Teams and Collaboration

Walkthrough

Step 1: Create a New Team

When you register for Beacon, a default team will be created for you. Use the navigation menu to open the add new team page.

Enter your team name and click the “Create” button. This will create the team and set it as your current working environment. 

Step 2: Review Your Team Environment

Each team functions as its own workspace within Beacon, with distinct members, data indicators, and permissions.

Before creating or sharing data with your team, review the team members and permissions that you are sharing to.

Step 3: Switch Between Teams

To switch teams, use or expand the side navigation bar on any page on Beacon.

Click your current team name to expand the list of teams available to you. Select another team name to switch into that team environment.

When you switch teams, your indicators, team members, and shared privileges will update to reflect the selected team.

Step 4: Modify Team Settings

Use the navigation menu to open the “Team Settings” page.

From this page, you can manage your team, including:

  • Editing the team name

  • Adding team members

  • Viewing pending team invitations

  • Managing existing team members

Step 5: Add a Team Member

On the “Team Settings” page, navigate to the “Add Team Members” section.

Enter the team member’s email address, select their role, and click Add to send an invitation. For security purposes, use the rule of least privilege: give each person the lowest level of access they need to complete their work. Available roles include:

  • Viewer: Can view public data and private data that has been shared with them

  • Contributor: Can upload data and request data sharing

  • Team Owner: Can manage team users, upload data, and share data

Once invited, the team member will receive an email invitation to join your team and begin collaborating on Beacon.

Step 6: Share Data Indicators with Your Team

To make an uploaded data indicator available to your team, navigate to the indicators page from the navigation menu.

Locate the indicator you want to share and find the “Shared in Team” column. Use the toggle to turn sharing on or off for the team you are currently working within.

Once shared, team members with the appropriate permissions will be able to discover and use the indicator in their own map analyses and workflows.

Best Practices

Organize Teams Around Shared Work

Create teams that reflect how people actually collaborate, such as by organization, department, initiative, region, or project. This helps keep indicators, permissions, and workflows secure and organized.

Use the Principle of Lease Privilege

Assign the lowest level of access necessary for each team member.

For example:

  • Viewers for external partners and consumers of data

  • Contributors for analysts and data managers

  • Team Owners for administrative and project leads

Limiting permissions reduces the risk of accidental changes and improves security.

Establish Naming Conventions

Consider using consistent naming conventions for teams and indicators.

Examples:

  • Community Health Team

  • Food Access Initiative

  • NYC Program Evaluation

Consistent naming makes it easier for team members to find and understand shared resources.

Share Only What Others Need

Not every uploaded indicator or asset needs to be shared with the entire team. Share indicators that are complete, documented, and intended for collaborative use.

Review Team Membership Periodically

Regularly review who has access to your team. Remove users who no longer require access and ensure current members have appropriate roles.

Communicate Before Major Changes

If multiple are collaborating on the same indicators or analyses, communicate changes ahead of time to avoid confusion or duplication of work.