In CoLab, users create Feedback by marking up 3D models, 2D drawings, or documents.

However, Feedback in CoLab differs from traditional markups. Feedback can be assigned to team members, categorized into types, given status and priority levels, discussed via threaded discussions, and approved or rejected.

This article walks through the process of creating, discussing, filtering, and sorting Feedback. 

Accessing Feedback

Feedback can be accessed in several ways in CoLab:

1. Click on a notification in-app or via email.
2. Select a feedback item from Track.
3. Access the feedback panel directly in a workspace or portal.

From the feedback panel, you can search, sort, and filter the feedback list related to the file you have open.

As users generate feedback, it can become challenging to manage open and closed items without an organized system. The feedback panel serves as a convenient tool for organizing and navigating feedback, enabling users to engage in conversations and effectively manage their work related to specific files.

Feedback Types

Feedback in CoLab can be efficiently organized into a default set of feedback types. Each type is represented by a designated symbol and includes the same editable fields, except for the "Idea" type, which incorporates five additional cost-specific fields.

List of types

• Issue: meant to represent problems that need to be addressed
• Task: meant to represent an action that needs to be completed, but isn't necessarily an issue
• Comment: meant to represent a smaller note that could result in a change, but not necessarily an issue
• Markup: provided as an additional type to capture feedback and assign meaning to as required
• Idea: meant to represent cost reduction ideas and opportunities for value analysis/value engineering

Feedback Details

Every piece of Feedback, regardless of type, comes with a set of dedicated fields that can be used to add more context to the Feedback item. 

List of feedback details:

• Feedback key: unique key generated for every piece of feedback
• File revision: the revision of the file at the time the feedback was left
• Feedback type: the type of feedback
• Creator: the user who created the feedback
• Date created: the date the feedback was created
• Title: text input for the title of the feedback
• Description: text input for the description of the feedback
• Resolution: text input for the summarized resolution of the feedback
• Status: dropdown picker for the status of the feedback (Open, In progress, For review, Informational, Accepted [Closed], Rejected [Closed]) 
• Priority: dropdown picker for the priority of the feedback (High, Medium, Low)
• Due date: date picker for the date the feedback is due to be actioned
• Tags: tags that can be applied to the feedback for categorization & segmentation
• Attachments: attachments section to upload reference & supporting images
• [Idea only] Impact: dropdown picker for the impact of an idea (Not set, High, Medium, Low)
• [Idea only] Effort: dropdown picker for the effort of an idea (Not set, High, Medium, Low)
• [Idea only] # Units: number input for the number of units affected by the idea
• [Idea only] Unit Savings: number input for the unit savings per unit
• [Idea only] Total Savings: automated calculation field based on the # Units multiplied by Unit Savings

Feedback Discussion Threads

In CoLab, every piece of feedback, irrespective of its type, includes a discussion area for users to collaborate on specific feedback. This discussion feature supports rich text replies, enabling users to utilize formatting options such as bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, numbered lists, bulleted lists, hyperlinks, and @mentions.

@Mentioning users in feedback replies triggers in-app and email notifications.

When you open a piece of feedback and navigate to the discussion tab, you'll find a reply box along with any ongoing discussions related to that feedback. If the feedback is associated with a file shared to one or more portals, you'll see threads for those discussions. This allows you to select the specific thread for collaboration.

It's important to note that the visibility of your replies to other users depends on the thread you choose. For instance, if you reply in the workspace thread, only workspace members (excluding guest users in the portal) will see your reply. All portals are marked with a purple "Portal" banner for easy identification.

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Feedback Filtering & Sorting

When viewing the feedback list associated with a file or package, users have the option to apply a variety of filters. The filter & sorting options can be found at the top of the feedback list in the feedback panel.

By default, feedback displayed in the list are show according to a default set of filters (ie. all Open feedback on the current revision). As feedback get closed out, they are hidden from the list until you adjust the filters.