A file server or NAS
The simplest setup. A mapped drive or a network path works. Changes arrive in seconds. Access is controlled by the folder permissions you already manage.
Teams and private networks
A whole studio on one plan, with no server
People do not connect to each other. They all open the same folder, and Outlinedesk merges what each person writes. It runs on a private network with nothing to install on a server and nothing to open in the firewall.
Each computer
Mira's computerwrites her changes to mira.log
Jonas's computerwrites his changes to jonas.log
Ola's computerwrites her changes to ola.log
A folder everyone can open
Show.team
- mira.log
- jonas.log
- ola.log
- base.log
Each app reads every log and builds the same plan. Nobody edits another person's file, so nobody overwrites anyone.
Set up
Four steps for the person who sets it up
- Pick or make a shared folder. Use a folder on your file server or NAS that your team can read and write. Give the team group read and write access.
- Share the project. In Outlinedesk open Settings, then Team, then "Share with team", and choose that folder. Your original file is not changed.
- Everyone else joins. They open Settings, then Team, then "Join team project", and pick the same folder.
- Work as usual. Changes appear in other people's plans within seconds on a network drive. If the network drops, you keep working and your changes go out when it returns.
Ways to connect
Use the storage you already trust
git, Perforce style tools or a sync tool
Put the team folder inside a repository, or a folder synced by a tool such as Syncthing. Outlinedesk never runs git or your tool. It merges what arrives. Changes arrive when the tool syncs, often in minutes.
Remote people over a VPN
A VPN to the studio network makes the file server reachable, so the same folder works from home. Outlinedesk itself needs no connection beyond that.
A workstation per artist
Every computer keeps its own copy of the plan, so one machine being offline never stops the others.
For IT
What it needs, and what it never does
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Server software | None. There is nothing to install or run on a server. |
| Ports and firewall | Nothing new. It uses ordinary file access to the shared folder. |
| Accounts | None. Folder permissions decide who can read and write. |
| Internet | Not needed. The only network use is the optional update check, which can be turned off or pointed at an internal folder. |
| Licence | Checked on each computer. A studio can put one key in a policy file so nobody has to enter it. |
| Deploying to many PCs | A silent installer, a policy file, an offline installer bundle and an internal update folder are available. Email us for the studio kit. |
| What leaves the network | Nothing. Project data stays in your folders. |
Honest limits
What to expect
- It is not live co-editing like a shared document. Changes arrive when files sync: seconds on a network drive, minutes with git.
- If two people change the same thing, the app lists the clash for you to resolve. It never silently picks one.
- Roles (editor, contributor, viewer) are shown in the app, but real read-only access comes from the folder permissions.
- Avoid sync tools that create "conflicted copy" files inside the team folder.
- The shared-folder mode is tested with simulated shared folders, killed processes and corrupted files. Pilots on real studio storage are under way, so start with a trial project before you move a live production.
Questions
Do people need to be online at the same time?
No. Each person's changes wait in their own log file, and everyone else picks them up the next time they open the plan or the folder syncs.
What if two people edit the same card?
The app keeps both changes where it can, and lists any real clash so you can choose. Nothing is lost.
Can a viewer be stopped from editing?
Give them read-only access to the folder. The app then opens the plan read-only for them.
How many people can share one plan?
Your plan sets the seat count (8 on Team, 25 on Studio, 50 on Large). Seats are counted on trust, and the app shows who has been active.
Does it work over Wi-Fi or a slow link?
Yes. The logs are small, and your own copy is always local, so a slow link delays sharing but never blocks your work.
Try a team folder on a trial project
Share a plan with one colleague first, then move a live production when you are happy.