Roles & Permissions
Manage user roles and access control
Overview
Role-based access control (RBAC) in SimplyManage ensures users have appropriate access to features and data. This guide covers how to configure and manage roles and permissions at the organization level.
System Roles
SimplyManage has three built-in system roles:
User
Standard team members with basic access:
- Track time to assigned projects
- View and edit own time entries
- Submit timesheets
- View assigned tasks
- Access personal reports
Manager
Team leads with expanded capabilities:
- All User permissions
- View team time entries
- Approve/reject timesheets
- Create and manage projects
- View team reports and utilization
- Manage tasks and assignments
Admin
Full access to all features:
- All Manager permissions
- Manage organization settings
- Add and remove users
- Assign user roles
- Manage clients and billing
- Configure integrations
- Access forecasting tools
Info
Every organization must have at least one Admin. Consider having multiple admins for business continuity.
Managing User Roles
Viewing User Roles
- Navigate to Roles & Permissions in the sidebar
- View all users grouped by role
- See permission summaries for each role
Changing a User's Role
- Find the user in the list
- Click on their name to open details
- Select the new role from the dropdown
- Confirm the change
Warning
Role changes take effect immediately. Users may gain or lose access to features instantly.
Permission Matrix
| Feature | User | Manager | Admin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Track own time | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| View team time | No | Yes | Yes |
| Edit others' time | No | No | Yes |
| Submit timesheets | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Approve timesheets | No | Yes | Yes |
| Create projects | No | Yes | Yes |
| Delete projects | No | No | Yes |
| Manage users | No | No | Yes |
| Organization settings | No | No | Yes |
| View reports | Own | Team | All |
| Manage clients | No | No | Yes |
| Forecasting | No | No | Yes |
Project-Level Permissions
In addition to system roles, users have project-specific permissions:
| Project Role | Capabilities |
|---|---|
| Member | Track time, view project details |
| Lead | Member + manage tasks, view all project time |
| Manager | Lead + edit settings, manage budget, manage team |
Default Role for New Users
Configure the default role for new team members:
- Go to Roles & Permissions settings
- Set Default Role for New Users
- Choose User, Manager, or Admin
- Save changes
Best Practice
Set the default role to "User" and promote individuals as needed. This follows the principle of least privilege.
Security Best Practices
- Least privilege - Grant minimum necessary access
- Regular reviews - Audit roles quarterly
- Multiple admins - Never have just one admin
- Offboarding - Deactivate users promptly when they leave
- Documentation - Document who has admin access and why