How to build a collaborative workspace in Bubble

A collaborative workspace in Bubble is built by creating a shared data model, letting multiple Users access and edit the same items, and controlling this access with proper Privacy Rules, custom “Roles” fields, and real‑time updates using custom states and auto‑binding. You create Data Types such as Workspace, Project, and Task, link them with fields like “Workspace’s Users”, and then design pages that show data based on “Current User is in This Workspace’s Users”. With Privacy Rules enforcing who can see or modify what, you get a safe, multi‑user collaborative app.

Core structure

In the Data tab, create:

• User: add fields like role (text), workspaces (list of Workspace).
• Workspace: fields name (text), members (list of User).
• Project: fields title (text), workspace (Workspace).
• Task: fields text (text), project (Project), assigned\_to (User).

This gives you a real Bubble‑valid relational structure: each item “belongs” to another via a field that stores a reference.

Inviting users

Create a workflow: Button “Invite” → Action “Send email”. Before that, create a Workspace Invitation (a Data Type) storing email + workspace. On sign‑up, run a backend workflow “When Invitation’s email = This User’s email” → add User to Workspace’s members. This avoids insecure workflows on the page.

Privacy rules

In Data → Privacy:

• Workspace: allow view/edit only when This Workspace’s members contains Current User.
• Project and Task: allow access only when This Project’s Workspace’s members contains Current User.

These are real Bubble filters that keep data secure even if someone inspects API calls.

Editing in real time

• Use Bubble’s auto‑binding on inputs when privacy rules permit “Modify”. This pushes updates instantly.
• For presence indicators (who is online), store a field last\_active (date) on User. Update via a backend workflow every few minutes using “Schedule API Workflow”.
• To show changes without refresh, Bubble automatically updates Repeating Groups when their data changes in the database.

Example backend workflow trigger

// This is a real Bubble API workflow initialization call
curl -X POST "https://yourapp.bubbleapps.io/version-test/api/1.1/wf/update-active" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"user_id":"123"}'

This works with an API Workflow named “update-active”, which you create in Backend → API Workflows to update User's last\_active.

UI structure

• Use a Repeating Group showing Projects with data source “Search for Projects where workspace = Current Page Workspace”.
• Inside, another Repeating Group for Tasks. Each cell edits its own Task item.
• Use custom states (temporary page variables) to track selections, like “selected\_task”.

This structure gives you a real, functioning collaborative workspace where multiple users can edit shared items safely and quickly.