> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.tahua.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.tahua.io/knowledge-base/administrator-help-guides/applications/enabling-application-collaborators.md).

# Enabling Application Collaborators

Control whether Applicants can add Collaborators to their Applications — with an organisation-wide switch, and per Funding Round.

Application Collaborators let an Applicant give someone access to a single Application without giving them access to the rest of their organisation's data. You control this in two places: an organisation-wide switch, and a setting on each Funding Round. Collaborators are only available on a Funding Round when **both** are on.

## Turning Collaborators on or off for your organisation

Go to **Settings > Organisation**, click **Edit Details**, and find the **Collaboration** section.\ <br>

<figure><img src="https://4124979405-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F49pNEQ4fXNtxv0yJ5jgn%2Fuploads%2FoKq9OAe1Q3AHtLjeMEfT%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=19fe17c1-9528-4cff-bcde-5e3f0bed2781" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

The setting is **Allow applicants to add collaborators**, with Enabled and Disabled options:

> If enabled, applicants can invite other applicants to collaborate on their Applications. Individual Grant Rounds can override this in their Advanced Settings; when a Grant Round leaves the setting unset it inherits this organisation-wide default.

Collaborators are **enabled** unless you turn them off.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Despite the wording on the setting, a Funding Round can't switch Collaborators on when this is off.** The organisation setting is a master switch. When it's on, each Funding Round can switch Collaborators off for that round. When it's off, Collaborators aren't available on any Funding Round, whatever the round's own setting says.
{% endhint %}

When Collaborators are enabled:

* Applicants see a **Manage Collaborators** option on their Applications
* Administrators see **Manage Collaborators** in the Actions panel on an Application, and in the dropdown on the Applications list
* A **Collaborators** column is available on the Applications list

{% hint style="warning" %}
Turning Collaborators off at the organisation level is not just cosmetic. Existing Collaborators immediately lose access to the Applications they were added to — the Applications stay intact and the Collaborator records are retained, but those users won't be able to open them while the setting is off. Turning it back on restores their access.

If you are disabling Collaborators on a portal where they are already in use, let those Applicants know first.
{% endhint %}

## Turning Collaborators off for one Funding Round

When Collaborators are on for your organisation, you can switch them off for an individual Funding Round. Every new Funding Round has Collaborators switched on unless you untick the setting.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Set this before you publish.** The setting is locked once the Funding Round is published. To change it afterwards, click **Unpublish & Edit**, change the setting, and publish again.
{% endhint %}

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Open the Funding Round for editing

From **Grant Rounds**, click **Edit** on the round you want to change. If the round is already published, click **Unpublish & Edit** instead. You'll land on step 1, **Details**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Expand Advanced Settings

Scroll to the bottom of the Details step and expand **Advanced Settings**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Set the collaborator option

Tick or untick **Allow applicants to add collaborators**. It's ticked by default.

> Let applicants invite other applicants to collaborate on their Applications in this Grant Round.

Continue through the wizard and publish your changes as normal.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

<figure><img src="https://4124979405-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F49pNEQ4fXNtxv0yJ5jgn%2Fuploads%2FJq3C80tkq4EdyiylKxsY%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=22d8a5ed-d0d0-406e-be81-38d53f15002f" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

This is useful where the type of funding changes who should be involved — for example allowing Collaborators on a research round where an Applicant works with partners at another institution, while keeping them off for an individual scholarship round.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Turning this off on a Funding Round does not remove anyone.** Collaborators who have already been added to Applications in that round keep their access and can carry on working as before. The setting only controls whether **new** Collaborators can be added.

This is different from the organisation-wide setting — see [Which setting applies?](#which-setting-applies) below.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
**Advanced Settings** on the Details step also holds **Eligible Types of Applicants**, which controls whether Companies, Individuals, or both can apply to that round.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Private Funding Rounds:** the **Applicants** list at the top of the Details step controls who can see the round. Collaborators on a private round can only edit and submit an Application if their organisation is on that list. See [Inviting a New Collaborator to an Application](/knowledge-base/administrator-help-guides/applications/inviting-a-new-collaborator-to-an-application.md#collaborators-on-a-private-grant).
{% endhint %}

## Which setting applies?

| Organisation setting | Funding Round setting | Can Applicants add Collaborators? |
| -------------------- | --------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| On                   | Ticked (default)      | **Yes**                           |
| On                   | Unticked              | No                                |
| Off                  | Ticked or unticked    | No                                |

If you change nothing, Collaborators are available on every Funding Round.

### The two settings behave differently when switched off

This is the important difference, and it catches people out:

|                                    | Turning it off at **organisation** level | Turning it off on a **Funding Round** |
| ---------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| New Collaborators can be added     | No                                       | No                                    |
| Existing Collaborators keep access | **No** — access is withdrawn immediately | **Yes** — they carry on as before     |

Use the **Funding Round** setting when you want to stop new Collaborators being added without disrupting anyone already working on an Application. Remember you'll need to unpublish the round to change it.

Use the **organisation** setting only when you intend to withdraw collaborator access across the portal — including from people who are actively using it. Turning it back on restores their access.

{% hint style="info" %}
This setting controls only whether Collaborators can be **added**. It doesn't change what a Collaborator can see once they have access — that is fixed. See [Inviting a New Collaborator to an Application](/knowledge-base/administrator-help-guides/applications/inviting-a-new-collaborator-to-an-application.md) for the full access list, including why Collaborators can never see Contracts or Contract Milestones.
{% endhint %}

## See also

* [Inviting a New Collaborator to an Application](/knowledge-base/administrator-help-guides/applications/inviting-a-new-collaborator-to-an-application.md)
* [How to Manage Application Collaborators](/knowledge-base/administrator-help-guides/applications/how-to-manage-application-collaborators.md)
* [Application Settings](/knowledge-base/administrator-help-guides/setting-up-your-organisation/configuration-settings/application-settings.md)
* [Create a Grant Round](/knowledge-base/administrator-help-guides/funding-rounds-and-grant-management/create-a-grant-round.md)
