Briefs

A brief is a reusable form that turns structured answers into a task. Build the questions once, share the link, and every submission arrives as a well-formed task with a consistent title, description, and fields.

Creating a brief

From Briefs in the sidebar, choose New Brief. A brief has a name, an optional introduction (markdown, shown to the briefer as the first step of the form), and an Accepting submissions switch you can flip off to pause it without archiving.

Questions

Add as many questions as you need and drag to reorder them:

TypeThe briefer sees
Short answerA single-line text input
Long answerA multi-line text area
Single choiceRadio buttons from your options list
Multiple choiceCheckboxes from your options list
DateA date picker
Date & timeA date and time picker
File uploadAn uploader (up to 10 files of 50 MB each per question)
Static textNo input at all, just markdown content you write, for instructions between questions

Each question can be required and carry help text. By default all questions appear on a single page; add a step break (with an optional step title) wherever you want the form to split into separate steps, and the briefer gets a back/next wizard with per-step validation.

Shortcodes

Every question that takes an answer gets a shortcode, suggested from its label, editable, and unique within the brief. Shortcodes are how answers reach the task: write {goal} in a template and the answer to that question lands there. Multiple-choice and file answers render as bullet lists; unanswered optional questions render as No answer.

A few shortcodes are always available:

ShortcodeRenders as
{submitter}The name of the person who submitted the brief
{date}The submission date
{attachments}A list of every uploaded file
{client}, {project}The resolved client and project names
{priority}, {due_date}, {status}, {job_number}The resolved task field values
{departments}, {assignees}The resolved department and assignee names, comma-separated

Task fields

For each of client, project, priority, due date, status, departments, and assignees (plus job number, if your agency has job numbers enabled), you decide per brief:

  • Pinned: you fix the value; the briefer never sees it. A "Website tweaks" brief can be locked to one client and project, and routed to the same department and owner every time. Departments and assignees can each be pinned to more than one.
  • Ask briefer: it appears as a pick list on a "Task details" step, optionally required. Project lists filter to the chosen client, priority pre-selects Medium, and departments and assignees accept multiple selections.
  • Hidden: the workspace defaults apply.

The one rule: a brief must always be able to resolve a client, because published tasks take their reference number from it. That's why the client field is only ever pinned or asked, and hidden fields can't leave a brief clientless.

The task template

The task title is a required template mixing text and shortcodes, such as Website change: {goal}. The task description template is optional markdown: leave it blank and every answer is listed under its question heading, or write your own structure and press Generate from questions for a starting point. Insert shortcodes by clicking the chips under each field, or type them in by hand.

Sharing and filling out a brief

Every brief has a shareable link, available from the Briefs list or the top of the edit page, and anyone signed in to Every can fill it out; no special permission is needed. The form walks through the introduction, task details, and question steps, ending on a review step showing exactly the task that will be created. There the briefer can override the generated title, and can flip Create as a draft to land the task as a private draft instead of a published task.

Submitting creates the task and drops the briefer on it. Numbering, notifications, and automations fire exactly as if the task were created by hand.

Submissions

Each brief keeps a log under Submissions: when it was submitted (in your timezone), by whom, the task it created with its current status, and a View answers snapshot of the resolved task fields and every answer. Snapshots survive later edits to the brief, so old submissions stay readable even after questions change or the task is deleted.

Archiving

Archiving a brief stops new submissions and its link stops working, while every submission and task is kept intact. Tick Show archived on the Briefs list to find and restore one.

Building and managing briefs requires the Manage briefs permission; see roles & permissions.

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