IdeaFlow handbook

Your guide to decisions and delivery.

Practical help for leaders, teams, and administrators. Understand the concepts, follow the steps, and know what should happen next. No technical background required.

43 practical guidesUpdated 11 September 2026

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Understand the workspace and complete your first journey.

Your first decision-to-execution journeyFollow one example from a question to reviewed work.

Where to find it: Logo → Home; Pipeline → open an idea
Who can use it: Contributor or Owner for changes

Understand the concept

An idea can be a business proposal, an operational problem, or a decision. You do not need a startup idea.

Step by step

Select the correct workspace before capturing anything.
Capture the question, options, constraints, and what you already know. Review the sharpened brief before saving.
Use Boardroom to examine the question from several perspectives. Check important claims against your evidence.
Record the Human decision, including who owns the next step, who reviews it, and how success will be measured.
Create a plan, assign a small first task, and track it in Work.
Review the output and record the outcome when enough evidence is available.

What success looks like

A recorded decision with an owner, a next action, and a way to judge the result.

Example

A COO asks whether to trial a new supplier. The first task is to collect comparable quotes, not to replace the supplier immediately.

Before you continue

AI recommendations are inputs to your judgment. An AI confidence score does not authorize spending or prove an outcome.

Find your way aroundKnow the difference between your workspace and one idea.

Where to find it: Top navigation and the navigation inside an idea
Who can use it: All signed-in workspace members

Understand the concept

A workspace groups people and ideas. The navigation inside an idea contains the work for that one question.

Step by step

Click the IdeaFlow logo to return Home.
Open Pipeline to find and organize ideas. Open Work to see tasks across the selected workspace.
Open More for Decisions, Evidence, Portfolio, Today, Blockers, Memory, and Guide.
Inside an idea, use Decision, Boardroom, Evidence, Execution, Outcomes, Artifacts, and Activity.
On a small screen, open the menu to reach the same destinations.

What success looks like

You know whether you are viewing one idea or the whole workspace.

Example

Work shows tasks across several initiatives; Execution inside an idea shows that initiative alone.

Before you continue

This guide describes the navigation update prepared with this release. Some controls depend on your role, plan, or workspace settings.

Where to find it: Login page
Who can use it: Anyone with an eligible account or invitation

Understand the concept

A magic link is a time-limited sign-in link sent to your email. It is not a reusable password.

Step by step

Use the email address associated with your invitation or existing account.
Choose the email sign-in option, or Google or GitHub when those buttons are available.
Open the latest sign-in email and follow its instructions. If a PIN option is offered, enter the code from that email.
After signing in, check the workspace name before opening an idea.

What success looks like

You can see the workspace you intended to access.

Example

An invited colleague signs in using the invited email rather than a different personal Google account.

Before you continue

If a link has expired, request a fresh one. Do not share sign-in links or codes with teammates; use workspace invitations instead.

Workspaces & collaboration

Invite colleagues, choose access, and work together.

Create and switch workspacesSeparate teams or initiatives where access needs to differ.

Where to find it: Workspace name next to the logo; mobile menu → Workspace
Who can use it: Creation depends on your account allowance; settings require Owner access

Understand the concept

A workspace is a shared container. Creating a separate workspace does not automatically give your existing colleagues access to it.

Step by step

Open the workspace selector.
Select an existing workspace, or choose New workspace and enter a meaningful name.
Confirm the workspace name in the header after switching.
Open Workspace members to review who belongs there and update available workspace settings.

What success looks like

The header identifies the workspace whose content you are working with.

Example

Use a procurement workspace for the procurement team and a separate strategy workspace for leadership discussions.

Before you continue

Access and license allowances can differ between workspaces. Switching workspaces does not move an idea.

Add users to a workspaceInvite a colleague and confirm that they can access the right content.

Where to find it: Select workspace → Workspace members icon; mobile menu → Members
Who can use it: Workspace Owner; organization administrators have separate management controls

Understand the concept

Membership gives a person access to a workspace. The invitation role determines whether they can contribute or only view.

Step by step

Select the workspace you want the colleague to join.
Open Workspace members beside the workspace selector. On mobile, open the menu and choose Members.
In Add member, enter the colleague’s email address and select Contributor or Viewer.
Select Send Invitation and read the result. An existing user may be added directly; a new user may appear as invited.
If an Invite link appears, select Copy and share it with the intended colleague through your normal communication channel.
Ask the colleague to open the link and sign in with the invited email. Confirm that they can select the workspace and that their membership is active.

What success looks like

The colleague appears with the intended role and can open the workspace.

Example

Invite a project lead as Contributor to edit tasks. Invite a stakeholder as Viewer to inspect progress.

Before you continue

Do not assume the button automatically delivered an email. Follow the result shown on screen. If there is no Add member form, check that you are an Owner. Seat limits may prevent an invitation.

Understand roles and review authorityGive people the access they need without confusing membership with approval responsibility.

Where to find it: Workspace members; organization Team & seats
Who can use it: All members can understand roles; management controls depend on authority

Understand the concept

Owner manages the workspace. Contributor works on its content. Viewer reads. A named reviewer is a responsibility on a decision or work item, not a fourth workspace role.

Step by step

Check your role in the selected workspace.
Use Contributor for people who need to create and edit; use Viewer for read access.
An Owner can use the available selector for a non-owner member to change Contributor/Viewer access.
Before requesting work approval, check the assigned reviewer and the current decision. Edit access alone may not grant review authority.
For organization-wide access changes, use the organization administration controls if you are authorized.

What success looks like

Workspace permissions and the person accountable for approval are both clear.

Example

A Contributor can help prepare work while a different assigned reviewer decides whether that output is acceptable.

Before you continue

The standard workspace invitation form does not offer Owner. Do not promise someone ownership through that form. A Viewer cannot approve or edit work.

Collaborate on the same ideaKeep the discussion, decision, and work together.

Where to find it: Open a shared workspace → Pipeline → idea
Who can use it: Members of that workspace; changes require appropriate access

Understand the concept

Collaboration means working from the same saved idea and its history. Sharing a URL does not grant workspace access.

Step by step

Invite colleagues before sharing the idea link.
Agree who owns the decision and who reviews the work. Record the expected result and review date where the decision form supports them.
Share the idea URL so colleagues open the same saved context.
Use the idea’s tasks, blockers, and Activity to coordinate; record important changes in the relevant feature rather than only in chat.
Refresh before submitting a decision if another colleague has changed the work. Review the latest version after a conflict.

What success looks like

Colleagues can trace the question, responsibility, latest decision, and next action in one place.

Example

The COO owns a supplier trial, an analyst collects quotes, and the CFO reviews the cost result.

Before you continue

Do not assume simultaneous text editing or a live presence indicator. A saved update or activity entry is stronger evidence than an open browser tab.

Manage organization users and seatsUnderstand company-wide administration versus one workspace.

Where to find it: Account menu → Settings → My Plan → Team & seats
Who can use it: Organization license and organization administrator rights for management

Understand the concept

A seat is a licensed person. Organization administration can span several workspaces and is separate from a workspace’s Owner role.

Step by step

Open My Plan and inspect your license and seat usage.
If Team & seats is available, review each member and their workspace roles.
Use the available invitation and role controls for the intended workspace.
Review membership activity after a change.
Before removing a colleague, hand over their responsibilities and check any last-owner or last-admin restriction.

What success looks like

You can account for who has access and how that relates to your license.

Example

One employee who belongs to two organization workspaces is reviewed as one person, with a role in each workspace.

Before you continue

The organization panel is not available on every plan. Removing access is not a substitute for reassigning unfinished tasks. The app may block removal that would leave a workspace or organization without an administrator.

Troubleshoot an invitationResolve a missing workspace, pending invitation, or wrong-account issue.

Where to find it: Workspace members and the invitation link
Who can use it: Inviting Owner and invited colleague

Understand the concept

Invited is a pending state. It does not prove that the recipient has signed in and joined.

Step by step

Verify the email spelling and the selected workspace.
If an invitation link is shown, confirm it was shared with the intended person.
Ask the colleague to check which account they signed in with.
Read any expiry, license, or seat-limit message and address that specific condition.
Refresh the member list and have the colleague reopen the workspace selector.

What success looks like

The invitation is accepted, or you have a specific error to give the administrator.

Example

A colleague opens a work invitation while signed into a personal account; using the invited account resolves the mismatch.

Before you continue

Never forward a personal login link as a workspace invitation. Do not create repeated invitations without checking the existing pending entry.

Follow activity and notificationsTrace changes and respond to updates.

Where to find it: Idea → Activity; notification bell
Who can use it: Workspace access to the underlying records

Understand the concept

Activity is recorded history. Notifications direct attention to events; they are not proof that the recipient read or accepted them.

Step by step

Open Activity on the relevant idea to inspect recorded changes.
Check who acted, when, and which version or item was affected where shown.
Use the notification bell to open the underlying record.
Refresh the record before acting on an older notification.
Refer to the specific item and event when asking a colleague about a change.

What success looks like

You can explain the sequence of changes and find the current record.

Example

A notification about work awaiting review leads to that deliverable, where the reviewer checks the latest version.

Before you continue

The UI may show only recent activity. Do not assume it is a complete compliance audit export or proof of message delivery.

Capture & organize

Give each question a clear home and useful context.

Capture and sharpen an ideaTurn an incomplete thought into an editable brief.

Where to find it: Pipeline → Capture idea; Home creation action
Who can use it: Contributor or Owner

Understand the concept

Sharpening structures your input. It is not external validation that the idea will work.

Step by step

Write the real question, the people affected, the options, and the constraints.
Choose Decide, Validate, Plan, or Not sure according to the help you need.
Attach supporting documents if relevant, then select Sharpen This Idea.
Compare the result with your original input and edit any incorrect assumptions.
Select Use this brief & open idea when the brief reflects your intent.

What success looks like

A saved idea that preserves your original wording and has an editable brief.

Example

“Should we trial evening support for one customer segment for two weeks?” is more useful than “improve support.”

Before you continue

AI can introduce assumptions while rewriting. Check numbers, names, and exclusions before saving.

Choose the kind of help you needUnderstand the relationship between capture intent and the analysis route.

Where to find it: Idea capture intent selector; idea context
Who can use it: Contributor or Owner

Understand the concept

Decide compares choices; Validate tests uncertainty; Plan sequences work. The underlying mode and persona configuration can change which advisors participate.

Step by step

Choose Decide when you have alternatives to compare.
Choose Validate when you need evidence for or against an assumption.
Choose Plan when the desired direction is sufficiently clear and you need next steps.
Use Not sure when you want the app to suggest a route.
Review the suggested route and participating advisors before starting analysis.

What success looks like

The app is working on the kind of question you intended.

Example

A PM compares two roadmap options with Decide; a team tests demand with Validate; an operator sequences a rollout with Plan.

Before you continue

Do not assume every mode calls all seven advisors. Labels and participating seats depend on the selected route and workspace configuration.

Add documents, voice, and supporting contextGive the AI relevant material and verify what was captured.

Where to find it: Capture page → Add supporting documents / voice controls; idea document controls
Who can use it: Contributor or Owner; supported formats and allowances are shown in the app

Understand the concept

Extracted text is the readable content the app obtains from a file. Uploading a file does not guarantee that every chart or scanned page was understood.

Step by step

Use Add supporting documents and select a supported file type.
Wait for processing and review any extraction or size message before continuing.
For voice, use the displayed recording or attachment controls and review the transcript.
Check that key facts, tables, and constraints are reflected in the editable brief.
Keep the source document available when checking later AI claims.

What success looks like

Your idea contains the intended context, with any extraction gaps recognized.

Example

Upload a supplier specification and state which section contains the service requirement the board should assess.

Before you continue

Use the limits displayed in the current upload control. Scanned images and complex tables may need a readable text version. Share only material appropriate for your workspace and configured services.

Organize the PipelineManage the stage of an idea without confusing it with task completion.

Where to find it: Pipeline
Who can use it: All members can browse; changes require edit access

Understand the concept

An idea’s pipeline stage describes its overall position. Tasks and acceptance records describe specific work.

Step by step

Use search, filters, or the board/list/grid options to locate an idea.
Open an idea to inspect its latest context before moving it.
Move it to the appropriate available stage using the card controls.
Review work-in-progress indicators before starting more initiatives.
Use a parked state for an initiative you intend to revisit.

What success looks like

The Pipeline reflects your actual priorities and stage of work.

Example

Move a proposal to Exploring while evidence is collected; do not mark it Done just because an AI memo was generated.

Before you continue

Changing a card’s stage does not replace a recorded decision or human acceptance of deliverables.

Keep future ideas in the Parking LotPreserve useful thoughts without expanding today’s scope.

Where to find it: Idea → Execution → Parking Lot
Who can use it: Appropriate workspace access; some options depend on plan

Understand the concept

A parked thought is something to reconsider later. It is not an approved task or commitment.

Step by step

Open Parking Lot within the idea’s Execution area.
Add the future thought with enough context to explain why it matters.
Use the available grouping or editing controls to organize it.
Review related or duplicate suggestions before merging or promoting anything.
When the thought becomes a priority, explicitly bring it into the active decision and plan.

What success looks like

Future scope remains visible without being mistaken for current delivery work.

Example

Park “add a second supplier region” until the first-region trial is evaluated.

Before you continue

An AI suggestion to promote or merge still needs your judgment. Keep the active plan aligned with the approved scope.

Boardroom & decisions

Evaluate advice, record a decision, and handle changes.

Run and read a Boardroom sessionUse specialist perspectives to examine a consequential question.

Where to find it: Idea → Boardroom → Session
Who can use it: Contributor or Owner; AI allowance and configuration required

Understand the concept

A Boardroom session gathers AI advice. The Chair’s Summary combines it. Neither is a vote by real directors nor a binding approval.

Step by step

Check the idea brief and supporting evidence before starting.
Review which advisors are participating and start the session with the available run control.
Read the recommendation and the reasoning, not only the confidence number.
Inspect disagreements, assumptions, and missing information; use available advisor detail or conversation controls to investigate.
Read the Chair’s Summary, then decide what evidence or human action is needed next.

What success looks like

A set of recommendations and unresolved questions you can evaluate.

Example

LEDGER may question cost while PULSE questions delivery capacity; the useful output is what evidence would resolve those concerns.

Before you continue

A numerical score is not a probability of success. Check legal, financial, and market claims against reliable sources. Re-running uses allowance and may produce a different answer.

Understand advisors, personas, and discussionsKnow what each AI role contributes.

Where to find it: Boardroom; workspace Boardroom settings
Who can use it: Readers can inspect; workspace configuration requires Owner access

Understand the concept

Personas give advisors a role and emphasis. They do not establish independent expertise or separate real-world judgment.

Step by step

In the default General Business pack, use NOVA for strategy, FORGE for technical feasibility, PULSE for execution, LEDGER for finance, SPARK for marketing, SHIELD for compliance, and RAZE for challenge.
Read the participating roster for the selected mode rather than assuming seven seats always run.
Inspect referrals or disagreements to see what one perspective asks another to address.
Owners can review available persona-pack and discussion settings before a session.

What success looks like

You understand which perspective an answer represents and where a human specialist is still needed.

Example

A compliance concern raised by SHIELD becomes a question for your qualified adviser, not evidence that the project is legally cleared.

Before you continue

Enabling discussion can increase model calls. Do not treat several agreeing AI roles as independent corroborating sources.

Record and evaluate evidenceSeparate supporting facts from assumptions.

Where to find it: Idea → Evidence; More → Evidence
Who can use it: Read access to inspect; edit access to record changes

Understand the concept

Evidence supports a claim. An assumption is a belief awaiting support. Source information explains where a claim came from.

Step by step

Open Evidence for the relevant idea or workspace.
Record or inspect the claim, source, date, and any available status fields.
Identify what is observed, estimated, disputed, or still missing.
Compare the evidence with the decision’s acceptance criteria.
Revisit the decision when important evidence changes.

What success looks like

You can explain why a decision is supported and what remains uncertain.

Example

Three documented supplier quotes support a price comparison; “suppliers usually discount” remains an assumption without a source.

Before you continue

A citation is useful only if the source actually supports the claim. Do not treat a source link or an AI-generated claim as verification by itself.

Record the Human decisionTurn advice into a decision people can act on.

Where to find it: Idea → Boardroom → Human decision; More → Decisions
Who can use it: Authorized editing role; assigned authority may apply

Understand the concept

A resolution is the saved decision and its rationale. It is different from the AI’s recommendation.

Step by step

Read the latest Boardroom result and evidence.
Open Human decision and choose the available decision status, such as approve, reject, or request revision.
Record the rationale, scope, exclusions, and resource limits requested by the form.
Identify the responsible owner, reviewer, review date, and measurable result where supported.
Save and inspect the current decision before authorizing the next plan or task.

What success looks like

A current recorded decision with explicit boundaries and responsibility.

Example

Approve a two-week supplier trial with a fixed cap, rather than approving an unlimited rollout.

Before you continue

Do not interpret approval as permission for unrelated external actions. A later decision can make earlier work need review.

Handle disagreement and a changed decisionKeep earlier work from silently following an outdated direction.

Where to find it: Human decision, decision history, and affected-work controls
Who can use it: Authorized editing role

Understand the concept

A rebuttal challenges reasoning. Reconciliation reviews existing work after the decision changes and determines what should remain, change, or stop.

Step by step

Read the earlier decision and identify exactly which assumption or evidence changed.
Record your challenge or revised decision with its rationale using the available controls.
Inspect work identified as affected by the new decision.
Choose the appropriate retain, revise, or cancel action and supply the required reason and current work details.
Confirm the work now points to the intended decision and plan before resuming.

What success looks like

A traceable change of direction rather than contradictory instructions.

Example

If a supplier trial changes from three sites to one, revise affected tasks instead of allowing all three site plans to proceed.

Before you continue

If the app reports a version conflict, reload and review the newer decision. Do not repeatedly submit the older form.

Plans & execution

Assign work, resolve blockers, and review results.

Create a plan and understand progressBreak the decision into manageable deliverables and tasks.

Where to find it: Idea → Execution → Plan
Who can use it: Contributor or Owner; approval and AI availability may apply

Understand the concept

A milestone is a checkpoint. A deliverable is an output. A task is work someone performs. A generated plan is a proposal until reviewed.

Step by step

Check the current Human decision and its scope.
Generate or inspect the plan; select an execution style when the app offers one.
Read phases, milestones, deliverables, assumptions, and risks. Reduce scope or correct errors before accepting.
Review any decision-version or authorization warning and use the available plan acceptance control.
Create or inspect the tasks that will produce the deliverables and give them owners and dates.

What success looks like

A reviewed plan with manageable next steps that match the current decision.

Example

Milestone: finish supplier comparison. Deliverable: comparison table. Tasks: collect quotes and check contract terms.

Before you continue

Measured progress is based on tracked work; estimated progress is an approximation. Read the progress basis rather than assuming a percentage proves success.

Create, assign, and update tasksMake responsibility and completion expectations clear.

Where to find it: Idea → Execution → Tasks; Work
Who can use it: Contributor or Owner

Understand the concept

An assignee does the work. A reviewer evaluates the result. A due date is a commitment to review or deliver, not a guarantee of completion.

Step by step

Open Tasks for the right idea and create a task using the available add control.
Use a concrete title and description, select an eligible assignee, and set priority and a realistic due date.
Describe what a satisfactory output looks like.
Update status as work progresses and record blockers when work cannot continue.
Open the task again to confirm the saved owner, date, and status.

What success looks like

A task that another person can understand and act on without guessing.

Example

“Collect three comparable supplier quotes by Thursday” is clearer than “supplier research.”

Before you continue

A task assigned to an AI worker requires the relevant worker setup; assigning it does not prove a worker has already started.

Use Work to manage delivery across ideasFind your tasks and identify where attention is needed.

Where to find it: Work
Who can use it: Workspace members; actions depend on role

Understand the concept

Work aggregates tasks within the selected workspace. It is a delivery view rather than a replacement for the Home dashboard.

Step by step

Check the workspace name and summary cards.
Choose My Tasks, AI Tasks, Awaiting Review, Blocked, All Tasks, or By Idea according to your goal.
Search or filter the list, then open the linked idea or task.
Review portfolio progress and the basis of the displayed totals.
Use By Worker when available to inspect worker assignments and recorded activity.

What success looks like

You can identify the next item requiring your attention across the workspace.

Example

An operator starts with Blocked, then reviews Awaiting Review to release work waiting on a decision.

Before you continue

An empty My Tasks view can mean no tasks are assigned to your account. Check All Tasks and the selected workspace before assuming data was lost.

Add and manage task prerequisitesMake work wait for something that must finish first.

Where to find it: Work → task → View prerequisites
Who can use it: Members can inspect; Contributor or Owner can edit

Understand the concept

A prerequisite is a task that must complete before another task can proceed. The app’s term remains prerequisite.

Step by step

Expand View prerequisites on the task that must wait.
Read existing prerequisites; use Reload prerequisites for the latest state.
Choose a task from the same idea and enter the reason for linking it.
Select Add prerequisite and confirm the saved link.
If a link is wrong, remove it with a reason and inspect the updated list.

What success looks like

The dependent task is blocked until its prerequisites are completed.

Example

Task B prepares the final comparison only after Task A collects all quotes.

Before you continue

Cancelled prerequisites remain blockers. Circular links and cross-idea dependencies are rejected; record cross-initiative dependencies as a manual risk.

Accept or reject generated workReview the exact version produced by an AI attempt.

Where to find it: Work → Awaiting Review; relevant deliverable controls
Who can use it: Edit access and assigned-reviewer checks apply

Understand the concept

An attempt is one work run. Acceptance applies to the displayed attempt and version, not every result the task might produce later.

Step by step

Select Review generated work on an eligible attempt-linked deliverable.
Read the output and compare it against the expected result and supporting evidence.
Enter a Reason for decision.
Choose Accept this version or Reject this version.
If the result changed, use Refresh and review before deciding. Confirm the saved outcome.

What success looks like

The reviewed version has an explicit human disposition and rationale.

Example

Reject a comparison missing one quote and state exactly what is needed before acceptance.

Before you continue

Viewers cannot accept work. Older deliverables may use a different review flow. If the response is lost, use Check saved result or Retry same decision when offered.

Request a stopStop further progress when work should no longer continue.

Where to find it: Eligible task → Request stop
Who can use it: Authorized editing role; task state determines availability

Understand the concept

A stop request is a recorded instruction to block further progress. It cannot undo an external action that already happened.

Step by step

Open Request stop on the intended task.
Read the current task state and stop warning.
Enter a specific reason.
Select Confirm stop request.
Inspect the saved result and refresh if needed; separately check any external service where work had already been dispatched.

What success looks like

A recorded stop request with the reason and current state visible.

Example

Stop preparation of a rollout after leadership withdraws the underlying approval.

Before you continue

Dispatched work may still be in flight. A cancelled task remains a blocker for tasks that depend on its completion.

Recover a saved request after a connection problemAvoid confusing a lost response with an unsaved change.

Where to find it: Review, stop, and prerequisite controls
Who can use it: Same account and workspace used for the original request

Understand the concept

The app may have saved a command even when your browser did not receive the response.

Step by step

Read the recovery message before submitting a new action.
Use Check saved result when shown.
Use Retry same decision or Retry same stop request only when offered for that request.
For a version conflict, refresh the item and review the latest state.
Confirm the saved outcome in the item or history before proceeding.

What success looks like

You establish whether the original change succeeded without knowingly duplicating it.

Example

The network drops after Accept this version. Checking the saved result is safer than immediately making a second decision.

Before you continue

Keep the original account and workspace context. Recovery is not a general undo command.

Work with AI workersDistinguish advisory analysis from delegated execution.

Where to find it: Idea → Execution → Workers; Work → AI Tasks / By Worker
Who can use it: Workspace enablement, permissions, and AI allowance required

Understand the concept

Boardroom advisors recommend. Workers perform supported tasks and return outputs for review. A configuration status is not proof of live execution.

Step by step

Confirm that Workers is enabled and available in the workspace.
Choose a supported worker and inspect its configuration and task scope.
Assign a bounded task with a clear expected result.
Inspect recorded run state, outputs, errors, and review requirements.
Review the generated result before using it as an accepted deliverable.

What success looks like

A delegated task has a traceable output or a specific failure requiring attention.

Example

Ask a worker to draft a comparison from provided evidence, then have the responsible person verify it.

Before you continue

Only configured capabilities can execute. A paused or disabled worker will not behave like an active one; external actions may require separate configuration.

Track blockers and issuesExplain why work cannot move forward.

Where to find it: Idea → Execution → Blockers; More → Blockers
Who can use it: Workspace read access; edit access for changes

Understand the concept

A blocker prevents progress. An issue can be a problem to investigate even if other work can continue.

Step by step

Open the blocked task or the Blockers view.
Record the problem, its impact, and what is needed to resolve it using the available fields.
Identify the person who needs to act and link the relevant context.
Update the issue as evidence or responsibility changes.
Confirm the task can proceed after the issue or prerequisite is resolved.

What success looks like

The team knows what is stuck and what would unblock it.

Example

“Waiting for finance to confirm the budget ceiling” is actionable; “blocked” alone is not.

Before you continue

Clearing a manual issue does not automatically complete a prerequisite task. Check both when work remains blocked.

Record outcomes and close the loopCompare the actual result with the decision’s success criteria.

Where to find it: Idea → Outcomes
Who can use it: Authorized workspace members

Understand the concept

An outcome describes what happened. Completing tasks does not prove the intended business result was achieved.

Step by step

Read the result metric, sample requirement, time window, and evidence requirement recorded with the decision.
Collect the actual observations and source material.
Record the result and classify it only when the required evidence supports that classification.
Use an inconclusive result when the sample or time window is incomplete.
Record whether to continue, revise, stop, or collect more evidence.

What success looks like

A decision can be evaluated using observed results rather than activity alone.

Example

A trial with only one of ten planned interviews is incomplete; it is not automatically a failed experiment.

Before you continue

Do not move the success threshold after seeing the result without recording that change as a new decision.

Artifacts & forecasts

Prepare documents and numbers you can explain.

Create documents in Artifact StudioGenerate a report, memo, proposal, or presentation from the idea.

Where to find it: Idea → Artifacts
Who can use it: Edit access, artifact entitlement, and generation allowance required

Understand the concept

An artifact is a saved output such as a board memo or pitch. Its polish does not make unsupported claims true.

Step by step

Choose the artifact type that matches the audience and purpose.
Review Business Inputs and available readiness or quality checks.
Fill in missing facts or explicitly identify unknowns.
Generate and inspect the document, especially numbers, claims, conclusions, and sources.
Use history to reopen a saved version and export the format supported by that artifact.

What success looks like

A reviewed document you can share with its assumptions understood.

Example

A board memo should state the decision requested, evidence, alternatives, cost, and next checkpoint.

Before you continue

Formats vary by artifact. Generation can consume allowance; re-export a suitable saved version instead of generating unnecessarily.

Prepare Business InputsGive documents and forecasts a factual starting point.

Where to find it: Idea → Artifacts → Business Inputs
Who can use it: Contributor or Owner

Understand the concept

Business Inputs are the facts and assumptions used to shape outputs. Unknown is better than an invented number.

Step by step

Open the guided input flow or available advanced editing view.
Enter the organization, audience, offering, operating assumptions, and financial context requested.
Check units, currency, time periods, and whether each value is observed or estimated.
Save and inspect readiness before generating an artifact.
Revisit inputs when the decision or underlying facts change.

What success looks like

Outputs use the intended business context and expose missing information.

Example

AED 10,000 per month and AED 10,000 per year produce very different forecasts; record the period clearly.

Before you continue

Readiness indicates available inputs, not commercial viability or independently verified accuracy.

Build and interpret a Financial ForecastUnderstand scenarios and the assumptions behind projected numbers.

Where to find it: Artifacts → Business Inputs / Financial Forecast
Who can use it: Appropriate artifact access

Understand the concept

A forecast calculates a possible future from assumptions. A scenario changes those assumptions; it is not a prediction or guarantee.

Step by step

Enter currency, period, revenue assumptions, costs, and other relevant financial inputs.
Review the available base, conservative, and aggressive scenarios.
Inspect missing-input messages and warnings before relying on totals.
Generate the supported financial artifact and export the available workbook.
Check assumptions and formulas in the workbook before presenting the result.

What success looks like

You can explain which assumptions drive revenue, costs, cash needs, and the differences between scenarios.

Example

Compare a slower customer-growth scenario before deciding whether the planned hiring is affordable.

Before you continue

Do not compare figures with different currencies or time periods. Missing assumptions can make a forecast incomplete; a generated narrative cannot repair missing evidence.

Brand, export, and share reviewed outputsPrepare a document for its intended audience.

Where to find it: Artifacts export controls; available branding settings
Who can use it: Relevant workspace and export permissions

Understand the concept

Export creates a file outside the workspace. Sharing that file is different from granting access to the live idea.

Step by step

Choose the correct saved artifact version.
Select the appropriate branding profile when available.
Export one of the formats offered for that artifact, such as PDF, DOCX, PPTX, or XLSX.
Open the downloaded file and inspect layout, tables, page breaks, numbers, and links.
Share through your approved communication channel with the intended audience.

What success looks like

The recipient receives the reviewed version in a usable format.

Example

Use a PDF for a fixed review copy and an editable workbook when the recipient must inspect financial formulas.

Before you continue

Downloaded files do not inherit workspace access controls. Later changes to the idea do not automatically update an already exported file.

Memory & personalization

Reuse knowledge and control the context AI uses.

Explore Memory and related ideasFind earlier thinking and useful connections.

Where to find it: More → Memory; related-idea controls inside an idea
Who can use it: Workspace membership; edits require appropriate access

Understand the concept

A suggested connection is computed similarity. A confirmed connection is one a user has deliberately accepted or created.

Step by step

Open Memory and select an idea or connection to read its detail.
Use available zoom, layout, and filter controls to make the graph readable.
Inspect the reason for a suggested connection before accepting it.
Confirm, ignore, or edit connections with the available controls.
Open the related idea to reuse the actual context rather than relying on a similarity label alone.

What success looks like

You can reuse earlier work and distinguish suggestions from intentional links.

Example

Two ideas may share a supplier or market without being duplicates. Read both before merging.

Before you continue

Similarity does not prove equivalence. Merge and deletion actions can change saved content; review the affected items first.

Control your profile and AI contextCheck what the app knows about you and what an idea should use.

Where to find it: Account menu → Settings → Profile; per-idea context controls; Settings → Memory
Who can use it: Your own profile; workspace settings have separate permissions

Understand the concept

Personalization changes the context supplied to AI. It does not turn an inferred preference into a verified fact.

Step by step

Review your role, company, and preferences in Profile.
Correct outdated information and inspect any inferred context the app exposes.
On an idea, select which available profile facets should apply.
Use the Memory settings to review saved knowledge where offered.
Recheck personalization when moving between different professional roles or client contexts.

What success looks like

AI receives relevant context without relying on assumptions you know are wrong.

Example

A consultant may exclude their own company context when evaluating a client’s operational decision.

Before you continue

Profile information and idea evidence serve different purposes. Do not use a personal preference as proof of a market or operational claim.

Search ideas and use IdeaBot or DialogueFind existing work or explore a question conversationally.

Where to find it: Header search; IdeaBot; capture or idea Dialogue controls
Who can use it: Access depends on workspace membership; AI actions require allowance

Understand the concept

Search helps find saved content. A conversational suggestion is not always a completed, saved action.

Step by step

Use header search or its displayed keyboard shortcut to find accessible ideas.
Open a result and check its workspace and latest state.
Use IdeaBot for the supported question or action, specifying the intended idea.
Use Dialogue when you need a guided conversation to clarify a question.
Review proposed changes and confirm their saved result in the relevant feature.

What success looks like

You reach the right idea or clarify your next step without losing its context.

Example

Ask for the tasks on the supplier trial rather than “show my project,” which could refer to several initiatives.

Before you continue

Do not assume chat changed a task merely because the response described a change. Check the task or Activity for confirmation.

Use Portfolio, Decisions, and TodayChoose the right workspace overview for your question.

Where to find it: More → Portfolio / Decisions / Today; logo → Home
Who can use it: Workspace members

Understand the concept

These views summarize different aspects of work. A summary helps you find the underlying record; it does not replace it.

Step by step

Use Home for the workspace overview and recent activity.
Use Decisions to find decisions requiring attention and inspect their current state.
Use Portfolio to compare initiatives and their displayed health or progress.
Use Today for the available daily attention view.
Open the underlying idea before changing priorities or drawing a conclusion from a summary.

What success looks like

You can move from a broad overview to the record that explains it.

Example

A plan marked at risk prompts a review of its blockers and dates, not an automatic cancellation.

Before you continue

Check workspace, filters, date ranges, and progress basis when counts differ between views.

Settings & troubleshooting

Manage connections, account access, and common problems.

Connect ClickUp or NotionUnderstand what moves between systems before enabling a connection.

Where to find it: Account menu → Settings → Integrations
Who can use it: Connection and workspace permissions; external account access required

Understand the concept

A connection authorizes access to another service. Sync transfers supported data; not every integration works in both directions.

Step by step

Open Integrations and choose an available provider.
Follow its connection flow and select the intended destination.
Review the scope and available synchronization controls before enabling an idea.
Start with a non-sensitive test item and verify it in the destination.
Inspect sync status and resolve conflicts or errors before relying on automatic updates.

What success looks like

You know which record is synchronized, where it goes, and whether the last operation succeeded.

Example

For ClickUp, verify task/status behavior in the chosen workspace. For Notion, verify the published page and do not assume edits sync back.

Before you continue

Only integrations marked available can be configured. A planned integration is not a working connection. External delivery is unverified until checked in the destination.

Manage settings, themes, and mobile accessFind personal preferences without changing workspace authority.

Where to find it: Account menu → Settings / Theme / Mobile companion
Who can use it: Your account; some settings require administrative rights

Understand the concept

Personal preferences, workspace configuration, and platform settings have different scopes.

Step by step

Use the account menu to open Settings.
Choose Theme to change appearance; use Save as default when offered to retain your preferred choice.
Use Profile for your own context and workspace member settings for shared configuration.
Open Mobile companion for the available mobile workflow and handoff guidance.
Read the scope of a setting before saving it.

What success looks like

You know whether a change affects you, one workspace, or the platform.

Example

Changing your theme does not change the team’s permissions or approve a decision.

Before you continue

Black Gold is the default for accounts without a saved theme. A saved preference can override it. Mobile layouts may place navigation in a menu.

Understand plans, seats, and AI allowancesKnow why an action may be unavailable.

Where to find it: Account menu → Settings → My Plan; authorized licensing console
Who can use it: Account holders; administrative actions require the relevant role

Understand the concept

Your plan controls entitlement and allowances. A seat counts a licensed person; AI usage records the resources consumed by model calls.

Step by step

Open My Plan to review your current license and limits.
Read the exact message if an action is blocked by entitlement, allowance, or seat count.
For an organization plan, ask the authorized administrator to check Team & seats.
Use activation controls only with a code issued for your intended organization or workspace.
Administrators can inspect the available licensing and usage views to resolve limits.

What success looks like

You can distinguish a plan restriction from a permission or technical failure.

Example

A Viewer role and an exhausted AI allowance are different reasons a generation action might be unavailable.

Before you continue

Do not paste license codes into shared notes or screenshots. Estimated AI spend may differ from provider billing.

Administer platform AI and licensingFind the advanced controls intended for platform operators.

Where to find it: Settings → Platform AI / Licensing / AI Spend, when available
Who can use it: Platform administrator; not granted by ordinary workspace ownership

Understand the concept

Platform AI configuration can affect model selection across the service. Organization administration and platform administration are different authorities.

Step by step

Confirm you are using the intended administrative account.
Inspect the currently configured model and the area of the app it serves.
Review licensing or AI usage filters before interpreting totals.
Make authorized changes with a clear record of the intended effect.
Verify a representative operation afterward and inspect usage or errors.

What success looks like

An authorized operator can identify and manage the relevant platform configuration.

Example

A workspace Owner invites teammates; a platform administrator manages which model serves a product area.

Before you continue

These controls are intentionally absent for ordinary users. Do not ask colleagues to share administrator credentials.

Resolve common problems and get useful helpCollect enough context to diagnose the problem without exposing credentials.

Where to find it: The affected screen; workspace or platform administrator
Who can use it: All users

Understand the concept

A clear error report includes the intended action, actual result, and relevant context. It should not include secrets.

Step by step

If content is missing, check the account, workspace, filters, and membership first.
If a control is missing, check role, plan, workspace enablement, and item state.
If AI generation fails, read the error and check whether a saved output or run already exists before retrying.
If work remains blocked, check both prerequisites and the current decision.
Record the time, screen, exact error text, and steps to reproduce. Share a redacted screenshot with your administrator if useful.

What success looks like

You either resolve the condition or provide a reproducible report.

Example

“Work → Awaiting Review, this morning, Refresh and review returns a version conflict” is more actionable than “AI is broken.”

Before you continue

Never include passwords, sign-in links, API keys, license codes, or unrelated confidential content in a support report. No support response time is promised by this guide.

Concept glossary

The words used in IdeaFlow, explained without changing their meaning.

Workspace: A shared container for a team’s ideas and work.
Idea: A question, proposal, initiative, or problem you want to examine.
Boardroom: AI advisory analysis from the perspectives available for the selected mode.
Chair’s Summary: A synthesis of the board’s recommendations and unresolved concerns.
Resolution: The saved human decision and rationale.
Evidence: Information supporting or challenging a claim.
Assumption: Something being treated as true that still needs support.
Milestone: A checkpoint in a plan.
Deliverable: An output that can be inspected and reviewed.
Prerequisite: Work that must finish before dependent work can proceed.
Attempt: One run of a task; its result has its own state and version.
Reconciliation: Reviewing affected work after the underlying decision changes.
Outcome: The observed result compared with the intended success criteria.
Artifact: A generated and saved document, presentation, or other output.
Seat: A licensed person within an organization’s allowance.
Provenance: The origin and supporting context of information.
Inconclusive: The evidence is insufficient to call the result a success or failure.