# Team Collaboration Features
**Availability:** Basic and Premium tiers
**Team Size:** Up to 5 members (Basic), Unlimited (Premium)
## What is Team Collaboration?
Team collaboration allows multiple investigators to work together on cases. Team members can:
- View shared cases
- Add evidence and notes
- Comment on findings
- Track each other's progress
- Assign tasks
- Export shared reports (Basic/Premium)
## Creating a Team
### Prerequisites
- Basic or Premium membership tier
- At least one case to share
### Step 1: Access Team Management
1. Click your profile dropdown
2. Select "Teams" or "Manage Teams"
3. Click "Create New Team"
### Step 2: Configure Team
**Required Information:**
- Team name
- Description (optional)
- Privacy setting (private/public within organization)
**Optional Settings:**
- Team logo/avatar
- Default permissions for members
### Step 3: Invite Members
1. Enter email addresses of team members
2. Assign roles:
- **Admin**: Full control, can add/remove members
- **Member**: Can view and contribute
- **Viewer**: Read-only access
3. Send invitations
### Step 4: Share Cases
1. Select cases to share with team
2. Set permissions per case:
- View only
- Edit (add evidence, notes)
- Full control (delete, export)
## Managing Your Team
### Adding New Members
1. Open team settings
2. Click "Invite Members"
3. Enter email addresses
4. Assign appropriate roles
5. Members receive email invitation
### Removing Members
1. Go to team member list
2. Click remove icon next to member name
3. Confirm removal
4. Their access is immediately revoked
### Changing Member Roles
1. Find member in team list
2. Click role dropdown
3. Select new role
4. Changes take effect immediately
### Sharing Cases with Team
1. Open a case
2. Click "Share with Team"
3. Select team(s) to share with
4. Set permission level
5. Team members can now access the case
## Team Roles and Permissions
### Team Admin
**Can:**
- Invite and remove members
- Change member roles
- Share/unshare cases
- Delete team
- Modify team settings
**Cannot:**
- Access other admins' private cases unless shared
### Team Member
**Can:**
- View shared cases
- Add evidence to shared cases
- Comment and add notes
- Create reports from shared cases
- Invite new members (if permitted)
**Cannot:**
- Remove team members
- Delete the team
- Access unshared cases
### Team Viewer
**Can:**
- View shared cases
- View evidence and notes
- Export reports (if team allows)
**Cannot:**
- Edit case information
- Add evidence
- Invite members
- Change settings
## Collaboration Features
### Real-Time Activity Feed
See what team members are doing:
- Evidence added
- Notes created
- Status changes
- Comments posted
### Task Assignment
Assign tasks to team members:
- Interview witnesses
- Review evidence
- Follow up on leads
- Update case status
### Comments and Discussion
Collaborate on cases:
- Add comments to evidence
- Discuss theories
- Ask questions
- @mention team members for notifications
### Shared Evidence Repository
All team members see:
- Uploaded evidence files
- Who uploaded what
- Upload timestamps
- Evidence tags and categories
## Team Tier Limits
### Basic Tier
- Create teams: ✅ Yes
- Max team members: 5
- Max teams: Unlimited
- Shared cases: Unlimited
### Premium Tier
- Create teams: ✅ Yes
- Max team members: Unlimited
- Max teams: Unlimited
- Shared cases: Unlimited
- Priority support: ✅ Yes
### Free Tier
- Create teams: ❌ No
- Can be invited to teams: ✅ Yes
- Can view shared cases: ✅ Yes
**Note:** Free tier users can be invited to teams and view shared cases, but cannot create their own teams.
## Best Practices
### Team Structure
**For Small Teams (2-5 people):**
- Keep everyone as Members for equal access
- Designate one Admin for management
**For Large Teams (6+ people):**
- Multiple Admins for redundancy
- Separate Viewers for oversight
- Clear role definitions
### Case Sharing
**Share Widely:**
- Cases benefit from multiple perspectives
- More eyes catch more details
- Team collaboration improves outcomes
**Share Selectively:**
- Sensitive cases may need limited access
- Use Viewer role for oversight only
- Protect confidential information
### Communication
**Use Comments For:**
- Threaded discussions on specific evidence
- Quick questions and answers
- Documenting thought processes
**Don't Use Comments For:**
- Long reports (create a report instead)
- Off-topic discussion
- Sensitive information (use direct messaging)
## Troubleshooting
### Can't Create Team
- **Check tier**: Must be Basic or Premium
- **Upgrade**: Click locked button to upgrade
- **Contact support**: If tier is correct but feature unavailable
### Invitation Not Received
- **Check spam folder**
- **Verify email address** was entered correctly
- **Resend invitation** from team settings
- **Ask member to check** their notification settings
### Member Can't Access Case
- **Verify case is shared** with the team
- **Check member role** has appropriate permissions
- **Ensure member accepted** team invitation
- **Refresh page** to update permissions
### Hit Team Member Limit
- **Basic tier**: Limited to 5 members
- **Upgrade to Premium**: For unlimited members
- **Create multiple teams**: As alternative solution
## Security Considerations
### Access Control
- Regularly review team membership
- Remove inactive members
- Audit who has access to sensitive cases
- Use role-based permissions appropriately
### Data Protection
- Don't share cases containing:
- Ongoing investigations (unless authorized)
- Victim personal information (without consent)
- Confidential sources
- Classified information
### Compliance
- Follow your organization's data sharing policies
- Comply with CJIS regulations if applicable
- Respect victim privacy rights
- Document authorization for case sharing
## FAQ
**Q: Can I be on multiple teams?**
A: Yes, you can be a member of unlimited teams.
**Q: What happens if I downgrade from Basic to Free?**
A: Your existing teams remain active. You can't create new teams but can still participate in existing ones.
**Q: Can team members see each other's private cases?**
A: No, only cases explicitly shared with the team are visible.
**Q: Do team members need CaseConnect accounts?**
A: Yes, they must sign up for at least a Free account to accept team invitations.
**Q: Can I transfer team ownership?**
A: Yes, admins can promote other members to admin and then leave the team.
## Related Articles
- Understanding Membership Tiers
- Managing Your Cases
- Privacy and Security Best Practices
- Exporting Case Reports