Workbook Modes: Edit, Explore & View

Workbooks can be accessed in three different modes: Edit, Explore, and View.

The mode(s) you have access to on any given workbook depend on the permissions granted to you for that individual workbook. To learn more about document permission management visit Folder and Document Permissions.

Note: Your workbook access may be further controlled by your account type. 

 

Summary of Content

What can I do in each mode?
      View
      Explore
      Edit
Explore vs. Edit in the Editor Panel
Related Resources

What can I do in each mode?

Note: The permissions listed below aim to give you an introductory look into workbooks' three different view modes. They do not account for all workbook features. Please visit documentation for each feature to learn more about its requirements.

View

Users with Can View access can:

• View the workbook
• Interact with workbook controls
• Expand data elements to a limited focus view
  (doesn't include access to the editor panel)

Explore

Users with Can Explore access can:

• View the workbook
• Interact with workbook controls
• Explore data elements in their focus view
  (includes access to the editor panel but not the sidebar)

Edit

The primary purpose of Edit mode is to draft and publish changes to the workbook. Even if you have edit access to a workbook, you may not always want to use it. If your goal is to explore your data without making longterm changes, we recommend staying in Explore mode. 

Users with Can Edit access can:

• View the workbook
• Interact with workbook controls
• Explore data elements in their focus view
  (includes access to the editor panel and sidebar
• Enter Edit mode to draft and publish changes
  (includes access to the editor panel and sidebar without entering a data element's focus view)
• Add new elements, when in Edit mode
• Preview drafted changes as if you were in Explore and View modes

Note: Organization admins have permissions that go beyond Can Edit (e.g. Embed creation & management)

Explore vs. Edit in the Editor Panel

A workbook's editor panel is available in both Explore and Edit modes. However, there are a few key differences:

• In Explore mode, the editor panel can only be accessed for existing data elements. The element must be maximized to its focus view.
  
• In Edit mode, the editor panel will appear when any element on the page is selected. Focus view is available, but not necessary for accessing the panel.
  
• In Edit mode, the editor panel expands and collapses from a sidebar. Its various tabs are accessed from buttons located on the sidebar.
  
• In Explore mode, there is no sidebar. The editor panel only has two tabs: Properties and Format. Both tabs are located at the top of the editor panel.
  
  
  

Related Resources

Workbooks: An Overview (New)
The Workbook Lifecycle: Exploration, Drafts & Publishing