Using Basecamp as a Client

You've been invited Basecamp so you can follow the work, stay in the loop, and collaborate directly. No more status update emails or wondering where things stand. Everything is in one place and your team shares work as it happens. It's time for clarity.

Jump to:

• Finding your way around
• What's in a project
• Posting and commenting
• Reaching someone directly
• Managing your notifications
• Replying by email

Finding your way around

When you first log in, you'll be taken to the Home screen. You'll see any projects you've been added to in the center and the latest activity from those projects on the right. Any notifications that need your attention will be at the bottom right.

What's in a project

Projects are built from tools.: Message Board, To-dos, Chat, Schedule, Docs & Files, and others. Your team decides which tools are active, so your project might not have all of them.

Posting and commenting

You can post and comment anywhere in the project that's been made visible to you. A few common places:

Message Board is best for announcements, questions, or anything that warrants a real discussion.

Chat is good for quick, real-time conversation.

Docs & Files is where you can share and discuss documents, images, and other files.

When you post or comment, the people on your project will be notified according to their own preferences, like email, desktop, or mobile notifications.

Reaching someone directly

Use Pings to have a private conversation with someone on your account. Pings aren't attached to any project — they're just between the people you include. Click "Pings + Notifications"/"New for You" at the bottom of any screen to start one.

Managing your notifications

Basecamp will notify you when something needs your attention. You can find all your notifications by clicking "New for You" at the bottom right of any screen.

To adjust how and when you're notified, click Account & Settings, then Notification settings. From there you can turn email notifications on or off, set up mobile notifications, and configure your settings to keep notifications within your working hours.

Replying by email

If you have email notifications turned on, you can reply to them directly from your inbox, no need to log into Basecamp. Just reply from the same email address you used to accept your invitation.

Email notifications are meant to be replied to directly, not forwarded. If you're CCing others on a Basecamp notification thread, their replies won't make it into Basecamp.