---
title: "Canvases: Functional Overview"
description: "Understand what Canvases do, how they support innovation work, and how teams can use them in real-life idea and project workflows."
url: "https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/knowledge/canvases-functional-overview-and-real-life-use-cases/"
updated: "2026-09-29"
category: Idea Management / Canvases
tags:
  - Canvas
  - Feature update
  - Innovation Studio
---

# Canvases: Functional Overview

# Canvases: Functional Overview

Canvases give innovation teams a structured visual workspace for developing, reviewing, and communicating ideas and projects. Instead of searching through separate fields, comments, and updates, teams can bring the most relevant information together in one reusable layout.

A Canvas is built from connected idea or project properties. This means the Canvas can automatically display information already stored in [Accept Mission](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/accept-mission/), while users can complete or update the fields that are available for editing.

## What the Canvas update enables

The updated Canvas experience allows teams to:

- Create reusable visual templates
- Arrange information in a flexible grid
- Add individual properties or data tables
- Connect blocks to idea or project information
- Mark fields as Required
- Unlock fields so users can complete or update them
- Choose between landscape and portrait layouts
- Configure PDF export behavior
- Export a completed Canvas as a PDF
- Publish a Canvas as a progress update connected to an idea or project

The reusable template defines the structure. The selected idea or project supplies the specific information.

## How Canvases work in practice

A Canvas workflow normally has three stages:

1. An [Admin](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/admin/) creates and publishes a reusable Canvas template.
2. A team member opens an idea or project and selects the appropriate Published template.
3. The team completes the relevant fields, reviews the information, and exports or publishes the completed Canvas when needed.

This separates the design of the working method from the day-to-day completion of individual ideas and projects.

## Real-life use cases

### 1. Developing a new product concept

A product team is exploring a new product idea. The team needs to review the target customer, customer [Problem](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/problem/), proposed [Solution](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/solution/), expected value, key risks, and next steps.

An [Admin](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/admin/) creates a **New Product Concept Canvas** with these properties arranged in the order the team uses during an idea review. When a team member opens an idea, the title, owner, status, and other connected information appear automatically. The idea owner completes the editable concept fields and the team uses the Canvas as a shared review document.

This creates a consistent structure for comparing different product concepts without requiring every team member to use a separate document template.

### 2. Collecting and reviewing university ideas

A university collects improvement ideas from students and staff. Submissions may cover learning, campus services, sustainability, or student experience.

The innovation team can use a Canvas to structure each idea around:

- The challenge or opportunity
- The people affected
- The proposed improvement
- Expected impact
- Supporting evidence
- Risks and dependencies
- Recommended next action

The same Published Canvas can be used for many ideas. Reviewers can therefore compare submissions using the same information structure, while each idea retains its own connected data.

### 3. Assessing a customer or service improvement

A service team receives an idea to improve the customer experience. The team wants to understand the current situation, the customer need, the proposed change, expected benefits, implementation effort, and risks.

A service improvement Canvas can place these fields into a one-page visual overview. Short properties such as owner, status, department, and date can be grouped in a data table, while longer fields such as the customer [Problem](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/problem/) or proposed [Solution](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/solution/) can receive more space.

The Canvas gives [Decision](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/decision/)-makers a quick overview while preserving the detailed information in the original idea.

### 4. Managing an implementation project

A project team is managing a major implementation, onboarding, or transformation project. The team needs a shared view of the project objective, owner, current status, key milestones, risks, dependencies, and next decisions.

A Project Overview Canvas can display the connected project information in a consistent layout. Team members can update the fields they are responsible for, and the project owner can export the Canvas for a meeting or publish it as a progress update.

This is especially useful when stakeholders need a concise overview without navigating through every project task.

### 5. Preparing a leadership [Decision](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/decision/)

An innovation team is preparing an idea for a steering committee or leadership [Decision](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/decision/). The committee needs to understand what is being proposed, why it matters, what evidence supports it, what resources are required, and what risks remain.

The team can use a [Decision](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/decision/) Canvas to bring these points together. Before the meeting, the owner checks that all Required fields are complete and exports the Canvas as a readable PDF. If the team wants to retain the review as part of the idea's history, the owner can publish the Canvas as an update with a PDF snapshot attached.

## Available field categories

A Canvas can bring together existing application fields, configured properties, [Scorecard](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/scorecard/) criteria, and stored AI information. Images are also selectable application fields: use **Idea image** or **Project image** to show the image belonging to the current item.

| Field category | What you can add |
| --- | --- |
| Application fields | Existing idea or project fields, such as title, description, owner, and status. Select the field that matches the item type. |
| Idea and project images | **Idea image** or **Project image**. These are application fields that display the image connected to the current idea or project. |
| Configured properties | Properties configured in the application and connected to the relevant idea or project. |
| Score fields and [Scorecard](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/scorecard/) criteria | Available score fields and the evaluation criteria from your [Scorecard](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/scorecard/), so the Canvas can include the item's evaluation results. |
| AI fields | Available stored AI information, such as **AI summary**. Adding the field displays the stored value; it does not generate a new summary. |

Admins select these fields through **Add [Property](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/property/)** in the Canvas Template Builder. For instructions, see [Add an idea or project image](http://www.acceptmission.com/knowledge/create-a-new-canvas-template/#add-idea-or-project-image) and the [available field categories](http://www.acceptmission.com/knowledge/create-a-new-canvas-template/#available-canvas-fields).

## Connected information and editable fields

A Canvas can contain information that is automatically connected to an idea or project, such as:

- Title
- Description
- Owner
- Status
- Department
- Organization unit
- Date/time
- Scores
- AI-generated fields
- Custom properties

Some fields may be locked because they are intended to display information from the source item. Other fields can be unlocked so the user can complete or update them directly in the Canvas.

Required fields help teams ensure that important information is completed before an idea or project is reviewed, exported, or published.

## Why use a reusable template?

A reusable template helps an organization:

- Apply the same method across multiple ideas or projects
- Make reviews easier to compare
- Guide users toward the information that matters
- Reduce the need for separate Word or PowerPoint templates
- Keep information connected to the original idea or project
- Create consistent PDF outputs for meetings and decisions

The template can be adapted to different activities, including idea development, product discovery, service improvement, project management, and leadership review.

## Exporting and publishing

A completed Canvas can be used in two ways:

**Export** creates a standalone PDF that can be shared outside [Accept Mission](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/accept-mission/).

**Publish** creates a status update connected to the current idea or project and attaches a PDF snapshot. This preserves what the Canvas looked like at that point in time and creates a visible progress history.

Publishing a reusable Canvas template is different from publishing an item-specific Canvas. An [Admin](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/admin/) publishes the reusable template so teams can select it. A user publishes the completed Canvas to record progress on a particular idea or project.

## Canvas guide series

Use the following guides for the detailed instructions:

1. [Create and configure a Canvas template](http://www.acceptmission.com/knowledge/create-a-new-canvas-template/)
2. [Manage the Canvases tab in funnel management](http://www.acceptmission.com/knowledge/how-to-manage-the-canvases-tab-in-funnel-management/)
3. [Use a Canvas in an idea or project](http://www.acceptmission.com/knowledge/introduction-to-canvases/)
4. [Export and publish a Canvas](http://www.acceptmission.com/knowledge/innovation-canvases/)

## Video walkthrough

Watch the Canvas experience in action:

[Watch the Canvas walkthrough](https://vimeo.com/1225207295/49904590f9?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci)

## Summary

Canvases turn scattered idea or project information into a structured, reusable visual workspace. Admins define the template, users complete the item-specific information, and teams can export or publish the result for communication, review, and [Decision](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/decision/)-making.

## Static Text blocks

Canvas templates now support a **Static Text** block. This block displays explanatory content on the Canvas without asking the user to enter a value.

Use Static Text for section headings, instructions, definitions, process guidance, or reminders. For example, a Canvas can include a heading such as **Customer [Problem](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/problem/)**, followed by guidance explaining what evidence the user should provide.

Static Text is different from a connected [Property](https://www.acceptmission.com/nl/encyclopedia/property/): it is fixed guidance configured in the template and is not stored as an idea or project value.