Session length: 60 minutes (75 minutes with extended practice)
Audience: Department staff, item authors — anyone whose job involves drafting legislative items in Govinity
Format: Instructor-led, hybrid demo + hands-on. Best with 4–8 trainees per session; can be delivered to larger groups but breakouts become harder.
Delivery mode: In-person, virtual, or hybrid (works in all three)
Before the session — facilitator prep checklist
[ ] Each trainee has a Govinity account in a their production system. Coordinate with IT or a System Admin to provision accounts ahead of time.
[ ] Trainees know how to log in. Walk through login separately if needed.
[ ] Customer has:
Item Types Configured
Workflows assigned to all the item types
Document Type configured with the Word integration associated with the Item Types
Are Attachment Types being used?
The trainee's user assigned to a department
[ ] Display monitor or projector available. Speaker phone or web meeting platform tested if remote.
[ ] Printed handout (optional): one-page reference card with item lifecycle diagram, status badge color key, and links to top docs.
[ ] items pre-created for the training if you don't want to start from scratch.
[ ] Test the Word document integration end-to-end the day before — if it's broken, you don't want to discover that mid-session.
Learning objectives
By the end of the session, trainees will be able to:
Describe the item lifecycle and where their work fits in it.
Navigate the Items Dashboard and find their own items.
Create a new item by picking an item type and completing the form.
Generate a document from a template and edit it in Word.
Attach supporting files with appropriate metadata.
Submit an item for review and respond appropriately when sent back.
Track their item's progress through the workflow sidebar.
Session agenda (60 minutes)
Time | Section | Focus |
0:00 – 0:05 | Welcome and orientation | What's an item, why are we here |
0:05 – 0:15 | The item lifecycle | Status walkthrough, vocabulary |
0:15 – 0:20 | Navigating the dashboard | Quick filters, finding work |
0:20 – 0:35 | DEMO + practice: Creating an item | Item type selector, form sections |
0:35 – 0:42 | Working with documents | Word integration |
0:42 – 0:47 | Attaching files | Upload mechanics |
0:47 – 0:55 | Submitting for review + tracking | The submit dialog, the sidebar |
0:55 – 1:00 | Wrap-up: Q&A and references | Where to go next |
Section 1: Welcome and orientation (5 min)
Talking points
"Welcome — this session is about Govinity's Items module from the perspective of someone authoring items."
Establish your role as facilitator and that questions are welcome throughout.
"By the end of the hour, you'll have created and submitted a test item — start to finish — in our sandbox environment."
Frame the role: what does a Submitter do?
A Submitter in Govinity is anyone who drafts and submits legislative items: resolutions, ordinances, motions, staff reports, etc.
Typically: department staff, attorneys, planners, parks coordinators, anyone responsible for getting items to the body.
Your work is the beginning of the legislative pipeline. After you submit, the item moves through workflow approvals (other people's jobs) and eventually onto a meeting agenda.
Discussion question (icebreaker)
"Quick around-the-room: what kind of items do you typically draft? Resolutions? Ordinances? Both? Something else?"
This sets up the rest of the training in their language. Listen for which item types are most relevant to your group and emphasize those in the demo.
Section 2: The item lifecycle (10 min)
Talking points
Every item moves through a sequence of statuses. Knowing these statuses makes everything else click.
Show the lifecycle diagram (lifecycle slide / printout / draw on whiteboard).
The seven statuses
Status | What it means | Your access |
Draft | You're authoring it | Fully editable |
Review | In workflow | Mostly view-only |
Deliberation | In the public realm — on the agenda, being publicly considered, awaiting/receiving the body's vote | View-only |
Processing | Body voted — now post-deliberation admin work (mayor's signature, recording, official publication) | View-only |
Closed – Approved | Body voted yes | No edits |
Closed – Rejected | Body voted no | No edits |
Closed – Cancelled | Pulled before vote | No edits |
Demo point
Open a sample item in each status if possible — even just showing the status badges on the dashboard helps trainees recognize them.
Discussion question
"What status do you think your items spend the most time in?"
Most authors will say "Draft" — and that's correct. Items can sit in Draft for weeks or months while you work on them. Use this to set the expectation that Draft is the author workspace.
Common questions
Q: What if I want to start over on a Draft item? A: You can edit freely while it's still Draft. Soft-delete (with 30-day recovery) is an option. Or copy the structure to start a new item.
Q: Can I edit while my item is in Review? A: Partially. Some fields stay editable; many become view-only. We'll cover this when we look at the form.
Section 3: Navigating the dashboard (5 min)
Talking points
"Your home page is the Items Dashboard. This is where you find your own items and see what's pending."
Click into the Items Dashboard live.
Demo points
Show the three charts at the top (Active Items by Status, Pre-Introduction by Department, Pre-Introduction by Age). Don't dwell — these are useful but not where authors live day-to-day.
Show the six quick filter buttons. Emphasize:
My Items — where authors live. Shows items they authored, sponsor, or are staff contact for.
All Items — the broad view.
Scheduled for Deletion — soft-delete safety net.
Show the search box. Search by code, short title, or full title.
Mention department filtering happens automatically based on the user's profile.
Hands-on (1 min)
"Take 60 seconds: go to your Items Dashboard. Click 'My Items.' What's there?"
For most trainees in a fresh sandbox, the answer is "nothing." That's the perfect setup for creating their first item.
Section 4: DEMO and practice — Creating an item (15 min)
Talking points
"Creating an item is a two-step process: pick the type, then fill the form."
Demo: Step 1, picking the item type (3 min)
Click + New Item.
Show the Item Type Selector with department-filtered defaults.
Mention the "Show all Item Types" toggle for cross-department coverage.
Pick a Resolution (or whatever's most representative for the group).
Demo: Step 2, filling the form (7 min)
Walk through each section quickly, narrating what each does:
Item Details — short title (mention AI Generate button if applicable), full title, recommended action, summary.
Additional Information — custom fields specific to this item type. Conditional visibility.
Meeting Details — pick a meeting body and target meeting.
Administrative Details — department, staff contact, security level, sponsors block (drag to reorder, alphabetical sort button, Co-sponsor checkbox).
Special Requests — checkboxes that appear only if the item type allows them.
Demo: Save as Draft (2 min)
Click Save as Draft.
Show the toast: "Item created! Draft your item then submit it for review."
Show the item display page that opens.
Hands-on practice (3 min)
"Now you try. Click + New Item. Pick a type. Fill in at least the Short Title, Full Title, and pick a target meeting. Click Save as Draft. Open the resulting item."
Walk around (in-person) or watch chat (virtual) for stuck trainees. Common stuck points:
Pick-the-type confusion → point at "Show all Item Types" toggle.
Meeting Details requires picking body before target meeting.
"I don't know what to put for Summary" → tell them anything goes for now; we'll edit later.
Common questions
Q: I picked the wrong type. Can I change it? A: Yes — click Change Item Type. Confirm. The form resets to a new type. Form data is lost.
Q: Do I have to fill in every field? A: Save as Draft is permissive — it accepts incomplete data. Submit For Review will catch missing required fields.
Q: Why doesn't my form have a Special Requests section? A: Each Special Request checkbox only appears if your item type allows it. If none apply, the section is hidden.
Section 5: Working with documents (7 min)
Talking points
"Most items have documents associated with them — a Staff Report, the Resolution itself, a Cover Memo. These are generated from Word templates."
"Govinity does the heavy lifting: pulls your item's data into the template, generates the document, lets you edit it in Word."
Demo
Scroll to the Documents section of the item.
Show the rows — one per Document Type configured for the item type.
Click Create on a Staff Report (or equivalent).
Show the loading state, then the populated row.
Click Edit to open the document in Word/SharePoint (or just point at the button if the integration isn't fully demoable in your sandbox).
Point to the Sync values button at the top of the card. Explain: "If you change the item's data later, click Sync values to push the updates into all your documents at once."
Mention Assign Number for auto-numbered documents (RES-2025-042 style).
Mention Publish/Unpublish but don't deep-dive — that's typically a clerk action, not an author action.
Hands-on practice (2 min, if sandbox supports it)
"On your new item, click Create on whatever Document Type appears. Watch it generate."
Common questions
Q: Do I have to create every document? A: No. Some are required (red border + Required badge); some are optional. Required Document Types may block Submit For Review.
Q: What if I need a document type that isn't listed? A: Item types control which Document Types are available. Adding a new one is admin work (someone with admin access updates the item type's configuration). For ad-hoc files, use Attachments instead.
Q: Where do the templates come from? A: Configured in Admin → Document Types. Each template is a Word file with a Govinity macro that handles the variable substitution. Out of scope for authors — your admins set them up.
Section 6: Attaching files (5 min)
Talking points
"Documents are for generated content from templates. Attachments are for uploaded files — PDFs, exhibits, supporting materials."
"Both live on the same item, but they're different mental models."
Demo
Scroll to the Attachments section.
Show the per-type blocks (Exhibits, Public Notice, etc.) plus Uncategorized Attachments.
Show the dropzone at the bottom.
Drag a sample PDF onto the dropzone.
For the file, show the per-file controls: Name, Attachment Type, Security Level.
Click Upload. Watch the status icons.
Key facts to land
Max file size: 100 MB per file.
Drag-reorder within a block. The order shows up in the agenda packet later.
Security Level controls visibility. Public = citizens see it. Internal = staff only.
Hands-on practice (1 min)
"Upload any test file to your item. Pick an Attachment Type. Click Upload."
Common questions
Q: Can I upload a Word doc? A: Yes, any file type works. But for Word documents that integrate with the item template system, use the Documents section instead.
Q: My file is bigger than 100 MB. A: Hard limit. Compress, split, or contact support.
Section 7: Submitting for review and tracking (8 min)
Talking points
"When your item is ready — basics in place, documents generated, attachments uploaded — you submit for review."
"Submitting starts the workflow. Reviewers get notified. You don't drive the process from here on — you watch it."
Demo: Submit For Review (3 min)
Click Submit For Review in the item header.
Show the validation dialog.
If required fields are missing: show the missing-field list with clickable links.
Click a missing field link. Dialog closes. Form scrolls to the field. Red highlight animation.
Fix the field. Return.
Click Submit For Review again.
If validation passes: show the confirmation prompt. "Are you sure you want to submit this item for review? This will notify the appropriate staff and start the review process."
Click Submit For Review. Show the toast: "The legislative item has been submitted for review."
Show the status change to Review.
Demo: The workflow sidebar (3 min)
Show the right-side sidebar with three tabs: Workflow, Audit, Comments.
Click Workflow tab.
Show the steps in order with their statuses.
Click a step to expand. Show the assignees, the due date, the status.
Switch to Audit tab. Show the chronological event log.
Switch to Comments tab. Show how to post a comment.
Hands-on practice (2 min)
"On your test item, click Submit For Review. Walk through the dialog. If anything's missing, click into the field to fix it. Submit. Then look at your workflow sidebar to see what happens next."
What to do when sent back
Brief mention: "If a reviewer rejects your item with a 'send-back' policy, your item returns to Draft. You'll see a comment with their reasoning. Edit the item. Re-submit. The workflow restarts."
"If you see an 'Item Rejected — Closed' alert at the top of the page, that's the 'kill' policy — the item is dead. You'd create a new item to pursue the same content."
Common questions
Q: How do I know when reviewers act on my item? A: Notifications fire based on workflow configuration. You'll typically get email updates. The Workflow sidebar shows real-time progress.
Q: Can I cancel my own submission if I change my mind? A: Not directly. The cleanest path is to ask a System Admin to use Change Status to send it back to Draft.
Q: My item has been in Review for two weeks with no action — what should I do? A: Check the Workflow tab to see which step is stuck. Identify the assignee. Reach out to them directly (chat, email, ping in-person) or post a comment asking for status.
Section 8: Wrap-up and references (5 min)
Recap the lifecycle they just completed
"You created an item, added documents and attachments, submitted for review. The workflow is now running. From here, reviewers act, the item moves to Deliberation, a clerk places it on an agenda, the agenda publishes, the meeting happens, the body votes — the item moves to Processing for the post-vote administrative work (signing, recording, publication) — and then your item closes."
Discussion question
"What's the part of this that feels most unclear right now?"
Common answers and your response:
"The Word integration" → reference Generating Documents from Templates on an Item. Schedule a hands-on follow-up if needed.
"The workflow" → it depends on each item type's configuration; reference The Item Workflow Sidebar.
"What reviewers see" → reference Why Your Form Looks Different Right Now.
"What happens after the meeting" → see Agenda Inclusions: How an Item Connects to Meetings.
Reference card / handout
Provide each trainee with links (or printout) to:
Getting Around Items — orientation
Navigating the Items Dashboard — daily reference
Creating an Item: Filling Out the Form — the long form deep-dive
Generating Documents from Templates on an Item — Word integration details
Attaching Files to an Item — upload mechanics
Submitting an Item for Review — the submission flow
The Item Workflow Sidebar — tracking progress
Copying, Restoring, and Changing an Item's Status — lifecycle actions
Final question
"Before we close: any questions about what we covered? Anything you want to revisit?"
Knowledge check (optional, for assessment use)
If your training program includes formal assessment:
What are the seven statuses in the item lifecycle? (Draft, Review, Deliberation, Processing, Closed Approved, Closed Rejected, Closed Cancelled)
What's the difference between Documents and Attachments on an item?
What happens when you click Submit For Review?
Where in the UI do you see the workflow's current step status?
If a reviewer rejects your item with the send-back policy, what status does it return to? (Draft)
Adjustments for different group sizes
Large groups (10+ trainees)
Reduce hands-on time per section by 30–50% — trainees may not finish each exercise but should still see the demo.
Have one TA / co-facilitator helping stuck trainees while you continue.
Consider splitting into multiple smaller sessions instead.
Small groups (2–4 trainees)
Expand hands-on time. Let trainees go further in their items.
Encourage trainees to ask "what about X?" questions throughout.
Consider co-creating an item live — pick someone's real upcoming work as the test case.
One-on-one
Skip the demo entirely. Just walk the trainee through with their real item.
Adjust pace to whatever they need.
Likely runs longer (75–90 min) but is far more effective.
Common facilitator gotchas
Sandbox auth issues — Trainees can't log in. Have a System Admin on standby.
Word integration broken — Test the day before. If broken on session day, show the Documents section and skip the actual edit-in-Word demo.
Sponsors block confusion — Trainees often try to "type" a sponsor in the search box without picking. Demo the pick-and-confirm flow explicitly.
Custom fields don't appear — If your sandbox's item type has no custom fields, the Additional Information section is empty. Either configure custom fields ahead or note "in your real environment, this section will have your government's custom fields."
Workflow doesn't start visibly — If the sandbox's workflow has only Notification Only steps, the workflow advances instantly. Pre-configure at least one Confirmation or Approve/Reject step so the demo is interesting.
Where this training fits in the broader curriculum
Prerequisite: Govinity general orientation (logging in, navigating top nav). If trainees haven't had that, prepend 5–10 minutes covering the basics.
Follow-up training: None required for most authors. Power users might want Approver Training if they also review items.
Continuing education: When item types or workflows change, send authors a notification + updated reference link. Don't usually need a full re-training.
References
Full author documentation in the Intercom Help Center: Legislative Items collection
Admin-side configuration: see Managing Item Types, Managing Item Workflows, Managing Custom Fields, Managing Document Types
For questions about your government's specific item types and workflows: contact your System Admin