Your team can share phrases in PhraseVault® by opening the same .sqlite database file on a shared network drive. Everyone uses the same library, but PhraseVault isn't designed for simultaneous editing and won't merge competing changes. Cloud-synced copies need extra care because even inserting a phrase changes the file; for remote teams, distributing phrases by export and import is often a better fit.
To insert a shared phrase, press Ctrl+. on Windows or Cmd+. on Mac, search for it, and press Enter. There's no abbreviation list for your team to memorize.
Set up your shared library
PhraseVault keeps phrases in one database file. Windows, macOS and Linux can open the same file. On Linux, PhraseVault is an x86_64 build for Omarchy and Arch with Hyprland. Automatic paste and the summon shortcut need Hyprland, and the AppImage is best-effort. See Install PhraseVault on Linux. You can switch databases without restarting, although only one is active at a time.
Move an existing database
- Click the gear to open Settings, select Database, and click Open Current Database Location to find your file.
- Quit PhraseVault completely on every computer that has the file open. Use Quit from the tray or menu bar icon; closing the window only hides it.
- Move the database file — usually
phrasevault.sqlite— into your shared folder. - Reopen PhraseVault and select Open Database in Settings → Database to choose the file at its new location. Each team member opens that same file.
Your app settings stay on each computer; moving the database doesn't move them. The file appears under Recent Databases for quick access later.
Create a new shared database
In Settings → Database, choose New Database, select a new filename in the shared folder, and confirm with Create. Don't select an existing database you want to keep. Other team members use Open Database to select the file you created. You can delete the sample phrases if you don't need them.
Which shared location should you choose?
Network drive: direct access to one file
For an office with a file server or NAS, place the database in a shared folder, such as \\server\shared\phrasevault\. Each team member opens it from the network drive. Changes are available on the next search or when PhraseVault is summoned, with no cloud-sync step.
Ask IT to test the share before rolling it out. SQLite depends on reliable file locking, and network filesystem problems can damage a database. A wired LAN can help with connection stability, but it doesn't guarantee safe file locking.
Cloud folder: watch for conflicting copies
OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud Drive can sync a locally stored database, but each computer works on its own copy. PhraseVault doesn't coordinate those copies or merge conflicts. Sync timing depends on the provider and connection.
Keep the file available locally rather than online-only. That prevents a download being needed to open it, but it doesn't solve conflicting changes. Inserting or copying a phrase updates its usage count, so assigning one editor won't stop other computers from changing their copies. For a remote team using the library at the same time, use the import/export workflow below instead.
VPN or an unreliable connection
A VPN can provide access to an office share, but latency and interruptions can affect database access. Test your setup with a small group. If the connection is unreliable, individual local databases let people keep using their phrases without the network share.
Keep wording consistent and protect the library
Choose a phrase administrator. Have one person, or a small group coordinating changes, maintain the wording. This reduces competing edits; it isn't a read-only permission setting. If two people save different edits to the same phrase, a later save can overwrite an earlier one.
Agree on labels and names. Labels are stored in the shared file, so everyone sees the same ones. Renaming or deleting a label changes it for the whole team. Which labels and filters someone has selected is personal, and it is not saved: it resets when PhraseVault restarts and when you switch databases. The list stays one list, with no folders. Descriptive names still help search:
support.greeting— customer support openingsales.followup— sales follow-up emaillegal.disclaimer— standard disclaimerhr.onboarding— new employee welcome
To find phrases with no recent use, open Filters and choose Last used. Pick a preset such as unused for a long span, or enter a custom range, for example unused for 365 days. Never used, under Usage, lists phrases with no recorded use. The steps are in labels and filters.
Keep databases focused. Give each department or use case its own file and switch through Recent Databases. The list remembers up to 10 files.
Back up the complete database. Quit PhraseVault on all computers using the file before copying it to a safe location. Export All is useful for transferring phrases, but omits PIN-protected phrases even when they're unlocked, as well as usage counts and dates.
Keep versions aligned. Before updating the team, back up the shared file and coordinate the rollout. A newer app can upgrade the database, which may affect older installations. PhraseVault creates a backup alongside the file before a database upgrade; keep it until you've checked the new version.
Share the PIN only with people who need locked phrases. A database has one PIN for its protected phrase contents; names remain visible. See PIN protection for the limits and recovery advice.
What does IT need to know?
There is no PhraseVault server component or separate sync fee. Each desktop app opens the database through your existing file-sharing setup.
- Permissions: Everyone needs read/write access to the file and folder, including people who only insert phrases. PhraseVault records usage, and there's no built-in role that prevents a team member from editing.
- Network access: Use your normal file-sharing configuration, with SMB 2 or 3 rather than obsolete SMB1. PhraseVault needs no additional server ports.
- Privacy: PhraseVault doesn't upload phrases or require an account. If you use a cloud folder, your chosen provider uploads and syncs the file.
- Antivirus: If a scanner is blocking database access, ask IT to investigate before considering a narrowly scoped exception. Don't exclude all SQLite files by default.
A license holder can request the source under an NDA for a security review. See the source-available terms.
Alternative: give each person their own database
An administrator can maintain a master library, export it as JSON, and distribute it for everyone to import into a personal database. Each person gets the shared phrases and can add their own, without writing to a shared live file.
To hand a department a subset, select that label and choose Export Filtered. The JSON keeps the labels. For later updates, export the library again and review matching phrases in the import preview before overwriting them. If the file includes label data, an overwrite replaces that phrase's labels, and an empty list clears them. A file with no label data leaves existing labels in place. PIN-protected phrases aren't included in exports. See importing and exporting phrases for the steps.
Troubleshooting
A colleague's new phrase is missing: Search again or summon PhraseVault to refresh the list. If you're using synced copies, wait for synchronization to finish. Check Recent Databases to make sure you've opened the intended file.
The share is unavailable: PhraseVault shows Waiting for database and retries. Restore the connection and check that the file is accessible. There is no automatic offline copy of a network database.
The database appears damaged: Have everyone quit PhraseVault, preserve the damaged file, and restore your latest database backup. If you don't have one, contact office@spqrk.net and describe what happened.
Team licenses
Each person needs a lifetime license covering their own Windows, macOS and Linux computers (Linux setup), so five people need five licenses. Team and Business tiers offer lower per-person prices than Starter; see the pricing page. Updates within the current version line are included; future major upgrades may be offered separately.
Try PhraseVault free for 14 days with your team — no credit card needed.