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Collaborate on work items

Now that you can create and manage work items, let's learn how to collaborate with your team.

In this tutorial, you'll:

  • Use comments and @mentions for effective team communication
  • Create sub-work items to break down complex tasks
  • Navigate your Inbox for notifications and updates
  • Configure email notifications to stay informed
  • Track activity and manage collaborative workflows

Add your first comment​

Start conversations that move work forward effectively.

Add comments

  1. Open a work item for collaboration

    • Navigate to your project and go to Work items,
    • Click any work item to open it.

  2. Add a meaningful comment

    • Scroll to the Activity section.
    • Click in the Add comment text area.
    • Write a comment that provides value to the team.

    Example:

    Started working on this - I've identified the CSS issue and should have a fix ready by tomorrow. The problem is with the media query breakpoint at 375px.

  3. Use formatting options

    • Bold important information with text.
    • Create lists for multiple points.
    • Add code snippets or quotes.

  4. Post your comment

    • Click Comment to publish.
    • Your comment appears in the activity timeline.
    • Relevant team members receive notifications.

Use @mentions​

Ensure the right people see important messages and requests.

  1. Type @ followed by a team member's name.
  2. Select the person from the dropdown that appears.
  3. Continue writing your message with context.

Divide work with sub-work items​

Organize large tasks into manageable, assignable pieces.

Sub-work items

  1. Use sub-work items for:
  • Large tasks requiring multiple steps
  • Tasks needing different skills or team members
  • Work that can be done in parallel

  1. Add a sub-work item

    • In your work item, look for Add sub-work item button.
    • Click to create a related, smaller task.
    • Fill in the sub-item details with specificity.

    Example:

    • Parent task: "Implement user authentication system"
    • Sub-work items:
      • "Design login page wireframes" → Designer
      • "Set up authentication database tables" → Backend developer
      • "Create password reset flow" → Frontend developer
      • "Write user registration API endpoints" → Backend developer

  2. Understand sub-item benefits

    • Each sub-item has independent lifecycle and can be worked on separately.
    • Team members focus on specific sub-items while staying connected to bigger picture.
    • Clear ownership and accountability for different aspects of complex work.

Track activity and filter updates​

Stay informed about work progress without information overload.

  1. Understand the Activity section The activity feed shows chronological updates:

    • Work item changes: State updates, priority changes, assignment changes.
    • Comments: Team discussions and communications.

  2. Use activity filters

    • Click Filters button in the Activity section.
    • Control what information you see:
      • Updates: Show only property changes (state, priority, assignments)
      • Comments: Display only team discussions and communications
      • Worklogs: View only time tracking entries

  3. Use activity tracking strategically

    • Catch up quickly: See what happened while you were away.
    • Understand decisions: Read discussions that led to changes.
    • Track progress: Monitor how work moves through workflow.
    • Maintain context: Keep team members informed of important developments.

Explore your notification center​

Understand how Plane keeps you informed about team activity.

Discover the Inbox​

Inbox overview

  1. Navigate to your Inbox

    • Click Inbox in your sidebar.
    • This is your notification center for all workspace activity.

  2. Understand Inbox organization

    • All tab: Shows all notifications and updates.
    • Mentions tab: Filters to only @mentions directed at you.
    • Notifications include comments, work item changes, and mentions.

Configure notification preferences​

Set up email notifications to stay informed about important updates.

Access account settings​

Account settings

  1. Open your account settings

    • Click your profile avatar (bottom of sidebar).
    • Select Settings from the dropdown.
    • Select Notifications in the left pane.

  2. Ensure all notifications are enabled

    • This ensures you receive email updates about all important work item activity.

Understand notification triggers​

You receive notifications when:

  • Someone @mentions you in comments.
  • Work items assigned to you are updated.
  • Work items you created have activity.
  • Someone comments on work items you're subscribed to.

What's next?​

Your collaboration skills are solid! You're ready to: