Understand Surfaces

A Surface combines an experience with data and access rules. Those pieces do not all change at the same time. Learn the model before you import records, share externally, or make a draft live.

Follow the Surface lifecycle

A live version is the experience used by Viewers, Participants, and external guests who are not draft reviewers. It is not an approval of the content. Use your organization’s required review process before controlled use.

Know the main concepts

Concept	What it means
Surface	The reusable Interactive, Pages, or Slides experience and everything managed with it.
Version	One definition of the layout, content, behavior, collections, fields, and access rules. A version can be Draft, Live, or Previous.
Collection	A type of structured record used by the Surface, such as `Actions`, `Risks`, or `Sites`.
Record	One item in a collection, such as one action or one risk.
Source	The person or system that supplied an update, such as chat, a file import, an integration, or an Orchestration.
Feed	A named stream of structured updates that the Surface reads. Each update keeps its source and validation result.
Part	The named section an Orchestration sends output to, such as `Metrics` or `Risk Register`. A part maps to the feed the Surface reads.
Snapshot	A saved reference to one Surface version and the latest event not marked invalid in each configured feed at that moment.

Separate records from feeds

Record collections and feeds can both change what appears on a Surface, but they have different lifecycles.

	Record collections	Feeds
Typical use	Actions, submissions, owners, statuses, and attachments.	Metrics, summaries, timelines, and structured Orchestration output.
How data arrives	Forms, direct record edits, file imports, CoSheet imports, chat, or automation.	Chat, integrations, or Orchestration Surface output.
Where to inspect it	Data > Records and Activity.	Data > Sources and Activity.
What a snapshot saves	Records are not frozen. The view reads the records available when it is opened or exported.	The latest event not marked invalid for each feed is saved with the snapshot.

A snapshot is not a record backup. If you need record evidence from a specific moment, export the records or the rendered Surface at that time and retain the file according to your process.

Understand the first draft

The data badge depends on whether the Surface has ever had a live version.

Surface state	Badge in Data > Records	What happens to records
Before the first version is live	Live data	Records you add or import are the future live records. They remain available after the first Make live.
A later draft, after a live version exists	Test data	The draft uses an isolated copy. Test record changes do not affect live records and do not become live when you make the design live.

Always check the badge before you add, import, or remove records. Use Update test data… when a later draft needs a fresh copy of current live records.

See how access narrows

A direct teammate role determines whether that person can view, participate, or manage.
Adding a Surface to a Workspace gives every Workspace member inherited Viewer access to the current live version.
The guest collection policy applies to all invitations for the live Surface.
An individual guest invitation can narrow access through its view-or-participate level and selected record scope. It cannot grant more access than the Surface-wide guest policy allows.
Field limits are the final boundary on the values a guest receives or changes.

Moving a Surface into a Workspace changes access. Review Workspace membership first. Moving it out removes inherited Viewer access, but any direct teammate shares remain.

Know when a change takes effect

Change	When it affects people
Layout, content, interactions, collections, fields, or detailed access rules	After you make the draft live.
First-draft records	They are retained as the live records when you make the first version live.
Test records in a later draft	Never promoted. They are removed when the draft is discarded or after its test environment is no longer needed.
Live record edits	Immediately in the live data environment.
Simplified guest collection levels in Share	When you click Save and update live surface. The current live Surface and existing live guest invitations are affected.
Teammate or guest invitations	When you share or send the invitation.
Snapshot	Saves a version and feed selections. It does not change the live Surface.

Ask Sofie to explain the current state

Use prompts like these before a high-impact change:

Explain which Surface version I am viewing, whether a draft exists, and whether the Records tab is using Live data or Test data. Do not change anything.

Review this Surface's access. Separate direct teammate roles, inherited Workspace Viewer access, collection rules, guest record scope, and guest field limits. Do not broaden access.

Check this draft for readiness. Summarize layout, data structure, access, guest behavior, and live-record changes that need human review before Make live. Do not make it live.

Next, build your first Surface or review versions and snapshots.

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Understand Surfaces

Follow the Surface lifecycle

Know the main concepts

Separate records from feeds

Understand the first draft

See how access narrows

Know when a change takes effect

Ask Sofie to explain the current state

​Follow the Surface lifecycle

​Know the main concepts

​Separate records from feeds

​Understand the first draft

​See how access narrows

​Know when a change takes effect

​Ask Sofie to explain the current state

Follow the Surface lifecycle

Know the main concepts

Separate records from feeds

Understand the first draft

See how access narrows

Know when a change takes effect

Ask Sofie to explain the current state