Understanding User Roles and Permissions
Introduction
Managing access rights is vital for secure and efficient teamwork. In Zoho Tables, user roles and permissions help organizations control who can view, edit, or manage information within a portal, workspace, or database. With these structured permissions, teams can protect sensitive data while still enabling effective collaboration.
This article breaks down the different roles available in Zoho Tables and explains what each role can do, helping you assign the right access to the right people.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
What Are User Roles and Permissions?
- Roles: Predefined access levels assigned to users. Each role comes with a set of permissions that determine what actions a user can perform.
- Permissions: Specific actions a user is allowed to take, such as editing a record or managing a workspace.
By assigning roles rather than individual permissions, you save time and maintain consistent access control across your team.
Why Use Roles in Zoho Tables?
Not every team member needs access to everything. Roles let you:
- Restrict access to sensitive information
- Avoid manual permission settings for each user
- Ensure only authorized individuals can make changes
- Simplify admin and security tasks
Zoho Tables User Roles Overview
Portal-Level Roles
| Role | Permissions |
|---|---|
| Owner | Full control over the entire portal, users, and subscription plans |
| Manager | Manage all portal content; cannot delete portal or change subscription |
| User | Access only assigned workspaces; cannot manage portal settings |
2. Workspace-Level Roles
| Role | Permissions |
|---|---|
| Manager | Full control over all bases; manage workspace users and settings |
| Editor | Full editing rights for all bases; manage base configurations |
| Data Maintainer | Can edit records and views; cannot change table or field settings |
| Commenter | Can add, edit, and delete comments on records |
| Viewer | Read-only access with the ability to download data |
3. Base-Level Roles
| Role | Permissions |
|---|---|
| Manager | Manage base and collaborators |
| Editor | Edit tables, views, fields, records, and base settings |
| Data Maintainer | Add, update, and delete records |
| Commenter | Add, view, edit, and delete comments |
| Viewer | View-only access to records and comments |
4. View-Level Roles
| Role | Permissions |
|---|---|
| Data Maintainer | View, add, edit, and delete records and comments (field settings not allowed) |
| Commenter | Add, view, edit, and delete comments |
| Viewer | View records and comments only |
4. Automate Workflows and Customise Your Setup
Use tools like:
- Zoho Flow for automation across apps
- Zoho Creator to build custom business apps
- CommandCenter for creating end-to-end customer journeys
Everything is designed to scale with your business and adapt to your unique processes
Tips for Managing Roles Effectively
- Assign minimum necessary access: Give users only the permissions they need for their role.
- Regularly review user access: Especially when team members change roles or leave.
- Use default roles as templates: Avoid creating overly complex permission structures.
- Educate your team: Help users understand what their role allows them to do.
