To work in a shared workspace, you need a paid seat in it. Without one, you can open the workspace and read it, but not work in it. What you can read, and why a seat ends, is the same on the web and the phone. See What a member without a seat can do. This article shows where the app tells you, and what you can tap.
Where the app tells you
- The workspace's label: in the workspace switcher and at the top of the chat drawer, the workspace shows "No seat (read-only)", or "Seat unpaid (read-only)" while its seat pack isn't paid.
- In place of the message box: in a chat, a card stands where you would type. Members also see it on Home. It says why, with one button:
- With no seat: "You don't have a seat", and Request a seat.
- With a seat that isn't paid: "Your seat isn't paid", with the date it ends unless it's paid, and Request a seat.
- On other screens: Files, Tasks, a task's page, Integrations and the page templates show a short line at the top, with Request a seat beside it. The line says, for example:
- "Read-only since" a date, then "You can open what you could see before then, as you last saw it."
- "Read-only until your seat is paid: you can see everything here."
- "Read-only: you don't have a seat here yet."
- Items that changed: when a chat, file, page, task or project changed after your seat ended, it says "Updated after your seat ended. Get a seat to see the latest." Lists, including the chat drawer and a project's chats, files and pages, mark such items Updated.
Request a seat from the phone
The Request a seat window opens by itself the first time you open a shared workspace without a seat, once per workspace. Tap Not now to close it and ask later.
To open it yourself, tap Request a seat on any of the cards or lines above. You can also open Manage workspace, go to the Members tab, and tap Request a seat under Your seat.
- Choose Premium seat or Max seat.
- If you like, add a note under NOTE (OPTIONAL), up to 500 characters.
- Tap Send.
You get a notification when the owner or an admin answers. For how requests are answered, see Request a seat in a shared workspace.
While your request is open, the card says "Seat requested (Premium) — waiting for an owner or admin" (or Max), with two buttons:
- Change opens Change your request, where you pick another seat or edit your note, then tap Save.
- Cancel asks "Cancel your seat request?". Tap Cancel request to take it back, or Keep it.
The same request shows under Your seat in Manage workspace > Members, with Cancel seat request.
What the app turns off
Without a paid seat, the app hides or turns off what would change the workspace:
- The message box and the suggested prompts in a new chat.
- The menu on each chat in the chat drawer.
- Upload and new folders in Files, and pinning files to Home or adding them to projects.
- Changing a task.
- Project settings, and pinning a project or its items to Home.
- Creating a page from a template: tapping one opens Request a seat instead.
- Comments on a page, which you can read but not add.
If you try something that needs a seat, the app says "You need a seat in this workspace to do this. Request a seat to keep working."
If you are an admin, you can still open Activity, but you can't invite people or manage members or seats until you hold a paid seat again.
If you are the owner
The owner doesn't request a seat. In place of the message box, the card says "You don't have a seat" (or "Your seat isn't paid"), with Choose a seat. Tap it to open the workspace's seats, where you choose a seat for yourself or buy seats. You can also tap Seats in Manage workspace > Members. You keep managing seats, billing, members and settings while you have no seat.