As a project collaborator, you can set which permissions your reviewers have. You can set these permissions for each reviewer group separately. All reviewers of a reviewer group have the same permissions.

Overview of possible reviewer permissions:

✅ Download files

✅ Commenting

✅ Notifications

✅ Upload files

✅ Anonymize reviewers

✅ Password protection

✅ Limit access to invited reviewers

✅ Require verified approval

To open the settings menu, click the settings button at the top right of the desired reviewer group. After that, feel free to customize the reviewer permissions in that step.

The Permissions You Can Give Reviewers

• Download files

Please note that you can set this permission separately for files in review, that need changes and are approved.

This is useful if you want to allow the download only for approved files, for example.

• Commenting

Control if your reviewers are allowed to comment on your files. If the reviewer group setting Commenting is disabled, reviewers can only access in read-only mode. The entire comment list remains visible to reviewers. However, the reviewers cannot create, edit, or delete any comments.

This means that reviewers still have access to the entire documentation of the comments but can no longer make changes. This is especially useful for approved files, or when the feedback stage is over.

Please note that you can set this permission separately for files in review, that need changes and are approved.

• Email Notifications for project activities

You can turn email notifications for project activities on or off to control whether your reviewers receive file updates. (Only for reviewers without an account) This e-mail will inform reviewers:

• For new comments and replies

• For new files and new versions

• For submitted reviews

• For changes of the file status

Please note: Even if email notifications are disabled for reviewers, mentions (when users are tagged in a comment) are always sent.

• Email Notifications when a review is started

Additionally to notifications for project activities, you can now enable or disable notifications for the start of a new review!
This will help you to meet your deadlines and streamline the review process!

Please note: These notifications will only be sent to reviewers who are invited to leave a review decision.

• Permission to upload files

You can not activate a feature for your team that allows your external partners to upload files directly into your reviewer group without have to make them full project collaborators.

Once this is activated, you can choose whether the reviewers can upload files by simply enabling the button below. If you disable this function, the external partner won't have the option to upload files. Your external reviewers only need to create a free account, without paying for a subscription, to be able to upload files.

• Anonymize reviewers

You can use anonymize your reviewers and hide their identity from each other with the anonymize reviewers feature. With this feature, your reviewers will be anonymous to each other, but project collaborators will know their identity.

For additional details on anonymizing your reviewers please check this article.

• Password Protection

Your files are secure on our SSL-encrypted servers, and the review links cannot be found by third parties due to their encryption.

If you still want your reviewers to enter an additional password when opening the review links, you can use this feature to set a password.

• Reviewers without an account: will need to enter this password before viewing your content.

• Reviewers with an account: and are added to the reviewer group can access the files in the step without the necessity to enter the password.

Just so you know, you must share the password with your reviewers yourself.

• Limit access to invited reviewers

This option allows you to restrict access to your review to invited reviewers only. In order to access the files to be reviewed, your reviewers must log in or authenticate themselves using their email address:
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If you have forgotten to add a reviewer, the reviewer can request access permission:
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In this case, you will automatically receive an email notification with the option to confirm the request.

Please note: This feature is only available to users on enterprise plan.

• Require verified approval

By enabling this option, you can request digital signatures from reviewers when approving your files. This complies with regulations FDA 21, CFR Part 11, and EU Annex 11.
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Learn more about verified approval here.

💡 What's next? Once you understand how to set reviewer permissions, understand the difference between project collaborators and reviewers.

Let us know if you have any questions by reaching out to us on chat or emailing us at support@filestage.io! We're always happy to help!