Guest Collaboration

Difficulty: Intermediate

Overview

Not every project collaborator needs full access to your organization or taskboards. Clients need to review deliverables, contractors need to access specific projects, and partners need visibility into shared initiatives—all without accessing sensitive internal information. Guest collaboration solves this problem by providing controlled, board-specific access to external collaborators.

This guide teaches you how to invite external guests safely, manage their permissions effectively, understand what they can and cannot see, and implement security best practices that protect your organization while enabling seamless collaboration.

What You'll Learn

• When to use guest access vs full member access
• How to invite external collaborators as guests
• Guest permission levels and restrictions
• What guests can see and do on taskboards
• Managing guest lifecycle from invitation to removal
• Security best practices for guest access
• Troubleshooting common guest access issues

Prerequisites

• A Waymaker account with a taskboard
• Board Owner or Admin role on the board you want to share
• Understanding of basic board member roles (see Inviting Team Members)
• Familiarity with board settings (see Board Settings)

Guest vs Member: When to Use Each

What is a Guest?

A guest is an external collaborator with limited, board-specific access. Guests:

• Are invited to individual boards, not your entire organization
• Have restricted permissions compared to full members
• Don't count toward your organization's member limits (in most plans)
• Can only see boards they've been explicitly invited to
• Have a simplified interface with fewer features

What is a Member?

A member is an internal team member with organization-wide access. Members:

• Are part of your organization
• Can access multiple workspaces and projects
• Have full feature access based on their role
• See organization-wide resources and settings
• Count toward your plan's member limits

Decision Matrix: Guest or Member?

Use this framework to decide which type of access to grant:

Invite as a Guest when:

• ✅ External client needs to review deliverables
• ✅ Contractor working on one specific project
• ✅ Partner collaborating on a single initiative
• ✅ Temporary collaborator (short-term project)
• ✅ They only need access to 1-2 boards
• ✅ You want to limit their view to specific work
• ✅ Security/confidentiality is a concern

Invite as a Member when:

• ✅ Full-time employee or long-term team member
• ✅ Needs access to multiple projects/boards
• ✅ Requires organization-wide visibility
• ✅ Should see company resources and settings
• ✅ Long-term relationship (ongoing work)
• ✅ Internal stakeholder (executive, department lead)

Example Scenarios:

• Client Review: Client needs to approve deliverables on "Website Redesign" board → Guest
• Freelance Designer: Designer working on 3-month branding project → Guest (board-specific)
• New Employee: Permanent hire joining marketing team → Member (organization access)
• Partner Company: External partner on joint venture board → Guest (limited to partnership work)
• Contractor (Multi-Project): Contractor working on 5+ boards over 12 months → Member (broad access needed)

Inviting Guests to a Taskboard

Before You Invite

Checklist:

• Confirm you have Board Owner or Admin role
• Identify which board(s) the guest needs access to
• Determine appropriate permission level (Viewer or Member)
• Have guest's email address ready
• Review what's visible on the board (remove sensitive tasks if needed)
• Notify your team that a guest is being added

Step-by-Step: Invite a Guest

Step 1: Open Board Settings

1. Navigate to the taskboard you want to share
2. Click Board Menu (⋮ three dots in top-right corner)
3. Select "Board Settings"
4. Board settings modal opens

Step 2: Access Guest Management

1. In Board Settings modal, click "Guests" tab
2. You'll see:
   • List of existing guests (if any)
   • "Invite Guest" button
   • Guest permissions summary

Step 3: Enter Guest Details

1. Click "Invite Guest" button
2. Invitation form appears:

Guest Email (required):

• Enter the guest's email address
• Must be a valid email (validated on blur)
• Cannot be an existing organization member

Permission Level (required):

• Viewer: Read-only access (can see tasks, comments, files)
• Member: Can create/edit tasks, add comments (but limited compared to org members)

Personal Message (optional):

• Add context: "Hi Sarah, inviting you to review our Q4 deliverables"
• Message included in invitation email

Expiration Date (optional, future feature):

• Set automatic access removal date
• Useful for temporary projects

Step 4: Send Invitation

1. Review invitation details:
   • Guest email: sarah@clientcompany.com
   • Permission: Viewer
   • Board: Q4 Marketing Campaign
2. Click "Send Invitation"
3. Confirmation message: "Invitation sent to sarah@clientcompany.com"
4. Guest receives invitation email

Step 5: Guest Registration Flow

The guest receives an email with:

Email Subject: "You've been invited to collaborate on [Board Name]"

Email Content:

• Invitation from [Your Name] at [Organization]
• Board name and description
• Personal message (if included)
• "Accept Invitation" button

Guest clicks "Accept Invitation":

1. If guest has no Waymaker account:

   • Redirected to guest registration page
   • Creates guest account (name, password)
   • Email automatically verified via invitation link
   • Account created, logged in
   • Redirected to taskboard

2. If guest already has Waymaker account:

   • Prompted to log in
   • Invitation automatically associated with their account
   • Board access granted
   • Redirected to taskboard

Step 6: Guest Appears in Guest List

Once accepted:

• Guest appears in "Guests" tab with status "Active"
• Guest name and email visible
• Permission level shown
• Invited by and invited date recorded

Guest Permissions and Restrictions

Permission Levels Explained

Viewer Guest (Read-Only):

Can Do:

• ✅ View all tasks on the board
• ✅ Read task details (descriptions, comments, files)
• ✅ See board structure (sections, layers)
• ✅ View activity feed
• ✅ Download task attachments
• ✅ Filter and search tasks
• ✅ Switch between views (Kanban, List, Gantt, Calendar)
• ✅ Export task list (CSV, future feature)

Cannot Do:

• ❌ Create or edit tasks
• ❌ Add comments or activity
• ❌ Upload files
• ❌ Move tasks between sections
• ❌ Assign tasks
• ❌ Change board settings
• ❌ Invite other guests or members
• ❌ Delete anything

Use Case: Client review, stakeholder visibility, audit access

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Member Guest (Limited Editing):

Can Do:

• ✅ Everything Viewer guests can do, plus:
• ✅ Create new tasks
• ✅ Edit tasks (title, description, dates, priority)
• ✅ Add comments and @mentions
• ✅ Upload files to tasks
• ✅ Move tasks between sections
• ✅ Assign tasks to themselves or other board members
• ✅ Mark tasks complete
• ✅ Update task progress
• ✅ Participate in discussions

Cannot Do:

• ❌ Create or edit layers
• ❌ Create or edit sections
• ❌ Change board settings
• ❌ Manage board members or guests
• ❌ Delete the board
• ❌ Access other boards in your organization
• ❌ See organization settings or members

Use Case: Contractor execution, partner collaboration, external team member

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What Guests Can and Cannot See

Guests Can See:

On Their Invited Board:

• All tasks and task details
• All comments and activity (including from members)
• Files attached to tasks
• Board description and settings (read-only)
• Other board members (names and avatars)
• Other guests on the same board
• Board progress metrics
• Board-specific notifications

Guests Cannot See:

• ❌ Other boards in your organization (even if public to members)
• ❌ Organization dashboard or organization-wide analytics
• ❌ Workspace structure beyond the single board
• ❌ Other projects in your organization
• ❌ Organization members not on the same board
• ❌ Organization settings (billing, members, integrations)
• ❌ Waymaker documents outside the board context (future integration)
• ❌ Organization-wide files or resources

Navigation Restrictions:

Guests see a simplified interface:

• No organization switcher (locked to guest view)
• No workspace navigation
• Direct access only to boards they're invited to
• Limited sidebar (just the boards they can access)

Managing Guest Access

Viewing Active Guests

In Board Settings:

1. Board Menu → Board Settings → Guests tab
2. See all guests with:
   • Name and email
   • Permission level (Viewer/Member)
   • Status (Pending, Active)
   • Invited by
   • Invited date
   • Last active

Pending vs Active:

• Pending: Invitation sent, not yet accepted
• Active: Guest accepted and can access board

Changing Guest Permissions

Update Permission Level:

1. Board Settings → Guests tab
2. Find guest in list
3. Click Permission dropdown next to guest name
4. Select new permission:
   • Viewer (downgrade from Member)
   • Member (upgrade from Viewer)
5. Permission changes immediately
6. Guest sees updated capabilities on next page load

When to change:

• Upgrade to Member: Guest needs to actively participate
• Downgrade to Viewer: Project phase shift (delivery → review only)

Removing Guest Access

Temporary Removal (Deactivate):

1. Board Settings → Guests tab
2. Find guest in list
3. Click Deactivate (⏸) button
4. Confirm: "Deactivate [Guest Name]?"
5. Guest access suspended (can be reactivated later)
6. Guest cannot access board but data preserved

Use case: Temporary hold, billing pause, between project phases

Permanent Removal (Delete):

1. Board Settings → Guests tab
2. Find guest in list
3. Click Remove (🗑) button
4. Confirm: "Remove [Guest Name] from this board?"
5. Warning: "This will remove their access. Tasks they created will remain."
6. Click "Remove Guest"
7. Guest access deleted (cannot be undone)

What happens when guest is removed:

• ✅ Tasks they created remain on board
• ✅ Comments they added remain visible
• ✅ Files they uploaded remain accessible
• ❌ They can no longer access the board
• ❌ They stop receiving board notifications
• ❌ Their guest account persists (in case invited to other boards)

Guest Self-Removal:

Guests can remove themselves:

1. Guest opens board
2. Clicks profile menu
3. Selects "Leave Board"
4. Confirms removal
5. Access revoked immediately

Guest Notifications

What Guests Receive Notifications For

In-App Notifications:

• ✅ Task assigned to them
• ✅ @mentioned in a comment
• ✅ Task they're watching changes status
• ✅ Comment added to their task
• ✅ Due date approaching on their tasks

Email Notifications:

• ✅ Invitation to board (initial)
• ✅ Task assigned to them
• ✅ @mention in comment
• ✅ Overdue task reminders (if assignee)

Guests Do NOT Receive:

• ❌ Organization-wide announcements
• ❌ Notifications from other boards
• ❌ Non-board activity (workspace changes, etc.)

Guest Notification Preferences

Guests can configure their notification preferences:

1. Profile menu → Settings
2. Notifications tab
3. Toggle notification types:
   • In-app notifications (on/off)
   • Email notifications (on/off)
   • @mention emails (on/off)
   • Assignment emails (on/off)

Guest Security Best Practices

Before Inviting Guests

Review Board Content:

• Remove sensitive internal tasks
• Archive completed confidential work
• Review comment history for sensitive info
• Check file attachments for proprietary data
• Ensure layer names don't reveal strategy
• Review board description (visible to guests)

Set Clear Expectations:

Communicate with guest:

• What they can access: "You'll see the Website Redesign board only"
• What they can do: "You can review tasks and add comments"
• What they cannot do: "You won't see other projects"
• Duration: "Access until project completion (est. Dec 31)"
• Contact: "Questions? Email sarah@yourcompany.com"

During Guest Collaboration

Monitor Guest Activity:

• Periodically review guest activity in activity feed
• Ensure guests aren't accessing unauthorized data
• Watch for unusual behavior (bulk downloads, excessive access)
• Check "Last Active" in Guests tab

Principle of Least Privilege:

• Start with Viewer access, upgrade to Member only if needed
• Grant access to fewest boards possible
• Set expiration dates when possible (future feature)
• Review guest list monthly

Data Protection:

• Educate guests on confidentiality
• Include NDA or terms in invitation message
• Limit file sharing (consider watermarks for sensitive docs)
• Don't share credentials or API keys in tasks
• Use comments carefully (assume guests can see all board comments)

After Project Completion

Cleanup Protocol:

1. Archive or clean board before removing guest access
2. Export guest activity (audit trail, future feature)
3. Remove guest access promptly after project ends
4. Review guest tasks (transfer ownership if needed)
5. Deactivate guest account if they won't be re-invited

Audit Trail:

• All guest actions logged in activity feed
• Exported activity logs include guest actions
• Maintain records for compliance if needed

Compliance Considerations

GDPR/Privacy:

• Guest data (email, name) is personal data
• Guests have right to access their data (via board access)
• Guests can request deletion of their account
• Inform guests via privacy policy link in invitation

Industry-Specific:

• Legal/Professional Services: Client confidentiality rules
• Healthcare: HIPAA compliance (avoid PHI in tasks)
• Finance: SOX or PCI compliance requirements
• Government: Clearance levels and access controls

Troubleshooting Guest Access

Guest didn't receive invitation email

Possible causes:

• Email in spam/junk folder
• Email address typo
• Corporate firewall blocking Waymaker emails
• Guest's email server rejecting automated emails

Solution:

1. Verify email address is correct (Board Settings → Guests)
2. Ask guest to check spam folder
3. Resend invitation: Click Resend button next to Pending guest
4. Whitelist: Ask guest to whitelist noreply@waymakerone.com
5. Alternative: Manually send invitation link (future feature)

Guest can't access the board after accepting

Possible causes:

• Guest logged into wrong account
• Browser cookies/cache issue
• Invitation expired (if expiration set)
• Guest account not verified

Solution:

1. Confirm guest accepted invitation (check Guests tab for "Active")
2. Ask guest to log out and log in again
3. Hard refresh: Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + R
4. Try incognito mode
5. Verify guest is using correct email address
6. Resend invitation if needed

Guest sees more/less than expected

Problem: Guest sees too much:

• Verify permission level is correct (Viewer vs Member)
• Check if guest was accidentally added as organization member
• Review board content for sensitive info

Problem: Guest sees too little:

• Guest may be using wrong account
• Board may not have loaded completely (refresh)
• Layer filters may hide tasks (click "All Layers")
• Check guest permission level (may need upgrade to Member)

Guest can't perform expected actions

Possible causes:

• Guest has Viewer permissions, needs Member
• Browser permissions (file upload blocked)
• Access rule restricting permissions (technical issue)

Solution:

1. Verify guest permission level (Board Settings → Guests)
2. Upgrade to Member if needed
3. Check browser console for errors
4. Try different browser
5. Contact support if permission upgrade doesn't resolve

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Mistake 1: Inviting guests as organization members by accident

Problem: Guest gets access to all organization resources, sees internal boards

Solution: Always use Board Settings → Guests tab, NOT organization member invitation. Double-check invitation type before sending.

❌ Mistake 2: Leaving guest access active indefinitely

Problem: Security risk, unnecessary access, billing (if guests counted in plan)

Solution: Set calendar reminders to review guest access monthly. Remove guests when projects complete. Use expiration dates (future feature).

❌ Mistake 3: Sharing boards with sensitive internal content

Problem: Guests see internal strategy, confidential data, budget discussions

Solution: Create guest-specific boards for external collaboration. Archive or delete sensitive tasks before inviting guests. Review board content first.

❌ Mistake 4: Inviting clients as Member guests when Viewer is sufficient

Problem: Guests can edit tasks, potentially delete work, create confusion

Solution: Start with Viewer permission. Upgrade to Member only if active participation needed. Most client review scenarios need Viewer only.

❌ Mistake 5: Not communicating access scope to guests

Problem: Guests confused about what they can access, ask for more permissions

Solution: Include clear message in invitation: "You'll have view-only access to the Website Redesign board to review deliverables." Set expectations upfront.

Quick Reference

Invite a Guest:

• Board Menu → Settings → Guests → Invite Guest → Enter email + permission → Send

Guest Permission Levels:

• Viewer: Read-only (review, download)
• Member: Create/edit tasks, comment (limited compared to org members)

Change Guest Permission:

• Board Settings → Guests → Permission dropdown → Select new level

Remove Guest:

• Board Settings → Guests → Remove button → Confirm

Guest vs Member Decision:

• External + single board + limited time = Guest
• Internal + multiple boards + long-term = Member

Guests Can See:

• Only boards they're invited to
• All tasks, comments, files on those boards
• Other board members

Guests Cannot See:

• Other organization boards
• Organization settings
• Workspace structure beyond their board

Security Best Practices:

• Review board content before inviting
• Start with Viewer, upgrade to Member only if needed
• Remove access when project completes
• Monitor guest activity periodically
• Set expiration dates when possible

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Related Articles

• Inviting Team Members - Full member access and roles
• Permissions and Access Control - Comprehensive permission model
• Board Settings - Managing board configuration
• Task Assignment and Ownership - Assigning tasks to guests
• Real-time Collaboration - Collaborating with guests in real-time

Next Steps

You now know how to invite and manage external guests safely! Ready to continue?

1. Task Assignment and Ownership - Assign tasks to guests and members
2. Real-time Collaboration - Collaborate with your team in real-time
3. Notifications and Mentions - Use @mentions to notify guests

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Need to invite a client or contractor? → Open Board Settings → Guests → Invite Guest