Updates
Updates are the core of Commons - they're how you share progress, ask questions, and keep your team informed.
What is an Update?
An update is a post in your team's feed. It can be:
- A progress report - "Just finished the homepage redesign"
- A question - "Which color palette should we use?"
- A decision - "We're moving forward with option B"
- A milestone - "Shipped v2.0 today!"
Types of Updates
Text Post
The simplest update - just write your thoughts.
Example: "Wrapped up user research today. Key insight: users want
faster onboarding. Starting design iterations tomorrow."
Post with Images
Include screenshots, designs, or photos.
- Supports PNG, JPG, HEIC
- Multiple images per update
- Auto-converts and optimizes images
Post with Videos
Share video walkthroughs or demos.
- Paste video URLs (YouTube, Loom, etc.)
- Videos are embedded in the feed
Poll
Get quick feedback from your team.
- Add multiple options
- Team members can vote
- See results in real-time
- Optional: Add images to options for visual polls
Project Update
Associate your update with a specific project.
- Automatically appears on project page
- Helps track project progress
- Can include project status changes
Creating an Update
From the Compose Page
- Click "Compose" in navigation or the "+" button
- Choose update type
- Write your content
- Add media (optional)
- Select project (optional)
- Choose visibility (team or org)
- Click "Post"
From a Project Page
- Navigate to a project
- Click "New Update"
- Update is automatically linked to that project
Update Visibility
Team Updates
Visible to all members of the team. Best for team-specific work.
Organization Updates
Visible to everyone in your organization. Great for announcements and cross-team collaboration.
Note: All updates are visible to organization owners and admins.
Interacting with Updates
Comments
Reply to updates with comments. Great for:
- Asking follow-up questions
- Providing feedback
- Discussing details
Reactions
Quick responses using emojis:
- 👍 Great work
- ❤️ Love this
- 🎉 Celebrate milestones
- 👀 Watching this
Mentions
Tag team members with @username to notify them.
Best Practices
Be Regular
Post updates consistently (daily or weekly) to keep your team in the loop.
Be Specific
Include details that help teammates understand context:
- What you did
- Why it matters
- What's next
- Blockers or questions
Use Visuals
A screenshot is worth a thousand words. Share what you're building.
Link to Projects
Associate updates with projects to build a timeline of progress.
Engage
Comment and react to others' updates. It builds team culture.
Update Feed
The feed shows all updates you have access to:
- Organization Feed - All updates across all teams
- Team Feed - Updates from a specific team
- Project Feed - Updates for a specific project
- Profile Feed - Updates from a specific person
Feeds are sorted by most recent by default.
Editing and Deleting
Edit an Update
- Click the "..." menu on your update
- Select "Edit"
- Make changes
- Click "Save"
Note: Edited updates show an "edited" indicator.
Delete an Update
- Click the "..." menu
- Select "Delete"
- Confirm deletion
Warning: Deleted updates cannot be recovered.
Notifications
You'll be notified when:
- Someone comments on your update
- Someone reacts to your update
- Someone mentions you in an update
- Someone posts to a project you're following
Manage notification preferences in Settings.
Next Steps
- Learn about Rollups - Compile updates into presentations
- Set up Standups - Structured async check-ins
- Comments & Reactions - Engage with your team