially for teams that care about visuals.
What Works: - Easy for non-designers to use - Shared templates and brand assets keep things consistent - Comments help with quick feedback
What Doesn’t: - Real-time co-editing is limited (not like Google Docs) - Version history is basic—no detailed change tracking - Comment system isn’t built for deep discussion
What to Ignore: - Don’t waste hours customizing every icon or animation—your boss cares more about clear data than spinning charts - If you only need to work solo, the team features are overkill
Keep It Simple (and Iterate)
Teamwork in Venngage doesn’t have to be complicated. Set up your team, pick a simple template, assign sections, and use comments for what they’re good for. If something feels clunky, talk about it and tweak your process—don’t wait for the perfect tool or workflow.
Collaboration is about people, not just software. Use Venngage to make reports together, but keep your process simple enough that everyone actually wants to use it. And hey, if you find a shortcut that works better for your team, use it.