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Real-Time Collaboration with Your Team
Multiple team members can work the same job simultaneously. Changes appear instantly for everyone — no refreshing, no version conflicts. Here's how the collaboration layer works.
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Real-Time Collaboration with Your Team
Estimatics is built for teams working the same job from different locations simultaneously. A field inspector can be uploading photos from the property while a manager reviews them on the web dashboard and an adjuster adds notes — all at the same time, all seeing each other's actions as they happen.
How real-time collaboration works
Estimatics uses a WebSocket connection (powered by Laravel Reverb) to push updates to every team member viewing the same job. When anything changes on a job — a photo uploads, a note is added, a status changes, a markup is saved — every open session receives that update within seconds, without requiring a page refresh.
You don't need to configure anything. As long as you're viewing a job on the web dashboard with an internet connection, real-time updates are active.
What updates in real time
| Action | Updates in real time |
|---|---|
| New photo or video uploaded | ✓ — appears in Capture tab immediately |
| Photo markup added or edited | ✓ — visible to anyone viewing the photo |
| Note added | ✓ — appears at the bottom of the Notes panel |
| Note edited or deleted | ✓ |
| Job status changed | ✓ — status badge updates in the header |
| Inspector assigned or changed | ✓ |
| Job scheduled date updated | ✓ |
| Activity feed entry | ✓ — new entries appear without refresh |
The activity feed
The activity feed is the chronological log of everything that has happened on a job. Every action — photo upload, status change, note, markup, assignment — is recorded here with the team member's name and an exact timestamp.
The activity feed is not a communication tool (that's Notes) — it's a record. Use it to:
- See who did what and when
- Verify that a field inspector completed their upload
- Confirm when a status change was made and by whom
- Trace back a specific action if something is disputed
The activity feed is permanent — entries cannot be deleted.
Knowing who else is in a job
When another team member has the same job open, a small presence indicator appears in the job header — you'll see their avatar or initials with a green dot. This tells you the job is actively being worked by someone else right now.
If you and a colleague are both editing at the same time (for example, both adding notes), your changes don't conflict — they're independent. Notes appear in order of submission. Markup changes are attributed to the last person who saved.
Notifications and alerts
Beyond real-time updates in the job workspace, Estimatics sends notifications for key events:
In-app notifications (bell icon in the top nav):
- You're assigned to a job
- A job you're on changes status
- You're @mentioned in a note
- A new note is added to a job you're assigned to
Email notifications (if enabled in your profile):
- Daily digest or immediate — your choice in Profile → Notifications
→ Setting up notification preferences
Collaboration on iOS
The iOS app supports real-time collaboration for field-relevant updates — you'll see new notes and status changes while you're in the field. Full activity feed and presence indicators are web-only.
When you're capturing photos, your uploads appear on the web dashboard in real time as your teammates watch. The iOS app shows upload status (synced / uploading / queued) but doesn't show what other team members are doing simultaneously.
Frequently asked questions
What happens to real-time updates if I lose my connection? Updates queue and deliver when the connection restores. You won't miss anything — the job state catches up automatically when you reconnect.
Can two people edit the same photo markup at the same time? Yes, but the last save wins. If you and a colleague are both editing the same photo's markup simultaneously, the last person to click Save will overwrite the other's changes. The activity feed will show both edits, so nothing is lost — but coordinate with your team to avoid overwriting each other's work.
Is there a limit to how many people can work the same job simultaneously? No limit. Any number of team members can have the same job open at the same time.
Can I see a history of all changes made to a job? Yes — the activity feed is a complete, permanent, chronological record of every action on the job. It cannot be edited or deleted.
Do real-time updates work across multiple organizations? Real-time collaboration is scoped to your organization. If you share a report link with an external party (a carrier, an attorney, a client), they see a static snapshot — not a live view.
Adding notes to a job
The team communication layer inside every job.
Navigating the job workspace
The activity feed and every other section of the workspace.
User roles and permissions
What each role can see and do in a shared job.
Setting up your team
Invite team members and configure organization access.
Last updated: March 2025 · Questions? Use the Resources panel in the app or email support@aiestimatics.com
Last updated: March 2025 · Feedback on this article