Custom permissions enable administrators to define and manage tailored access controls for users, roles, and database objects. This capability provides an additional layer of security beyond the standard and exclusive permissions available in Slate. This article outlines the process for creating custom permissions and applying them to objects to strengthen governance and enhance database management.

Creating Custom Permissions

1. Click Database in the Slate navigation bar. the Database page appears.

2. Locate the Users & Access section and select User Permissions. The Active Users summary page appears.

3. Locate the Roles & Permissions category in the right-side menu and click Custom Permissions. The Custom Permissions summary page appears.

4. Click New Custom Permission. An Edit Custom Permission popup window appears.

5. Enter the following configurations:

   

   • Status: The custom permission can be either active or inactive. By default, this will be set to Active.

   • Permission Type: This sets the custom permission to be either exclusive or non-exclusive. Note that exclusive permissions cannot be inherited through roles and must be granted explicitly to a user.

   • Name: Enter a name for your custom permission. For improved readability, this should be an intuitive name based on where you intend to apply your permissions in your database, such as "Undergrad Reader" or "Financial Aid Tab Read Only."

6. Click Save.

Applying Custom Permissions

Once the custom permission has been created, you can apply it to objects in the database. The exact procedure for applying the new custom permission depends on the object you are modifying. In general terms, after opening the object for editing, a tool for modifying the permissions for that object is provided.

Apply Custom Permissions to any of the following objects:

• Activities and Interactions

• Checklists

• Fields

• Materials

• Projects

• Queries

• Reader Bins

• Reader Tabs

• Reader Views

• Record Tabs

• Records (Restricted Access)

• Reports

• Shared Views

• Source Formats

• Tags

• Voyages

• Widgets

• Workflows

Assigning Custom Permissions

With the custom permission applied to the object, determine who will be granted access to it. 

Adding a Non-Exclusive Custom Permission to a Role

If the custom permission was set to non-exclusive, you can add it to a role.

1. Click Database on the Slate navigation bar. The  Database page appears.

2. Locate the  Users & Access section and select User Permissions. The Active Users summary page appears.

3. Locate the Roles & Permissions section in the right-side menu and click Roles. The Roles summary page appears with a list of defined roles.

4. Click the desired role. An Edit Role popup window appears.

5. Scroll down to the Permissions (Custom) section and select the new custom permission.

6. Click Save. Any users assigned to this role now inherit the custom permission with any other permissions that role includes.

   

Adding a Non-Exclusive Custom Permission to a User

A custom permission that is non-exclusive can be directly assigned to a user rather than a role.

1. Click Database on the Slate navigation bar. The  Database page appears.

2. Locate the  Users & Access section and select User Permissions. The Active Users summary page appears with a list of users.

3. Select the user to apply the custom permission. The user’s summary page appears.

4. Click Edit User. The user’s profile popup window appears.

5. Select the Permissions tab. A list of permissions appears.

6. Scroll down to the Permissions (Custom) section and select the new custom permission.

7. Click Save.

   

Adding an Exclusive Custom Permission to a User

Exclusive custom permissions cannot be assigned to a role; they must be granted explicitly to a user.

1. Click Database on the Slate navigation bar. The  Database page appears.

2. Locate the  Users & Access section and select User Permissions. The Active Users summary page appears.

3. Select the user to apply the custom permission. The user’s summary page appears.

4. Click Edit User. The user’s profile popup window appears.

5. Select the Roles tab. Lists of all defined roles and exclusive permissions appears.

6. Scroll down to the Permissions (Exclusive) section and select the new custom permission.

7. Click Save.

Tip: Test your custom permissions!

To ensure that your custom permissions are working as intended, use a test account for the custom permission. Impersonate the account to confirm that the user can see or interact with these objects. Impersonate another account without the custom permission assigned to confirm that the user is restricted as expected.

Can a user see something they shouldn’t? Here are things to check:

• Confirm that the permission is Exclusive.

• Confirm that the user does not have the role of Administrator (All Access).