Diagram comments and mentions

Use comments on a risk diagram to discuss data flows, controls, and open questions with your team. Comments are tied to threads on the canvas, support @mentions of workspace members, and send in-app notifications and email when someone needs your attention.

Opening comments

On a diagram page:

1. Click the comments button in the diagram header (message icon). A badge shows unread activity for this diagram.
2. The floating Comments panel lists open and resolved threads, or the active thread when you select a pin.

Editors can also use Add comment in the bottom toolbar to place a new thread on the canvas.

Adding a comment

Editors and workspace owners can start threads; viewers can read only.

1. Click Add comment in the toolbar (or use the header comments control).
2. Click anywhere on the canvas where you want the pin. The cursor becomes a crosshair while placing.
3. Write your message in the composer and click Post.

Each thread appears as a pin on the diagram (initials of the person who started it). Click a pin to open that thread.

@Mentions

Type @ in the composer to mention a workspace member. Pick someone from the list; their name is inserted as a mention.

• Only members of the active workspace can be mentioned.
• You cannot mention yourself.
• New comments and replies notify mentioned users (in-app and email, except the author).
• Editing a comment only notifies people newly @mentioned on that edit (not the whole thread again).

Formatting

The comment editor supports:

• Bold (toolbar or selection)
• Bullet lists
• @mentions (see above)

Replies

Open a thread from a pin or the thread list, then use the Reply composer at the bottom of the panel.

Replying to a resolved thread automatically reopens it so the discussion can continue.

Edit and delete messages

On your own messages (when you have write access):

• Edit (pencil icon) — change the text and mentions. Edited messages show an (edited) label.
• Delete (trash icon) — soft-delete; the message shows as removed. Confirm in the red banner.

Workspace owners can delete any comment in their workspace (trash icon on others’ messages).

Resolve and reopen threads

Editors and owners can close a discussion without deleting it:

1. Open the thread.
2. Click the check icon in the panel header to Resolve.

Resolved threads stay in the list under the Resolved tab. Pins for resolved threads are hidden on the canvas until the thread is reopened.

Click the check icon again (or Reopen) to mark the thread open. Participants get an in-app notification when a thread is resolved or reopened (no email for that action).

Move a comment pin

If a pin sits in the wrong place, editors and owners can drag it:

1. Hover the pin (cursor shows the normal arrow).
2. Drag the pin to a new position on the canvas and release.

The pin position is saved for everyone in the workspace. Node-linked threads (when used) keep their node association; only the visible pin position changes.

Delete an entire thread

To remove a thread and all its messages at once (without deleting each comment separately):

1. Open the thread.
2. Click the trash icon in the panel header.
3. Confirm Delete thread.

Only the person who started the thread or a workspace owner can delete the whole thread. The pin disappears from the canvas.

Notifications

In the app

• Sidebar — bell icon above your profile. Shows comments and thread resolve/reopen activity across diagrams.
• Diagram header — comments button badge counts unread items for this diagram.
• Click a notification to open the diagram with the ?thread= link and jump to that thread (unread items for that thread are marked read when you open it).
• Use Mark all read in the notification menu to clear the sidebar badge.

Notifications refresh when you return to the app; there is no live push stream yet.

Email

When someone comments or replies, mentioned users and existing thread participants (except the author) may receive email containing the comment text in the message body. Each message includes a View in diagram button and a clickable diagram name that opens the thread in the app — depending on each recipient’s Account email notification settings for Diagram comments:

• Every time someone comments — one email per comment or reply.
• Once a day — no immediate email; a daily summary lists each comment in its own card with the same View in diagram button and diagram link.
• Never — no email for this category.

Email is sent after a short delay so the author can edit the message first. Failed email delivery does not block saving the comment.

In-app notifications (sidebar bell) are not affected by these preferences — they always fire for comments, replies, and thread resolve/reopen.

Permissions summary

Share links and read-only diagram access follow the same write rules as the canvas.

Related topics

• Account email notifications — configure diagram comment email (immediate, daily digest, or none)
• Workspace and team — who can be mentioned and role capabilities
• Quick Start — first diagram in a workspace
• What Is a Risk Diagram — canvas and property concepts