If you’ve ever tried wrangling a team proposal from a bunch of remote coworkers, you know it can get messy fast. Endless email threads, lost feedback, “which version is this?” headaches—the usual. Decktopus promises to make this easier by letting you build, edit, and share proposals all in one place, without having to fiddle with a dozen different tools.
This guide is for anyone who needs to collaborate on proposals in Decktopus while working from different locations. Maybe you’re in sales, consulting, or just need to pitch ideas as a team. I’ll walk you through what actually works, what to avoid, and how to keep your proposal moving (without losing your mind).
Step 1: Set Up Your Decktopus Workspace
Before you start building a proposal, get your workspace ready so that everyone’s on the same page from the start.
What works: - One central workspace: Create a single workspace for your team or project. This keeps all your proposals and templates in one spot. Don’t scatter work across multiple personal accounts. - Invite the right people: Add everyone who needs to contribute or review. Decktopus lets you invite by email; just make sure everyone signs up with their work email to avoid confusion later. - Permissions matter: Decide who should be able to edit, who can comment, and who just needs to view. Be honest—too many cooks can spoil the deck. Keep editing rights tight if you want to avoid chaos.
Pro tip: If your organization has a Decktopus team plan, use it. The free version is fine for trying things out, but you’ll hit limits on users and sharing pretty quickly.
Step 2: Start Your Proposal With a Solid Template
Don’t reinvent the wheel. Decktopus comes with templates for proposals, pitches, and more. Start with one that’s close to what you need.
How to do it: - Go to the Templates section. - Search for “proposal” or something specific (e.g., “sales proposal”). - Pick a template that covers most of your needs. You can always tweak the rest.
What to ignore: - Don’t get hung up on finding a “perfect” template. The magic is in customizing it, not in finding one that’s 100% right from the start.
Why templates help: - They save time. - They make sure nothing obvious gets left out (like pricing or scope). - They give your proposal a clean, consistent look.
Step 3: Assign Sections and Set Deadlines
Here’s where most teams go wrong: too many people editing everything, or, worse, waiting for someone else to start. Decktopus doesn’t force you to assign slides, but you’ll move faster if you do.
What works: - Divide by expertise: Assign slides or sections based on what people know. (E.g., sales rep handles pricing, tech lead covers deliverables.) - Set deadlines: Even if you trust your team, set clear deadlines for each section. Decktopus doesn’t have built-in reminders, so you’ll need to nudge folks yourself—Slack, email, whatever works. - Document ownership: Note, right in the deck or a shared doc, who owns what. No guesswork.
What doesn’t: - Don’t let everyone “just jump in.” You’ll end up with duplicate slides, missing info, and a lot of cleanup.
Pro tip: If you’re the proposal lead, add a “Comments” slide at the end for general feedback.
Step 4: Collaborate in Real Time (But Don’t Overdo It)
Decktopus supports real-time collaboration, so multiple people can edit the same proposal at once. Handy, but also risky—real-time editing can turn into a mess if people aren’t careful.
How to actually use this: - Communicate: Tell your team when you’ll be working on the deck. Avoid stepping on each other’s toes. - Use comments: Instead of rewriting someone else’s section, leave a comment or suggestion. Decktopus lets you add comments to slides, which keeps feedback clear and in context. - Version control: Decktopus autosaves, but if you’re making major changes, duplicate the deck first. That way, you can always roll back if something goes sideways.
What to ignore: - Don’t bother with chat inside Decktopus—it’s basic at best. Keep real discussions in Slack, Teams, or wherever your team already talks.
Step 5: Collect and Address Feedback
Once the first draft’s done, it’s time for feedback. This is where most proposals get stuck—endless cycles of comments, unclear edits, and “did you see my note?” Decktopus makes this better, but only if you set some ground rules.
What works: - Comment, don’t edit: For feedback, have reviewers comment instead of making direct edits. This avoids silent changes and “who did this?” confusion. - Batch feedback: Set a deadline for everyone to review, then collect all comments at once. Address them in one go, rather than piecemeal. - Keep it in context: Use slide comments, not email, so feedback stays attached to the right spot.
What doesn’t: - Don’t send out a link and hope for the best. Assign reviewers and tell them exactly where you want feedback.
Pro tip: After you address feedback, ask reviewers to do one final pass for any dealbreakers—then move on. No proposal is ever “perfect.”
Step 6: Finalize and Lock Down the Proposal
Once your team agrees the proposal is ready, it’s time to lock things down so nobody accidentally changes the wrong slide right before sending.
How to do it: - Limit editing rights: Remove editing permission from everyone except a final reviewer or the proposal owner. This prevents last-minute mix-ups. - Preview mode: Use Decktopus’s preview to see exactly what your client or stakeholder will see. - Check links and attachments: Double-check any links, pricing tables, or downloads. Decktopus supports embedded PDFs and links—make sure they work.
What to ignore: - Don’t over-design. Decktopus templates look modern out of the box. Tinkering with fonts and colors for hours is time you’ll never get back.
Step 7: Share and Track
Decktopus lets you share your proposal via a link or as a PDF. For remote teams, links are easier—you can update the deck if something changes, and the link stays the same.
How to do it: - Share link: Use the “Share” button and set the right permissions (view-only for clients, maybe comment for internal reviewers). - Analytics: If your plan supports it, Decktopus gives you basic analytics—who opened it, when, and for how long. Handy for follow-ups. - Export if needed: Some clients want a PDF. Export your proposal, but be aware that interactive elements (videos, links) won’t work in a static PDF.
Pro tip: If you update the live deck after sharing, let your client know—otherwise, you might look sneaky.
Honest Notes: Decktopus Collaboration—What Works, What Doesn’t
What works: - Real-time editing is fast (as long as you communicate). - Comments are attached to slides, which keeps feedback organized. - Templates save a ton of time.
Where it falls short: - No built-in task assignment or reminders. You’ll need to manage deadlines elsewhere. - Chat is bare-bones—use your normal team chat app. - Free plan limits will get annoying fast if you’re working as a team.
Ignore the hype: - Decktopus is not magic. It won’t fix a disorganized team or unclear proposals. But it does make the process less painful and keeps everyone looking at the same version.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Don’t overcomplicate things. Use Decktopus to keep your team focused on the actual proposal, not on chasing down the latest file or deciphering feedback. Assign clear roles, communicate outside the tool when needed, and don’t chase “perfect.” Ship your proposal, see what works, and improve for next time. Simple wins.