# Confused about adding observations to projects

**URL:** <https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/confused-about-adding-observations-to-projects/31985>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [May 18, 2022, 2:39pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/confused-about-adding-observations-to-projects/31985 "2022-05-18T14:39:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 6

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**Author:** ![Star3](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/star3/32/73028_2.png) [@Star3](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/Star3)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2022, 6:43pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/confused-about-adding-observations-to-projects/31985/6 "2022-05-18T18:43:49Z")

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_My understanding based on my experience_ is that “anyone” in the submission model means “any project members”, as opposed to specific members (project managers, project owners, or just specific people, like in [this example](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/project-contributions-not-showing-user-restriction-not-shown-on-project-filters/16107/2)) .

Of course, that’s just based on what I’ve seen when I try to add obvs to projects. I could be wrong, and maybe it is broken & joining is a workaround, not a solution.

But based on Marina’s reply as well, I think you have to join. I don’t recall ever (since 2016) being able to add observations to projects I haven’t joined, nor seeing any complaints or bug reports (here or under the old Google group).

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_[View the full topic](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/confused-about-adding-observations-to-projects/31985)._