In this article you will learn :
- How to create a topic,
- How to add a discussion group,
- How to edit a topic or item,
- Who can view and edit topics, and when,
- How to assign participants and viewers,
- How to clone topics,
- How to delete topics,
- How to schedule items into a meeting,
- How to remove a scheduled item from a meeting,
- How to view the meeting outcomes.
Create a topic
In the Topic Hub, a Topic is the container for one or several Items, which represent the actual discussions that will take place in meetings. When you create a new topic, its first item is created automatically.
To create a topic:
- Click + New Topic.
- Fill out the information for the item you want to propose.
- Click Save.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | Name of the topic/item. |
| Meeting date | Optional. Suggest a date for when the item should be discussed. |
| Duration (min) | Estimated duration needed in the meeting. |
| Requester | Person creating the item. Displayed as information to editors and meeting organisers. |
| Item leader | Person responsible for presenting or owning the discussion. |
| On behalf of | If the request is made on someone’s behalf, that name appears as requester. |
| Requesting group | Group/department submitting the item (previously “From group”). |
| Discussing group | Group/department responsible for reviewing/addressing the topic (previously “To group”). |
| Agenda item type | Category/type of agenda item. |
| Description | Summary, goal, and preparation required. |
| Documents | Attach files relevant to the discussion. |
| Notes | Internal notes for meeting preparation (e.g. missing documents). |
| Participants & Viewers | Assign users or guests and define whether they are participants or viewers. |
Information
Changes to items in Open status are saved automatically. You do not need to click Save after each edit.
You can also save an item as Draft, which requires a manual save and keeps the item unavailable for scheduling until it is submitted.
How to add a discussion group?
The add discussion group button allows you to include additional groups who should contribute to the review or preparation of an item.
This enables you to:
involve multiple committees when relevant,
expand who can collaborate on the item,
ensure all stakeholders have access before scheduling.
This is useful when the topic requires cross-department coordination.
How to edit a topic or item?
Items can be edited by:
- their creator, or
- editors of the Requesting group or Discussing group, or
- users added via Add people to the agenda item (in Open status only; see note below)
as long as the item is in Open or Draft status.
To edit:
- Select one or multiple items.
- Adjust the fields.
- Click Save (or wait for auto-save if the item is in Open status).
About "Add people to the agenda item"
Users added through Add people to the agenda item can edit the topic when it is in Open status. This is intended to allow a backup person to act on behalf of the submitter, for example when the submitter is unavailable. This applies to all user types, including URP users and Guest users added this way.
Note: There is currently no audit trail showing who made which edit within a topic. If tracking changes is important, we recommend coordinating with your team before making edits.
Who can view and edit topics, and when?
The table below summarises visibility and editing rights by user type and item status.
| User type | Can view? | Can edit? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creator of the topic | ✅ Always | ✅ Draft & Open | - |
| Editor of the Requesting group | ✅ Always | ✅ Draft & Open | Must be a member of the Requesting group assigned to the item |
| Editor of the Discussing group | ✅ Always | ✅ Draft & Open | Must be a member of the Discussing group assigned to the item |
| URP user (member of a Submission or Discussion group) | ✅ Items linked to their group | ✅ Open only | Visibility limited to topics from groups they belong to |
| URP user added via "Add people to the agenda item" | ✅ That item only | ✅ Open only | Intended as a backup for the submitter when they are unavailable |
| Guest user | ✅ Items they are directly added to | ✅ Open only (if added via "Add people to the agenda item") | Guests cannot belong to groups. Their access follows the same logic as URP users, but is limited to items where they have been added directly. |
Status reference
- Draft: item is being prepared and is not yet available for scheduling. Only the creator and group editors can view and edit it.
- Open: item is visible to all eligible users and ready to be scheduled. Edits are auto-saved.
- Scheduled: item has been added to a meeting agenda. Editing is no longer available from the Topic Hub.
- Closed: item has been discussed in a meeting and is no longer editable.
How to assign participants and viewers?
- Open the Participants & Viewers section.
- Add users or guests.
- Define whether they are participants (active role) or viewers (read-only).
Access Rules
When the item is scheduled:
- Users already in the meeting gain access automatically.
- Users not in the meeting are added as guests for that item only.
- The participant flag is preserved from the Topic Hub.
How to clone topics?
- Select one or multiple topics.
- Click Clone.
How to delete topics?
Topics can be deleted when their items are in Open or Draft status.
Deletion is allowed for:
- the author
- editors of the Requesting or Discussing groups
Note: Users without All Content Access must belong to the Requesting group to delete a topic.
To delete:
- Select one or multiple topics.
- Click Delete.
- Confirm.
How to schedule items into a meeting?
Items can be scheduled only into published meetings.
- Select one or multiple Open items.
- Click Schedule.
- Choose the meeting.
- Confirm.
Access Rules
- Users not in the meeting are added as guests for this item only.
- Users already in the meeting automatically get access.
How to remove a scheduled item from a meeting?
- Go to the meeting agenda.
- Click the bin icon next to the item.
- Confirm.
What happens next?
- Removed before the meeting starts: the item returns to Open in the Topic Hub.
- Removed after the meeting has started: it stays Scheduled until the meeting ends, then moves to Closed and does not return to Open.
How to view the meeting outcomes?
Once an item has been discussed in a meeting, its Meeting outcomes become available.
This view includes:
the minutes of the agenda item,
a separate outcome section for each topic,
a chronological history from newest to oldest,
a consolidated view of decisions and progress,
AI-generated summaries (for Copilot Bundle customers).
This helps you follow how the topic evolves across multiple meetings, creating a clear topic journey.