Refine Stage

Community Administrators can configure guiding questions for the Refine Stage that function similarly to custom fields. These fields can include large or single-line text boxes, single or multiple choice questions, US ZIP code, global postal code, URL, YouTube video, date, checkbox, attachment, or integer fields.

Role Permissions

1. Community Administrator: Configures the Refine Stage across its Info, Settings, Automation, and Permissions tabs; creates, edits, migrates, and deletes refinement questions; applies refinement templates; and sets which members, groups, or Team Member roles can edit or view refinement responses.
2. Members or Groups granted edit permission: Can submit and edit refinement responses on ideas within the stage.
3. Members or Groups granted view permission: Can view refinement questions and responses on the idea detail page but cannot edit them.
4. Team Member (specific team role, only if that role has been specified and filled in a build team stage within the same funnel): Can be granted edit or view permission for the stage in the same way as a member or group.

Refine Stage Setup

Refine Stage setup is divided into four tabs: Info, Settings, Automation, and Permissions.

1. Info

The Info tab contains basic details about the stage:

• Stage Function: Select Refine Stage from the dropdown. See Exceptions below for what happens once this is saved.
• Stage Name: Create a custom name or label for the stage. Character limit is 40.
• Stage Key: A unique identifier for the stage, required for API call data retrieval. See Exceptions below for what happens once this is saved.
• Description: Describe the stage's functionality or intended use. This description appears as mouseover text on the stage stack in the right navigation of the Community Homepage.
• Stage Color: Select a color for the stage from 10 available default options.
• Reported Ideas As: Set the stage as Selected, Implemented, or blank to apply the respective label to all ideas within the stage.
  
  

  Help article on Selected & Implemented Ideas

• Enable Stage: Select this checkbox to activate the stage, allowing ideas to be moved into it.
• Stage Change Notification: Select this checkbox to activate the stage change notification. Enabling it sends a stage change email notification to members who have opted in.

2. Settings

The Settings tab contains stage-specific settings:

1. Introduction to Refinement Questions: Customizes the default introduction that appears above the selected refinement questions.
2. Refinement Questions: A type of custom field used to further develop, clarify, and fine-tune submitted ideas.
3. Add Question: Allows the Community Administrator to create additional refinement questions.
4. Use Template: Allows the Community Administrator to configure refinement questions by selecting one of five predefined templates. See Refinement Templates below.
5. Edit/Migrate/Delete: Using the More (three dots) option next to each refinement question, the Community Administrator can Edit the question, Delete it entirely, or Migrate it to the idea submission custom fields or to another Refine Stage.

Once migrated, a refinement field moves from its current stage to the destination selected from the dropdown menu — either idea submission or another Refine Stage.

3. Automation

When automation is enabled, ideas automatically advance to the next stage in the workflow once all refinement questions have been answered.

4. Permissions

The Permissions tab defines who can edit refinement responses in the stage, and who can view refinement questions and responses on the idea detail page. The Community Administrator can configure these permissions for all Community members, for a specific group, or for a specific Team Member role, if one has been specified and filled in a build team stage within the same funnel.

Refinement Questions

To create a new refinement question, the Community Administrator selects the Add Question button in the upper-right corner of the Refine Stage settings. A modal opens, prompting completion of the following fields:

• Question: The name of the refinement custom field question.
• Field Type: The type of refinement custom field — for example, single choice, multiple choice, or large text.
  Help Article for Custom Field Types and Responses 
• Explanation: A brief explanation of the refinement question, displayed as pop-over text next to the question.
• Private Field: Marking a field Private keeps reviewer responses confidential, visible only to reviewers permitted to edit refinement answers in the stage. Members or groups permitted to view refinement questions and answers cannot see responses marked Private.

Refinement Templates

Refinement Templates help the Community Administrator minimize repetitive work when configuring refinement questions. Five predefined templates are available, each providing a ready-made, structured set of refinement questions that can be applied to a stage. All template questions are Large Text Box fields by default, though the Community Administrator can change the expected response type or add further questions beyond those included in the template.

• COSTAR: Who is the customer? / What is the significant, high-impact opportunity? / What is your solution? / Who needs to be on the team? / What is your advantage over alternatives? / What results will be achieved?
• Lean Business Canvas: Problem / Solution / Key Metrics / Cost Structure / Unfair Advantage / Customer Segments / Channels / Revenue Streams.
• Business Model Canvas: Key Partnerships / Key Activities / Key Resources / Value Proposition / Customer Relationships / Customer Segments / Distribution Channels / Cost Structure / Revenue Streams.
• Jobs To Be Done: Functional Criteria / Emotional Criteria / Social Criteria / Define / Locate / Prepare / Confirm / Execute / Monitor / Modify / Conclude.
• SWOT Analysis: Strengths / Weaknesses / Opportunities / Threats.

Stage Functionality on Homepage

Selecting the Refine Idea button opens the idea detail page with the refinement questions. Team Members who are part of the idea team can submit or edit responses. Community members who are restricted from participating but permitted to view the stage can view refinement questions and answers on the idea detail page.

The Refine Stage offers members selected for the stage a Revision History of all refinement answers edited during the idea's time in the stage. Selecting Show Revision History expands the list to display the full history of revisions made to the refinement answers.

Members who are not permitted to view or participate do not see the progress bar, the number of questions answered, or the refinement details.

Exceptions

1. Stage Function Selection: Once Stage Function is selected and saved, the field is greyed out and cannot be changed to another stage.
2. Stage Key Assignment: Once the Stage Key is saved, it cannot be changed.
3. Refinement Question Deletion: Deleting a refinement question permanently deletes all data associated with it; this cannot be undone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can see a refinement question marked as Private?

Only reviewers permitted to edit refinement answers in the stage can see responses marked Private. Members or groups permitted to view refinement questions and answers, but not edit them, cannot see Private responses.

Can a member who is restricted from participating still see Refine Stage questions and answers?

Yes, if that member is permitted to view the stage. Members restricted from participating but permitted to view can see refinement questions and answers on the idea detail page, though they do not see the progress bar, the number of questions answered, or the refinement details.

What happens once all refinement questions are answered, if Automation is enabled?

The idea automatically advances to the next stage in the workflow once every refinement question has been answered.

Can more questions be added to a Refinement Template after it's applied?

Yes. Questions can be added beyond those included in the template, and the default Large Text Box response type for template questions can be changed.

Can a refinement question be moved after it's created?

Yes, using the Migrate option. A refinement question can be migrated from its current Refine Stage to the idea submission custom fields or to another Refine Stage.

Related Articles

• Help Article for Selected & Implemented Ideas
• Help Article for Custom Field Types and Responses
• Help Article for Campaign Management