Comments made on sheets and cells may be hidden from specific users or groups of users

Description

The ability to hide comments on sheets and cells from specific users or groups allows contributors to maintain their conversations inside the system instead of resorting to email, IM, or the phone due to privacy concerns. This functionality should be part of a broader data security function in the system that allows rules to be set for individuals, groups, or data types (like Workforce Planning data).

Example Use Case

Scenario: A global manufacturing company uses budgeting software to create an Annual Operating Plan. Business leaders often annotate data cells with comments regarding business impacts, both good and bad. These comments contain sensitive information only appropriate for the eyes of the executive team.
Solution: The budgeting software's functionality of hiding comments comes into play here. The Finance team can hide specific comments containing sensitive information from other personnel while allowing the executive team to view them. This maintains a clutter-free information flow without compromising any confidential data.

Considerations

This type of functionality can be critical when it comes to user adoption. If there is not an easy way to make portions of a financial model private, in this case the comments, you can expect the users to spend more time on IM and email than inside the tool. The users need to trust that the functionality works as described, is obvious in setup, and consistent in its application. Trust is key in this case to encourage executives to invest time commenting.

This is the value of assigning rules to groups, as it makes it substantially easier to determine who sees what when working with large teams. Group rules can be applied in many ways inside a system - not just related to comments. If this is important, make sure to dig into the details with the vendor.

Questions to Ask a Vendor

• Functionality: Does your system support hiding comments from specific users or groups? If yes, how easy is it to set this up and use?
• Manageability: Can supervisors or data owners manage the visibility of comments without needing administrative rights or technical support?
• Reporting: Can comments (including hidden ones) be included in reports? Is it possible to create a report that shows all comments regardless of visibility settings?