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Gainsight Inc.

Spaces Admin Guide

This article guides admins securely configure Spaces widgets for effective CSM-customer collaboration.

Overview 

Spaces is a secure, digital collaboration environment that empowers Customer Success Managers (CSMs) and customers to work together efficiently. Within Spaces, users can share vital content, including success plans, custom reports, notes, documents, and customer goals, through a centralized workspace that improves both communication and productivity.

As an administrator, you are essential in enabling and customizing Spaces to align with your organization’s goals. The guide outlines each widget's setup, configuration controls, and visibility permissions, tailored to equip admins with accurate and relevant data, while safeguarding sensitive information from external users.

As an admin, you can: 

  • Configure Spaces Layout
  • Assign Spaces layouts to CSMs

Navigation: To begin configuration, go to Administration > Spaces Configurations.

Understand Spaces Enablement and Community Integration

This section explains how to enable Gainsight Spaces, link them to Customer Communities (CC) instances, and manage user invitations through the Spaces Configuration page. It includes steps for customers with and without existing community licenses, tools for monitoring invitation progress, and options for customizing invitation emails.

Enable Spaces with Community Integration

Detect and Link Existing Community Instances
When an admin accesses the Spaces Configuration page:

  • If a community instance exists for the org, the system automatically detects it.
  • A prompt displays: Enable Spaces.
  • Clicking this links the CS instance to the detected community instance.

Note: Once linked, the mapping remains fixed. Deactivating and re-enabling Spaces does not allow remapping.

View Linked Community Instance

After linking, the interface displays the name of the associated community instance for confirmation and transparency.

Request Remapping through Support

If remapping is necessary, please contact Gainsight Support. Only the Ops team can perform this action; admins cannot remap instances themselves.

Map Community Instances in Multi-Instance Environments

In environments with multiple CS and CC instances (example: sandbox and production setups):

  1. Access the Spaces Configuration page.
  2. Review the list of available community instances within the same authorization project.
  3. Select the desired instance and click Enable Spaces.

This ensures each CS instance maps to one specific community instance and avoids cross-instance conflicts.

Create Shadow Community for Non-Community Customers

Customers without a community license can still use Spaces through automatic shadow community creation.

Trigger Shadow Tenant Setup

  • When the admin clicks Enable Spaces, the system initiates shadow tenant creation.
  • The setup takes up to one hour.
  • The interface displays: Spaces is getting ready.
  • Admins receive two emails:
    • One when setup starts.
    • One when Spaces are ready.

The shadow tenant includes only the Spaces module. No additional community features are available, and no extra cost applies.

Permission Bundle

As an admin, you must have set permissions, as well as allow certain permissions for CSMs to work with widgets and layouts in Spaces. 

  1. Navigate to Administration> Users and Permissions > Permission Bundles. The Permission Bundle page appears.
  2. From the Configure Permission Bundle dropdown list, choose Internal Permission Bundle. The New Permission Bundle page appears.
  3. From the Select a License Type dropdown list, select Full to choose the full license user.
  4. In the Access Permissions section, click Configure.
  5. From the left navigation menu, click Navigation Permissions
  6. From the list of modules checklist, select the checkbox next to Spaces. This allows you to view resolved spaces layout for a company/relationship.
    Note: For assigning Admin permissions, navigate to Navigation Permissions > Administration > Spaces Configuration.
  7. Either from the left navigation menu, or from the Select Access Permissions view, click Spaces. 
  8. From the list of permissions checkboxes, select all that applies.
  9. Click Save. All permissions updates are saved.

Configure Spaces Layout

As a Customer Success admin, you can create and configure Spaces layouts specific to different teams, projects, or customer accounts. To begin configuring layouts:

  1. Navigate to Administration > Spaces Configuration. The Spaces Layouts page opens in the Layout tab displaying the Default Spaces Layouts provided out-of-the-box.

Note

  • A default layout with basic configuration is preloaded to help you get started quickly. You can begin with this default layout, or create a new one. As you add more layouts, they appear in your layout list for easy access. Here, let's create a new layout.

  • Branding: Before moving forward, you can see a Branding tab displaying different branding options. If a specific layout instance is associated with Community, the branding is managed through the Spaces within Community. However, if the layout operates as a standalone instance and is not linked to an existing Community account, you can customize its appearance, such as fonts and colors, to align with your desired look and feel.

  1. To create a new layout, click Create Layout. The New Layout page appears.

  2. In the Layout Details section, enter the basic layout details as described below:

    1. Name: Enter a name for the layout.

    2. Select Entry Type: Choose either the Company or the Relationship radio button. For this article, we have selected - Company. If you have chosen Relationship, choose Relation Type from the dropdown menu.

    3. Description: (Optional) Enter a description for the layout you’re creating.

  3. Click Next. The Edit Layout tab appears with a canvas where you can configure the widgets placed in the summary layout.
  4. From the widgets pane on the left, drag the desired widgets, such as the Summary Ribbon, Spaces Notes, and so on onto the canvas to include them in this layout.
  5. Once satisfied with the layout, click Preview Layout. A preview of the layout is displayed for you to review, just as the CSMs will see it.
  6. Click Next. The Assign & Publish tab appears with the Assign Layout Criteria section.
  7. In the Assign Layout Criteria section, select criteria based on which the layout is assigned to the company that meets the criteria.

Note

  • Layout assignment criteria are case-sensitive. For example, Name starting with Salesforce does not match salesforce. If the case doesn’t match, the system uses the Default Layout instead of the intended one.
  • Admins use Assign Layout Criteria to control which layout is displayed for a company or relationship. Each layout includes conditions built from four components:
    • Object – The data source (Company or Relationship).
    • Field – A specific attribute in the object (example: Status, ARR, Name).
    • Operator – The rule used for matching (example: equals, greater than, starts with).
    • Value – The target value to match (example: Active, 100K, Salesforce).

What they map to?

These criteria map directly to fields in the Company or Relationship objects in Gainsight. The layout is applied only when the values in the record match the defined conditions.

How it works?

  • The system evaluates whether a company or relationship meets the criteria.
  • If multiple layouts match, layout priority determines which one is shown.
  • If no layout matches, the default layout is used.

Note: Layout assignments can be overridden by other layouts with conflicting priorities. 

Tip: Adjust layout priorities under Manage Layout Priorities to control which matching layout takes precedence.

  1. Click Publish. A confirmation message appears.

  2. Click Yes, Publish to publish the layout. The layout becomes available for the CSMs to use.

When creating layouts and configuring assignment criteria, if multiple layouts meet assignment criteria for the same company, you can prioritize which layout is assigned by managing assignments.

To determine which layout is added to the company:

  1. On the Space Layouts page, next to the Create Layout button, click the three-horizontal dots menu.
  2. Select Manage Layout Priorities. The Manage Assignments dialog box appears.
  3. In the layouts list, reorder the layouts by dragging to prioritize them.

Widgets Overview and Configuration

This section describes all the widgets available In Spaces for the Gainsight admin to configure for the CMS to start collaborating with their customers. 

Banner Widget

The Banner Widget in Gainsight Spaces allows teams to create a visually engaging and personalized header section for each customer’s portal. It displays key branding elements, welcome messages, and CSM contact details, and serves as the first point of interaction in the shared space.

Logo Handling

The Banner widget displays two logos: your company logo and the customer’s logo. The company logo is sourced from the Community Control app branding; if unavailable, it defaults to the tenant logo in application settings. The customer logo is pulled from the Company object. Both logos must be present in their respective sources. Otherwise, neither appears. To ensure display, set the application logo and add a customer logo in the Company object.

Background Customization

  • You have the options to add solid color, gradient, or upload an image.
  • Note: Image must meet specified dimensions requirement, such as width for non-stretch display.
  • UI shows recommended specs during upload.

Permissions

  • Field Level Permissions are not applied in Spaces.
  • Data visibility depends on general data access permissions. 

Spaces Notes Widget

The Spaces Notes widget allows CSMs to capture and share key highlights, important callouts, and links to supporting documents. With rich text formatting, CSMs can add structured and detailed content that enhances collaboration. The widget also supports embedding images and videos, which can be inserted inline or stacked vertically to improve visual clarity and organization. As an admin, you can do the following activities:

  • Drag-and-Drop Only: You can add the Spaces Notes widget to a layout by simply dragging and dropping it. There are no additional configuration settings or content options available to you as an admin.

  • No Edit Access: You won’t be able to input or modify the content within the widget. Your role is strictly limited to placing the widget within the layout.

  • Content Authoring Role: Only Customer Success Managers (CSMs) can create and format notes in this widget. If content needs to be added or updated, a CSM needs to work with it.

Summary Ribbon Widget

As an admin, you have complete control over the setup and configuration of the Summary Ribbon Widget. This widget is highly flexible and allows Admins to curate the most relevant customer data for CSMs and end users to view at a glance. The configuration is done at the layout level and applies to all companies using that layout, unless overridden.

Configure Summary Ribbon

You can add, remove, or rearrange groups to customize key details and metrics using the Configure Summary Ribbon slide-out panel.

  • Create up to six groups within the Summary Ribbon.
  • Each group can contain data fields arranged in one of the following formats:
    • A single value (example, a simple renewal date)
    • Two stacked values (top and bottom)
    • Two values placed side-by-side (example, usage metric and trend)

This allows for modular, visually balanced groupings of related customer metrics.

Field Types That Can Be Added

You can add various data types to each group, including:

  • Standard Attributes

    • CSM Name
    • Customer Since
    • Renewal Date
    • Active Success Plans: displays a count of total active success plans available
  • Add Custom Fields

    • Any field from the Company object and its lookup fields pre-configured can be added.

  • Add KPI Report Fields
    • Fields from reports built using the Gainsight Report Builder
    • Reports must be filtered to the individual company level by mapping a Company reference field (example, GSID) in the report setup
    • Without proper mapping, the report data may not display correctly

Field Management Options

Admins can fine-tune what is shown and how it appears:

  • Rename group titles to match organizational or customer-specific terminology.
  • Reorder groups or fields using a drag-and-drop interface to prioritize visibility.
  • Toggle fields on or off to hide them temporarily without losing the configuration.
  • Delete fields or entire groups if they are no longer relevant.

This provides a high degree of flexibility in how data is structured and maintained.

Key Considerations

  • Calculated Fields: These are supported in the Summary Ribbon, allowing admins to display dynamic, formula-driven insights.
  • Report-Based Fields: Require company-level filtering to ensure accurate and relevant data for each customer.
  • Field Labels: At present, the display names for fields are pulled directly from the source object. However, an upcoming enhancement will allow Admins to customize the display labels within the widget for greater clarity and branding alignment.

Display Behavior

  • The Summary Ribbon can show up to three groups at once without scrolling.
  • When more than three groups are added, a horizontal scroll is automatically enabled, ensuring the layout remains clean and navigable.
  • This scrolling functionality helps manage space while still providing access to a broader set of data.

Attribute Widget

The Attributes Widget in Spaces lets admins display grouped fields from the Company object and its lookups, offering a clear, organized view of customer information. It's ideal for surfacing key data points that CSMs and customers need to reference easily.

As an admin, you can: 

  • Add the widget to layouts by dragging and dropping it.
  • Select fields from the Company object and any lookup fields.
  • Rename fields to match internal terminology or customer-friendly labels.
  • Format fields based on type:
    • Currency symbols
    • Decimal precision
    • Numeric summarization (example., thousands, millions)
  • Enable editing on individual fields and mark them as required if needed.
  • Control widget visibility globally in the layout.

IMPORTANT

  • For a CSM to edit an attribute field:
    • The field must be marked editable by the admin.
    • The CSM must have Edit Widget Content permission in their permission bundle.
    • Both conditions must be met (AND logic).
  • Spaces does not support field-level permissions, and hence admins cannot apply them.
  • Admins cannot control field visibility per customer; only CSMs can hide or unhide the entire widget on a per-company basis.

Note

  • This widget behaves similarly to the C360 layout editor which makes it intuitive for admins already familiar with that setup.
  • For end users, all attribute fields are view-only. If CSMs want, they can hide the attributes widget.

Standard Widget

Standard widgets in Spaces provide structured views of customer-related fields (example: CSM, Renewal Date, Text Fields, Images). These widgets are similar to those found in 360 layouts.

As an admin, you can perform the following activities: 

  • Add to Layout: Admins can drag and drop widgets into the layout from the configuration panel.
  • Field Configuration:
    • Choose which standard fields (example CSM, Renewal Date) or custom fields appear in the widget.
    • Editable Flags: Admins can mark fields as editable or read-only for CSMs.
  • Text Field Widget: Admins can include all text fields from Company and Relationship objects and mark them editable or not.
  • Image Fields
    • Admins can add logo/image fields.
    • If multiple image fields exist, the admin can choose which to display.
  • Date Fields Customization: Admins can choose which date fields (example: Original Contract Date, Created Date) to use for the Customer Since widget.
  • Renaming Widgets: Admins can rename widgets to match their organizational language or requirements.

Field Widget

As an admin, you can configure Field Widgets with the following controls:

  • Add widgets individually, each tied to a single field from the Company object or lookups.
  • Choose between standard or custom fields

Note: Calculated fields are not currently supported in Field Widgets.

  • Position each widget independently on the layout.
  • Set field-level visibility and define editability for CSMs:
    • Mark a field as editable or view-only
    • Define if a field is required when editing is enabled
    • Use for specific layout scenarios where attribute grouping is too restrictive or not required.

Why use Field Widgets over Attribute Widgets? 

Use Field Widgets when you want fine-grained control, such as showing some fields to certain customers while hiding others, without affecting the whole group.

Success Plans Widget

The Success Plans Widget in Spaces allows Gainsight users to display and interact with success plans within Spaces. This widget enhances collaboration between internal Customer Success Managers (CSMs), administrators, and external end users by making curated success content accessible and interactive, based on permission levels.

As an admin, you can do the following with the Success Plans widget:

  • Edit Label: You can rename the widget but cannot configure or manage its content.
  • Preview Access: You have View-only access. You cannot add or remove success plans or CTAs.

Permissions:

  • View-only access to pre-configured success plans
  • No ability to manage underlying plans or tasks from the widget

Reports

There are two main types of report widgets:

  • Direct (Regular) Reports – Admin-configured reports visible to all users tied to a layout
  • CSM Reports – Blank widgets that allow CSMs to share reports with specific companies or relationships

You play a foundational role in setting up Reports Widgets that included the following activities:

  • Add Direct Report Widgets:
    • Add predefined reports from the Report Builder.

    • These reports are global, visible across all companies/relationships using the same layout.

  • Add CSM Reports Widget:

    • Add a blank widget where CSMs can later configure specific reports.

    • You cannot define the reports shown in this widget; they only place the shell.

  • Permissions & Layouts:

    • You cannot modify what CSMs choose to display.

    • You can control the number and type of report widgets visible to CSMs and end users.

Manage Spaces Users and Invitations

The Manage Spaces Users option provides admins with a centralized view and control of all users invited to Spaces across layouts. This tool is essential for tracking access, modifying permissions, and managing user participation efficiently. This feature simplifies cross-layout user management and supports streamlined governance for large or complex tenant environments.

Access Manage Spaces Users

  1. In the Spaces Configuration page, click the three-horizontal dots menu on the top right corner.

  2. From the dropdown menu, select Manage Spaces Users. This opens a table displaying all invited users, regardless of whether they’ve accepted the invitation.

User Actions Available

Admins can perform both individual and bulk actions:

  • Change Permissions: Set roles to either
    • Collaborate Only
    • Collaborate and Invite
  • Revoke Access: Remove user access individually or in bulk.
  • Resend Invites: Trigger a new invitation, with access to the full email customization flow (same as CSM).
  • View Associated Layouts: See which layout a user is linked to.

Note: Bulk actions can be applied by selecting multiple users using checkboxes or filtering columns (example: Relationship type).

Statuses You See

  • Pending: Invitation sent but not yet accepted.
  • Accepted: User accessed the invite and logged in.
  • Revoked: Access has been manually removed by an admin.

Invite Users in Bulk

Access the Invite Users Panel

  1. Navigate to Spaces Configuration > Manage Spaces Users.
  2. Click Invite Users.
  3. Upload a CSV file using the provided template.

Format the CSV File Correctly

The required columns include:

  • Entity Type: company or relationship
  • GSID: The corresponding Gainsight ID
  • Email: The user's email address
  • Permission Type: collaborate only or collaborate and invite
  • A sample CSV file is provided. Replace the placeholder data with actual user information before upload.

Understand Processing Behavior

  • If the CSV file contains fewer than 20 records, it is processed synchronously (within seconds).
  • If it contains 20 or more records, it is processed asynchronously using a background job.

Review Key Details and Limitations

  • CSV Upload Limit: The maximum number of records per file is under evaluation. Tentatively set at 1,000.

  • Minimum Upload Requirement: No minimum is enforced—upload one or more users as needed.

For assistance with linking community instances or troubleshooting invitation flows, contact Gainsight Support.

Customize Email Templates

While customizing invitation emails is typically more relevant for a CSM, Admins also have the capability to tailor these communications. The following actions enable Admins to efficiently manage user invitations and maintain consistent, personalized messaging across customer interactions.

  • Customize Invite Emails: Admins can personalize the invitation emails sent to users when inviting them to Spaces. This includes editing the email content for individual users (not in bulk) directly from the Manage Spaces Users section.
  • Resend Customized Emails: Admins can resend invite emails with customized content to users who may have missed the initial invite.
  • Bulk Invite using CSV: Admins have the ability to upload a CSV file to invite multiple users at once. 

Track Invitation History

Monitor Invitation Status

Admins can review all bulk invitation attempts in the Invitation History section. Status types include:

  • Success: All invitations succeed.
  • Partial Success: Some succeed, some fail (with error log).
  • Failure: All fail.
  • In Progress: Job is currently processing.

Logs are available for download, showing detailed reasons for each record that fails.

Filter Invitation History

Admins can filter records using:

  • Invited By
  • Date Range
  • Status Type (Success, Partial Success, Failure)
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