> ## Knowledge Base Index
> Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.swellsystem.com/sitemap.xml
> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
> Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash).

# Note Visibility Controls

When adding notes to contacts, companies, leads, projects, or tasks, you can control who sees each note using the visibility setting. This gives you fine-grained control over sensitive information within your team.

## Visibility Options

Every note has three visibility options, selectable when creating or editing a note:

### Team (Default)

All team members within your account can see the note. This is the standard setting for general-purpose notes, meeting summaries, and shared context. No special badge is shown on Team notes since this is the default state.

### Private

Only you (the note creator) can see this note. Private notes appear with a lock icon and the label "Only you can see this." Use this for personal reminders, draft thoughts, or sensitive observations you want to keep to yourself.

### Mentioned Only

Only you and any users you @mention in the note can see it. Mentioned-only notes appear with an @ icon and the label "Visible to you and mentioned users." This is ideal for sharing targeted information with specific team members without broadcasting to the entire team.

## How @Mentions Work

When you type @ in a note, an autocomplete dropdown appears after two characters, showing matching team members by name or email. Mentioned users receive a notification alerting them to the note.

If you edit a note and change the @mentions, the visibility updates automatically. Only currently mentioned users retain access.

## Where Notes Are Available

Notes with visibility controls can be added to:

- **Contacts**
- **Companies**
- **Leads**
- **Projects**
- **Tasks**

When viewing a company record, the notes timeline shows notes from both the company itself and all of its associated contacts, sorted by date. Visibility rules are enforced on these aggregated notes as well, so you will only see notes you have permission to view.

## Editing and Deleting Notes

Only the note creator can edit or delete a note. When editing, you can change the visibility setting. For example, you might start a note as Private while drafting, then change it to Team when ready to share.

Notes support rich text formatting via the built-in editor, including text styling and image uploads.

## Tips

- Use **Private** notes for tracking personal follow-up items or recording observations before a team discussion.
- Use **Mentioned Only** when discussing account strategy with a specific colleague without cluttering everyone's timeline.
- The creator of a note always has access to it, regardless of the visibility setting.