Advanced Permissions
Learn how to configure advanced permissions in SmartSuite for greater control over your workflows. This guide explains the advanced settings available, how to assign them, and practical recommendations to optimize their use.
Plan Availability | All plan types |
Permissions | Administrators and Solution Managers can configure Advanced Permissions. |
Related Reading |
What Are Advanced Permissions?
Advanced permissions provide granular control over who can access and interact with the records in a Solution. Unlike simpler permission levels, advanced permissions allow you to:
Customize permissions for individual users and Teams.
Define specific access levels ranging from read-only to full access.
Why Use Advanced Permissions?
Advanced permissions are ideal for scenarios where detailed control over data access is required. For example:
Human Resources: Share an employee directory where only HR personnel can make changes.
Customer Service: Allow staff to create and edit their records while restricting access to others' records.
Project Management: Assign tasks to team members with limited editing rights for assigned records.
Where to Find Advanced Permissions Settings
Advanced permissions can be configured in the Solution Permissions interface. Follow these steps:
Open the Solution for which you want to set permissions.
Click the arrow next to the Solution name to open the options menu.
Select Permissions.
Choose Advanced Permissions from the available options.
Configuring Advanced Permissions
Steps to Configure:
Select Members or Teams:
Use the "Add Teams or Members" input box to search for and select the desired users or Teams.
Add multiple members or Teams to assign them the same permissions level.
To remove someone, click the small "X" next to their name.
Guests must be added to get access to the records they are assigned in the Solution
Choose a Permission Level:
Available levels include:
Full Access: View, create, update, and delete all records.
Editor: Create, update, and delete their own records; read-only access to others.
Contributor: View and create records; edit records only if assigned in an "Assigned To" field.
Assignee: View and edit only records assigned to them.
Assignee+: View, edit assigned records, and create new auto-assigned records. (Available at a Table level)
Commenter: View and comment on all records; cannot create or edit.
Viewer: Read-only access with no ability to create or edit records.
Add Permissions Group:
After selecting a permission level, click Add to assign the permissions to the selected users or Teams.
Verify Permissions Have Been Added:
Members and Teams will be displayed in sections below the “Add Teams or Members” input.
Changing or Revoking Permissions
Modifying Permissions
Open the Solution Permissions dialog.
Find the Member or Team whose permissions you want to change.
Select a new permission level from the dropdown menu.
Revoking Permissions
Open the Solution Permissions dialog.
Click the small X next to the Member or Team to remove them.
The user or Team will lose all access unless they belong to another group with permissions.
Note: Individual Members may still retain access if they are part of another Team with permissions.
Recommendations for Using Advanced Permissions
1. Use the "Everyone" Team for Default Access
Assign the "Viewer" role to the "Everyone" Team to provide basic access to all workspace users. Examples include:
Sharing policy and procedure documents.
Displaying project progress for transparency.
Allowing users to reference inventory items for work requests.
2. Leverage the "Contributor" Permission for Workflows
The Contributor role works well with workflows requiring selective editing rights. For example:
Scenario: A project manager assigns tasks in a "Tasks" table using an "Assigned To" field.
Solution: Assign the Project Team Contributor-level access. Team members can only edit their assigned tasks, ensuring data integrity.
3. Assign Permissions to Teams for Scalability
Instead of assigning permissions to individual members, use Teams. This approach simplifies management as personnel changes occur.
Example: Assign a "Sales Managers" Team full access to the "Sales Opportunities" Solution. When new managers join, adding them to the Team automatically grants the appropriate access.
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