How to Invite Collaborators to Your Show

Collaboration is at the heart of Star. This tutorial shows you how to invite team members, assign appropriate permissions, and manage your collaborators effectively.

Time required: 5-10 minutes

What You'll Learn

• How to invite collaborators by email
• Understanding permission levels (Viewer, Editor, Owner)
• Managing existing collaborators
• Using share links and QR codes
• Best practices for team collaboration

Prerequisites

• An existing show (see Creating a Show)
• Email addresses of people you want to invite

Understanding Permission Levels

Before inviting anyone, understand what each role can do:

Viewer

• ✅ See the show and all entries
• ✅ View lyrics, chords, notes
• ✅ Follow along in presentation mode
• ❌ Cannot edit anything
• ❌ Cannot add entries
• ❌ Cannot invite others

Best for: Backup singers, tech volunteers, congregation members

Editor

• ✅ Everything Viewers can do
• ✅ Add, edit, and delete entries
• ✅ Reorder entries
• ✅ Modify design settings
• ✅ Add notes and comments
• ❌ Cannot manage collaborators
• ❌ Cannot delete the show

Best for: Band members, co-worship leaders, section leaders

Owner

• ✅ Everything Editors can do
• ✅ Invite and remove collaborators
• ✅ Change collaborator permissions
• ✅ Delete the show
• ✅ Transfer ownership

Best for: The show creator (you), co-directors

Method 1: Invite by Email

Step 1: Open Your Show

Navigate to Backstage and open the show you want to share.

Step 2: Access Sharing Options

Look for one of these:

• Share button (usually top-right)
• Collaborators in the menu
• People icon

Tap to open the sharing panel.

Step 3: Add a Collaborator

1. Tap Invite or Add Collaborator
2. Enter their email address
3. Select their permission level:
   • Viewer
   • Editor
   • Owner
4. Optionally add a personal message
5. Tap Send Invitation

Step 4: Confirmation

The person receives an email invitation with:

• Your name and the show name
• A link to accept the invitation
• Your personal message (if added)

They click the link, sign in (or create an account), and gain access.

Step 5: Repeat for Others

Invite all team members individually, assigning appropriate roles:

Method 2: Share Link

For broader sharing without individual invitations:

Step 1: Generate a Share Link

1. Open sharing options
2. Look for Share Link or Public Link
3. Tap to generate

Step 2: Configure Link Settings

Some options you may have:

• Permission level: Usually Viewer for links
• Expiration: Link becomes invalid after a date
• Password protection: Require a password to access

Step 3: Copy and Distribute

Copy the link and share via:

• Text message
• Email
• Social media
• Messaging apps

Anyone with the link can access the show at the configured permission level.

Step 4: Revoke if Needed

You can disable the link at any time from the sharing panel. Existing link recipients lose access.

Method 3: QR Code

Perfect for in-person sharing:

Step 1: Generate QR Code

1. Open sharing options
2. Select QR Code
3. A scannable code appears

Step 2: Display the Code

• Show on your phone screen
• Project during a presentation
• Print for distribution

Step 3: Recipients Scan

Team members scan with their phone camera and tap the link to access.

Use case: During rehearsal, display the QR code so anyone who hasn't joined can quickly scan and follow along.

Managing Collaborators

View Current Collaborators

In the sharing panel, you'll see a list of everyone with access:

• Their name/email
• Their permission level
• When they were added

Change Permissions

Need to upgrade a Viewer to Editor?

1. Find them in the collaborator list
2. Tap their entry
3. Select the new permission level
4. Confirm

Remove a Collaborator

1. Find them in the collaborator list
2. Tap their entry
3. Select Remove or the trash icon
4. Confirm

They immediately lose access to the show.

Transfer Ownership

To make someone else the owner:

1. Find them in the collaborator list (they must already be a collaborator)
2. Tap their entry
3. Select Make Owner or Transfer Ownership
4. Confirm

You become an Editor; they become the Owner.

Presence and Activity

See Who's Online

Star shows presence indicators:

• Green dot: Currently viewing the show
• Activity timestamp: "Last seen 5 minutes ago"

This helps you know who's engaged during rehearsals.

Activity Feed (if available)

Some shows display recent activity:

• "Sarah added 'Amazing Grace'"
• "Marcus reordered entries"
• "David edited entry notes"

Best Practices

Invite Early

Send invitations as soon as you create the show. Give people time to review before rehearsal.

Use Viewer for Most People

Default to Viewer unless someone specifically needs to edit. You can always upgrade later.

Communicate Roles

When inviting, mention in your personal message: "I've added you as an Editor so you can add notes during rehearsal."

Review Periodically

After events, review your collaborator list. Remove people who no longer need access.

Keep Contact List Updated

Star remembers past collaborators. Keeping your contacts clean makes future invitations faster.

Troubleshooting

"They didn't receive the invitation"

• Check the email address for typos
• Ask them to check spam/junk folders
• Try resending the invitation

"They can't access the show"

• Verify they clicked the invitation link
• Ensure they're signed into Star
• Check that you didn't accidentally remove them

"They need more permissions"

• Open the collaborator list
• Change their role from Viewer to Editor

"Too many people have access"

• Review the collaborator list
• Remove those who no longer need access
• Consider disabling public share links

Quick Reference

Next Steps

Your team is invited. Now:

• Rehearse together with everyone following in Star
• Learn about presence to see who's engaged
• Explore real-time editing if you have multiple Editors