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What Is Close Loop & How Does It Work?

Jodie Baer
  • Updated

Close Loop helps ensure that your Library is updated with the most up-to-date content. It’s a fast and easy way to keep your Library up to date and make Loopio smarter for your next Project.

 

Permissions Required: Library, Level 2 (Read & Write) permissions or higher are required to use Close Loop.

How Does Close Loop Work?

Comparing With Existing Library Entries

Close Loop recognizes any Project Entries that have been answered from your Library using Search or Magic.

Once you have populated Project Entries using Search or Magic, a link will be created between the Project Entry and the Library Entry it was created from. You can then edit or add more content to the Project Entry.

Upon Closing the Loop, the Loopio Platform will recognize that this Project Entry was originally populated using content from your Library.

This will allow you to have the option to click Compare With Library and see what updates were made during the Project process.

Creating New Library Entries

For Project Entries that were created without using Search or Magic, you will have the option to create a new Library Entry.

How to Run Close Loop

  1. Click the Close Loop button within a Project
  2. You’ll see questions where the answer was modified. Here, you can change the toggle to update the existing answer in the Library or create a new Library Entry. If you do not see a specific Project Entry here, it may not have been marked as Complete. Project Entries must be marked as Complete in order to show up in Close Loop
  3. To see what changes were made, click Compare with Library
  4. For any new Project Entry, you can change the toggle to add the Project Entry to the Library
  5. For any Project Entry that used an existing response for a new question, you can change the toggle to add an Alternate Question
  6. To leave the original Library Entry as it was, click No Action
 

Tips:

  • When creating a new Library Entry through Close Loop, you can add a Category, Subcategory, and Tags
  • You can Close the Loop on a Project multiple times. If you forget to add a Project Entry to your Library, run Close Loop again

Can I Close Loop on a Single Entry?

Yes – you can easily Close Loop on a single Project Entry while in the Project Canvas.

This allows you to immediately update existing content in your Library while it’s top-of-mind and without having to wait until the Project is completed.

To Close Loop on a Project Entry:

  1. Click the blue Close Loop icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the Project Entry
     

    Note: The Project Entry must be marked as complete and in a green state to enable Close Loop on a Project Entry

    A_screenshot_of_a_complete_Project_Entry_with_the_Close_Loop_icon_indicated.png

  2. From here, you are taken to a page with a workflow identical to when you run Close Loop on a Project. You can:

    • Compare your Answer to content in the Library
    • Edit Answer text
    • Add an Alternate Question to a Library Entry
    • Create a new Library Entry
    • Take no action

Can I Ignore an Entry in Close Loop?

Yes, during Close Loop you can choose to take no action on a Project Entry to avoid being prompted again in the future.

To ignore a Project Entry during Close Loop:

  1. Click the Close Loop button within a Project
  2. On a Project Entry you would like to ignore, click No Action
  3. The Project Entry will turn to a green state and indicate that it has been skipped
  4. The skipped Project Entry will be displayed under Closed Project Entries if you run Close Loop again
 

Tip: You have the ability to undo No Action in Close Loop by clicking Undo No Action.

Can I Edit a Question and/or Answer During Close Loop?

Yes, you can easily update your Project Entries during Close Loop. This allows you to make Project Entries general for re-use in your Library.

To edit a Project Entry during Close Loop:

  1. Click the Close Loop button within a Project
  2. Use your cursor and hover over the Project Entry until the dotted lines appear

    A_screenshot_of_an_Entry_in_Close_Loop_showing_Compare_with_Library_and_Update_Answer_options.png
  3. Click on either the Question or Answer you want to edit
  4. Make your changes, and click on the blue checkmark to save your changes
  5. Once your changes are saved, you can select your update options using the switches on the right-hand side
  6. Click the green Close Loop button to save your changes to the Library

Can I Bulk Categorize and Tag During Close Loop?

Yes, you can quickly bulk Categorize, Sub-Categorize and Tag multiple new Entries at one time during Close Loop.

To bulk Categorize, Sub-Categorize and Tag:

  1. Click the Close Loop button within a Project
  2. Switch the toggle to Yes on new Entries you want to create in your Library

    A_screenshot_of_the_Close_Loop_Create_new_Library_Entry_toggle.png
  3. After switching the toggle to Yes, the blue Categorize button will appear at the top of your screen

    A_screenshot_of_the_Close_Loop_Compare_and_Close_options_for_a_Project.png
  4. Click Categorize X Selected
  5. In the popup window choose your Categories, Sub-Categories and Tags for your new Library Entries
  6. Click Apply to update the Categories without Closing those entries, or Apply & Close Loop to add the selected Entries to your Library immediately

Can I Check Which User Used Close Loop?

Yes, you can gain full insight and accountability on which users used Close Loop and the actions they performed.

To check which users used Close Loop:

  1. Click the Close Loop button within a Project
  2. Expand the Updated to Library area by clicking the blue arrow
  3. Review which action was performed at the top right corner of each Entry

    A_screenshot_of_an_Entry_that_has_been_through_Close_Loop_showing_the_Library_Entry_was_updated_and_an_Alternate_Question_added.png

Can I Filter Entries in Close Loop by User?

Yes, you can filter Entries in Close Loop by User. This helps you easily identify which Questions were submitted by each team member. 

To filter Close Loop by Submitter:

  1. Click the Close Loop button within a Project
  2. Click Submitted by
  3. Select a User

    A_screenshot_of_the_Close_Loop_Submitted_by_filter__expanded_and_showing_all_Users_who_have_Closed_Loop_for_this_Project.png
  4. You will now see only Project Entries that were submitted by the User you selected

    A_screenshot_the_Submitted_to_Project_text_for_an_Entry_that_has_been_through_Close_Loop.png

Which Projects Have Been Through Close Loop?

You can mark which Projects have been through Close Loop on your Projects page.

 

Permissions Required: Loopio-wide Project, Level 2 (Creator) or higher, or Project-specific "Project Admin" permissions are required to indicate a Project has been through Close Loop. 

 

How Can I Mark Close Loop as Complete or Ignored for a Project?

  1. On your Projects page, click the Project's Close Loop icon to bring you to the Close Loop page for that particular Project

    A_screenshot_of_the_Close_Loop_icon_for_a_Project_in_Incomplete_Close_Loop_status.png
  2. Click the Close Loop action button in the top right corner of the Close Loop page

    A_screenshot_of_a_Project_s_Close_Loop_button_showing_Incomplete_status.png
  3. Select Mark as Complete or Mark as Ignored

    A_screenshot_of_the_Close_Loop_Ignored_button_with_dropdown_expanded_to_show_Mark_as_Complete_and_Mark_as_Ignored.png
  4. The Close Loop action button on this page will update accordingly, as well as the Close Loop icon on your Projects page

    A_screenshot_of_the_Close_Loop_icon_for_a_Project_that_has_been_marked_Close_Loop_Complete.png     A_screenshot_of_the_Close_Loop_icon_for_a_Project_that_has_been_marked_Close_Loop_Ignored.png
 

Note: If Close Loop is marked as Complete or Ignored, you will not be able to Close Loop on any of your Project Entries. To re-enable Close Loop, change the Close Loop status back to "Incomplete".


A_screenshot_of_the_Close_Loop_Ignored_button_with_dropdown_exposed_to_show_Mark_as_Complete_and_Mark_as_Incomplete_options.png

What Do the Different Colors on the Close Loop Icons Mean?

Close Loop Incomplete (Blue Outline on Close Loop Icon)

By default, an empty Close Loop icon will appear on all Projects to show that the Project has not been through Close Loop.

This means the Project is still Active (has not been marked Done or Stopped) and Close Loop Status is Incomplete.

A_screenshot_of_the_Close_Loop_icon_for_a_Project_in_Incomplete_Close_Loop_status.png

Close Loop Complete (Green Outline on Close Loop Icon)

If a Project has been marked as "Close Loop Complete", the Close Loop icon will appear green.

A_screenshot_of_the_Close_Loop_icon_for_a_Project_in_Complete_Close_Loop_status.png

Close Loop Ignored (Grey Outline on Close Loop Icon)

If a Project has been marked as "Close Loop Ignored", the Close Loop icon will appear grey.

A_screenshot_of_the_Close_Loop_icon_for_a_Project_in_Ignored_Close_Loop_status.png

Close Loop Done/Stopped (Solid Blue Close Loop Icon)

If a Project has been marked Done or Stopped and the Close Loop Status is marked Incomplete, the Close Loop icon will appear solid blue.

A_screenshot_of_the_Close_Loop_icon_for_a_Project_in_Done_or_Stopped_Close_Loop_status.png

Read more: Close Loop Best Practices

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