How visibility works
Explains the two separate visibility layers in Feedvote, the defaults for a new project, and where each setting lives.
Feedvote controls visibility in two separate layers. The first layer decides who can open your public board at all. The second layer decides who sees each item on the board.
The two layers
| Layer | Question it answers | Options | Where to set it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board access | Who can open the board? | Everyone, Signed-in people, Invited only | Settings > Visibility, under Who can open the board |
| Item audience | Who sees this item? | Everyone, Specific customers, Only my team | Settings > Visibility, under Who sees each item, and on each item in Feedback |
Board access is always checked first. An item's audience never lets someone into a board they cannot open. For example, an item set to Everyone on an Invited only board is shown to every customer you invited, not to the whole internet.
Defaults for a new project
A new project starts fully open:
- Who can open the board is Everyone. Anyone with the link can open the board.
- Every item is visible to is Everyone. Items no label rule matches are shown to everyone who can open the board.
- Posts from customers and visitors are visible to is Everyone.
- Read-only mode, Disable feedback submissions, Require account login and Require admin approval are off.
While nothing is restricted, the Who sees each item card shows one sentence and a Choose who sees what button. Press that button to add label rules or customers.
Where the settings are
- Settings > Visibility holds the board-wide settings: the Board Access card, the Who sees each item card with label rules and the default audience, and your customers.
- Feedback in the dashboard is where the project owner or a team admin changes the audience of one item, or of many items at once with Change audience.
Only the project owner and team admins can change the settings in Settings > Visibility.
What your team always sees
Your team sees every item in the dashboard, whatever its audience. On the public board:
- An item set to Only my team is shown on the board to your team only.
- An item set to Specific customers is shown to the customers you picked, plus your team.
- When Require admin approval is on, only your team sees new posts until one of you approves them.
There is one exception for people outside your team. A person who was signed in when they posted an item always sees that item, whatever its audience.
Your team includes every teammate listed in Settings > Team, Viewers too. A Viewer sees every item, including items set to Only my team. Do not invite clients as teammates. Add them as contacts of a customer instead. See Team members and Customers and contacts.
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Common questions
Is my board public when I create a project?
Yes. A new project's board is open to Everyone, and every item is visible to Everyone. Change this in Settings > Visibility before you share internal work.
If an item is set to Everyone, can anyone on the internet see it?
Only if anyone can open the board. Everyone means everyone who can open the board, so on an Invited only board it means your team and the customers you invited.
Can I hide one item but keep the board public?
Yes. Keep Who can open the board on Everyone and set that item's audience to Only my team, either on the item in Feedback or with a label rule.
Who can change visibility settings?
The project owner and team admins can change the settings in Settings > Visibility.
Does my team see items hidden from visitors?
Yes. Your team sees every item in the dashboard, and items set to Only my team or Specific customers are also shown to your team on the board.