> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.aphex.co/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.aphex.co/docs/planner/features/briefings.md). # Briefings {% hint style="info" %} **Who can use this feature?** All Project Users (Members and Admins) can create, edit, publish and delete Briefing Templates. Anyone with the shareable Briefing Template link can view it, without being an Aphex user. {% endhint %} Briefings turns your live plan into a printable, shareable Daily Brief for your crews. Set up a Briefing Template once, choosing the tasks, maps and columns you want to show, then hit Publish each day to generate a PDF from the latest version of your plan. Share the Brief via link or QR code with the crew. Every Daily Brief is saved to the template's history, giving you a dated record of exactly what was briefed to the crew on any given day. ### Create a Briefing Template *** A Briefing Template stores the layout of your brief, so you only need to set it up once. Each template has a name, a date and one or more Sections.

**To create a Briefing Template:** * Click your Project Title in the top left * Select Project Assets * Select Briefings from the Planner section of the menu * Click + Create New Briefing Template * Enter a name for your template * Select a date. Use the Today or Tomorrow shortcuts, or pick a future date from the calendar * Click ![](https://2273109354-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FLu0mYklsCTm7XQm3ZGqv%2Fuploads%2FmnLrqM9gBaX32qN9q2dQ%2FCreate.svg?alt=media\&token=7eb0c646-e99b-4238-862d-b6dc9d34f6fb) in the bottom left corner and choose Location or Task Table to add your first Section * Configure your Section and add as many more as you need * Click Create & Publish Briefing to save the template and publish your first Daily Brief To save the template without publishing, click ![](https://2273109354-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FLu0mYklsCTm7XQm3ZGqv%2Fuploads%2F1a1A60jGNlbeS3YCZD2P%2FDown%20carrrrot.svg?alt=media\&token=3c6b5628-1cb5-4179-9b9f-5d97a9ffd9e6) and select Create Briefing Template Only.

How the Briefings Homepage Works

* Templates are sorted alphabetically by name. Click `Last Publish` to sort by the most recently published * Search matches Briefing Template names only * `Last Publish` shows `Today`, `Yesterday`, a date, or `Never` if the template hasn't been published yet * Tick `Hide Archived Briefing Templates` to hide archived templates from the list * On Pro Projects, Briefings still appears in the menu and opens an upgrade screen with `View Plans` and `Talk to Sales` options

Template Rules

* Template names must be unique within the Project. The title field is outlined in red until a unique name is entered * The date defaults to Today and can't be set in the past * The date rolls forward automatically. A template set to Tomorrow will always show tomorrow's date when it's opened, so there's no need to update it before publishing * A template can hold any number of Sections, of either type, in any order

### Location Sections *** Location Sections show a map of your site with Work Areas, Markups and Connected Layers, plus an optional table of the Tasks happening there.

**To add a Location Section:** * Click ![](https://2273109354-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FLu0mYklsCTm7XQm3ZGqv%2Fuploads%2FmnLrqM9gBaX32qN9q2dQ%2FCreate.svg?alt=media\&token=7eb0c646-e99b-4238-862d-b6dc9d34f6fb) and select Location * Choose a [Location](/docs/planner/features/locations.md) from your Project's library * The map will zoom to fit the Tasks scheduled for the template's date * Optionally click Set Map Extent to pan, zoom or rotate the map to a custom framing, then click Set Map Extent to confirm * Set your filters, layout, columns and map settings. The preview will update as you make changes

Location Section Settings

Setting	Description
Tasks	Toggle Task data on or off for the Section. Add filters to narrow down which Tasks are shown, e.g. a specific Subcontractor or Work Area
Task Table	Toggle the Task Table on or off
Layout	Show the Task Table on the same page as the map (`Combined`), or on its own page (`Separate Page`). `Combined` is selected by default
Grouped by	Group the Task Table by `Owner`, `Package`, `Folder`, `Subcontractor` or `Shift`
Columns	Click `+ Add Column` to add columns to the Task Table. Drag and drop to reorder them
Labels	Show `Task Names` or `Reference Numbers` on the map. Task Names is selected by default
Work Area Colour	Pick from either `Owner`, `Subcontractor` or `Shift` for the Work Area colour. Owner is selected by default
Show Clashes	To Include/Exclude clashes on the map
Layers	Show or hide `Markups` and `Connected Layers`, and select a `Basemap` of Satellite, Street or None

How Location Sections Work

* The map only zooms to fit your Tasks the first time a Location is selected. After that, it keeps the same framing each time the template is published so the map doesn't move from day to day * Task Name labels remain on the map when a custom map extent is set * When `Reference Numbers` is selected, each Task in the table is given a numbered tag matching its Work Area colour. Numbering continues across groups * Milestones are shown with a milestone icon on the map and in the Task Table * `Separate Page` layout supports up to 5 columns * The Location can't be changed once it's been selected. To use a different Location, add a new Location Section and paste the config from the original * If a Location is archived or deleted, any Sections using it are removed from your templates. Daily Briefs that have already been published aren't affected

### Task Table Sections *** Task Table Sections show a list of Tasks without a map. They use the same filters, grouping and columns as the Task Table in a Location Section.

**To add a Task Table Section:** * Click ![](https://2273109354-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FLu0mYklsCTm7XQm3ZGqv%2Fuploads%2FmnLrqM9gBaX32qN9q2dQ%2FCreate.svg?alt=media\&token=7eb0c646-e99b-4238-862d-b6dc9d34f6fb) and select Task Table * Set your filters to choose which Tasks are shown * Optionally select a Grouped by option * Click + Add Column to add the columns you need, and drag and drop them to reorder

How Tasks are Sorted

* With no grouping selected, Tasks are sorted by date * `Owner`, `Package`, `Subcontractor` and `Shift` groups are sorted alphabetically * `Folder` groups are sorted by WBS code (e.g. 1.0, 1.1, 2.0) * Within each group, Tasks are sorted by Start Date, then Duration, then alphabetically

### Manage Sections *** Sections can be reordered, duplicated and copied between, so you can quickly build up a multi-page brief. For example, you could add a map for each area of site, followed by a full Task Table.

**To reorder Sections:** * Drag and drop a Section card in the strip at the bottom of the page * Or, click `...` on the Section card (or right-click the Section) and select Move Left or Move Right **To add a Section in a specific position:** * Click `...` on a Section card * Select Insert Before or Insert After * Choose Location or Task Table **To copy settings between Sections:** * Click `...` on the Section you want to copy and select Copy Config * Click `...` on the Section you want to update and select Paste Config

Section Options

Option	Description
Copy / Paste Config	Copy the settings from one Section and paste them into another
Move Left / Move Right	Move the Section one position along the strip
Insert Before / After	Add a new Section before or after the selected Section
Duplicate Section	Create a copy of the Section, including its Location, directly after the original
Delete Section	Remove the Section from the template

How Copy & Paste Config Works

* Config can be copied between Location and Task Table Sections. Any settings that don't apply to the other Section type are skipped * The Location isn't copied. Use `Duplicate Section` to copy a Section with the same Location * A copied config can be pasted as many times as you like, and is cleared when you refresh the page

### Publish a Daily Brief *** Publishing pulls the latest Tasks and plan into your template and creates a new Daily Brief. You can publish from the Briefings page or from inside the template.

**To publish a Daily Brief:** * Click your Project Title in the top left * Select Project Assets * Select Briefings from the Planner section of the menu * Click Publish on the template's row * Configure the Brief: Edit filters, grouping, remove columns or rearrange the sections. Any changes you make here will update the Briefing Template. * Click `Publish Daily Brief` * Configure Distribution Settings: * **Notified Recipients:** click + Add Recipient and search for a Project User. * **QR code:** click Generate QR Code * **Automatically switch to newest version:** toggle ![](https://2273109354-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FLu0mYklsCTm7XQm3ZGqv%2Fuploads%2Fi95XyOgpy7hzTLYWhvru%2FControl.svg?alt=media\&token=b4440363-6bc5-4836-8d65-19a701f9a308) on/off. * **New day starts at:** pick a time from the dropdown. * Click Finish & Publish Daily Brief For more on how Distribution Settings work, see [#manage-distribution-settings](#manage-distribution-settings "mention").

How Publishing Works

* There's no limit to how many times a template can be published each day. Each publish creates a new Daily Brief, so if the plan changes, just publish again * Published Daily Briefs are never updated. Changes to a template only apply to future publishes * Archived templates can't be published

### Open a Daily Brief *** Click into any template to see every Daily Brief it has published. It's a quick way to check exactly what the crew was briefed on any given day.

**To open a Daily Brief:** * Click your Project Title in the top left * Select Project Assets * Select Briefings from the Planner section of the menu * Click into a template * Click a Daily Brief to open the viewer * Use the zoom and rotate controls to adjust the page * Click to open Full Screen mode, and use your arrow keys to move between pages

How Daily Brief History Works

* Every publish is listed as its own row with the publish date and time, so you can download exactly what was briefed on any given day * Dates and times are shown in the Project's time zone, not your own, so everyone sees the same time wherever they are * Published Daily Briefs are never overwritten. Changes to a template only apply to future publishes * Daily Briefs from archived templates can still be opened and downloaded

What's Included in a Daily Brief

* All pages are A4 * Each page shows the Briefing name, date and Project name in the header * The footer shows who published it and when, page numbers and the Aphex logo * Files are named using the template name and the publish date and time

### Share the Daily Brief *** Get the Brief to the team, without anyone sending it by hand. Every Briefing Template has a public, no-login link, an optional QR code to stick up on site, and a list of Project Users who get an email the moment a Brief is Published.

**To Share the Daily Brief:** * Click your Project Title in the top left * Select Project Assets * Select Briefings * Click into a Published Briefing Template * Click into the Brief you want to share * At the bottom left of the page: * Click to Download a PDF * Click to Copy URL * If a QR has been generated, click to Download the QR Code, choose to download as a PDF or PNG

Sharing Rules

* Clicking , downloads a PDF of the Brief you’re viewing which may be an older Brief rather than the Current one. * Copy URL copies a link to the Brief you’re viewing: * The link always shows that Brief, even after a newer one is Published. * Anyone who opens it later sees a `View Current` banner to jump to the newest one. * Download QR Code downloads the Template’s QR code: * The code always opens the Current Brief, even if you download it while viewing an older one, so a printed poster never goes out of date. * PDF gives an A3 poster with the Briefing name, Project name, author and date. * PNG gives the QR code on its own, e.g. for slides. **Who can open it:** anyone with the link or QR code can open the Brief on a phone or computer, with no Aphex login. **Time zone:** the Brief always shows in the Project’s time zone, not the viewer’s. For a link that only opens the Current Brief, copy the Shareable Link from Distribution Settings, see Edit Distribution Settings section.

### Manage Distribution Settings *** Brief Template Distribution settings can be changed at any time after the first Publish.

**To manage Notified Recipients:** * Click on the Project Name in the top left corner * Select Project Assets * Under Planner, select Briefings * Click into a Published Briefing Template * Click into Distribution Settings next to Published Briefs. * Click +Add Recipient and search for a Project User. * To remove Notified Recipients, click ... in the Users row, and select Remove User

Other Distribution Settings

Setting	Actions
Shareable Link	Click next to the link to copy.
QR Code	Click `Generate` to generate a shareable QR code for the Template Click `Download` to generate a PDF or PNG of the QR Code To Delete or Regenerate the QR code: click `Delete`, type DELETE to confirm. Click Generate QR Code if you need a new one.
Automatically switch to newest version	Toggle on or off
New day starts at	Click the drop down and select a time

Distribution Setting Rules

**Notified Recipients** * Recipients get an email every time a Brief is Published from this Template. The email links to that day’s Brief; no PDF is attached. * Only Project Users can be added. Anyone else can use the Shareable Link or QR code. * The list starts empty. Not even the Template’s creator is added automatically. **Shareable Link** * Every Template has a Shareable Link from the moment it’s created. Anyone with the link can view the Brief without logging in. * The link and QR code always open the Current Brief, so a printed QR code never goes out of date. * The link can’t be edited or switched off on its own. Archiving the Template is the only way to take it down: * The Shareable Link, the QR code and the links in Recipient emails all stop working, and anyone who opens them sees a Page Not Found message * Project Users can still see the Briefs inside Aphex * Restoring the Template brings back the same Shareable Link and QR code, so posters don’t need reprinting **QR Code** * The QR code is optional. Once generated, it can be downloaded as: * PDF: an A3 poster with the Briefing name, Project name, author and date * PNG: the QR code on its own * Deleting the QR code is permanent, and printed posters stop working straight away. You have to type DELETE to confirm, because the code may already be up on site. * Generating a new code after deleting creates a different code. The Shareable Link keeps working either way. **Brief Viewer Behaviour** * **Automatically switch to newest version** (on by default) applies when the same day’s Brief is Published again, for people viewing the Shareable Link or QR code: * On: a banner counts down 30 seconds, then switches to the new version. Viewers can choose Don’t Switch * Off: a banner says a newer Brief was Published \[Day] at \[Time], with a View Current button * People who opened a link from an email always see the version they were sent, with a banner offering the newest one. * **New day starts at** (default 00:00) sets when the next day’s Brief becomes Current, in the Project’s time zone. * Changes to either setting reach screens that are already open on their next refresh, not live.

### Delete a Daily Brief *** Delete a single Daily Brief if it was published by mistake or is no longer needed. Deleting a Daily Brief only removes that one publish. The template and its other Daily Briefs aren't affected.

**To delete a Daily Brief from the template:** * Click your Project Title in the top left * Select Project Assets * Select Briefings from the Planner section of the menu * Click into a template * Hover over the Daily Brief you'd like to delete and click `...` * Select Delete Daily Brief

How Deleting a Daily Brief Works

* **Deleting a Daily Brief can't be undone.** Once deleted, the Daily Brief is removed from the template's history and can't be downloaded again. If you may need a record of what was briefed on that day, download a copy before deleting. * Only the selected Daily Brief is deleted. The template and its other Daily Briefs stay in place * If you delete the most recent Daily Brief, the next most recent one becomes the template's latest Daily Brief * To remove a template and every Daily Brief it has published, delete the template instead

### Duplicate a Briefing Template *** Duplicating a template copies every Section and setting, making it easy to set up a similar brief for another trade, shift or area of site.

**To duplicate a template:** * Click your Project Title in the top left * Select Project Assets * Select Briefings from the Planner section of the menu * Hover over a template and click `...` * Select Duplicate Briefing Template * The copy will be named with a number at the end, e.g. *Site A Morning Brief-01* Duplicating a Template does not copy Recipients and the QR code over to the duplicate. ### Archive & Delete Briefing Templates *** Archiving a template stops it from being published, but keeps the template and all of its Daily Briefs. You can restore an archived template at any time.

**To archive a template:** * Click your Project Title in the top left * Select Project Assets * Select Briefings from the Planner section of the menu * Hover over a template and click `...` * Select Archive Briefing Template **To restore an archived template:** * Click your Project Title in the top left * Select Project Assets * Select Briefings from the Planner section of the menu * Hover over an archived template and click `...` * Select Restore Briefing Template **To delete a template:** * Archive the template first * Hover over the archived template and click `...` * Select Delete Briefing Template * Type delete to confirm {% hint style="danger" %} **Deleting a template can't be undone** Deleting a Briefing Template also deletes every Daily Brief it has published. If you may need a record of past briefs, archive the template instead. {% endhint %}

How Archiving Works

* Archived templates are marked as `Archived` and their `Publish` button is removed * Daily Briefs from archived templates can still be opened and downloaded * Archived templates can't be duplicated until they're restored

See also: Printing Clashes & Work Area --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://help.aphex.co/docs/planner/features/briefings.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.