Switch an existing editable whiteboard to read-only to enable editing on another

[Andy Keohane]

Hi, we create a whiteboard for each retro, and as we're on the standard plan we're limited to three active ones.  I have a 'start condition' board that I copy each time to create the board for the next sprint, which then causes one of the old ones to become read-only, and that's fine.

My problem now is that I need to change my 'start condition' board, but it's read-only. I can't find a way to manually set one of the older boards to read-only to free up an editable page in my limit of three, it seems only available automatically.

In summary, I would like to:

• manually change an older sprint retro board to read-only
• manually change the 'start condition' board to editable, using the now-free slot
• copy the 'start condition' board for the next sprint, making the 'start condition' board read-only again

I'm guessing this isn't possible, but thought I'd ask the community.

Thanks

[Barbara Szczesniak · Accepted solution]

@Andy Keohane A possible workaround just occurred to me. I hope others will let us know whether this is viable.

Do you have a Confluence user who will probably never need to create whiteboards? If so:

1. Have that person create a whiteboard by copying the "start condition" board and give you access to edit it. Since this will be the only board this user owns, it should remain active.
2. Edit the board as needed to become your new "start condition" board.
3. Depending on your retention needs, archive or change the name of the old "start condition" board, so people know not to use it in future.

[Andy Keohane]

Sorry for the delay in coming back, and thanks for the input @Barbara Szczesniak that certainly sounds feasible to me.  I was pushed for time so created a new "start condition" board with a date in the title to distinguish it, just so I could create what I needed for the retro.  Next time changes are needed, I'll give your suggestion a try.

I archived the old one, so it's not used in error, as it's not possible for me to delete it.  That also means, unfortunately, that I can't rename it to the same name as the original as it still exists in the space.

Appreciate you taking the time to help out!

[Marc - Devoteam]

Hi @Andy Keohane 

Indeed you can't

What you could do as a w-o, use the same whiteboard and create the new retro in the same board, leave the old info.

We do the same in Miro. 

We did use your option as well, but then the problem raise, people got lost in all sprint retro's (too many boards).

We tried a naming convention, but we as a team can have our convention, but we don't have a mandate that the whole company should use the same one.

[Andy Keohane]

Thanks @Marc - Devoteam that's an option.  Maybe an enhancement request for Atlassian to allow better management of which boards are live within the limit, although that might discourage upgrades so unlikely to fly