Default Access Levels
Organizations often operate within a structured hierarchy, where roles and responsibilities are clearly defined. At the top of the hierarchy are high-level administrators or executives who oversee operations and have broad access to data. Lower-level users, such as team members or entry-level staff, are generally restricted to viewing and managing their own records. This hierarchical setup ensures data security and aligns access permissions with organizational roles. However, this model can limit collaboration and hinder productivity when users at the same level (peers) cannot access each other's records.
Consider a sales team working on leads within the same module. A sales representative, Amelia, needs to view a peer’s record to understand the progress made on a shared client. With standard permissions, Amelia can only see her own records, creating silos and reducing efficiency. By enabling the Default Access Level feature, Amelia can access peer records with appropriate permissions, fostering collaboration and better team outcomes.
Standard permissions, by default, allow users to view only their own records. This means peer-to-peer access is not enabled, and while higher-level users can access lower-level records, the reverse is not possible. In contrast, the Default Access Level extends access to peer records within the same level.
To activate the Default Access Level:
- Go to Setup > Fields.
- Click the icon next to the module or the More icon.
- Select the Default Access Level and configure the desired access level, such as Private, Public Read Only, or others.
- Once the settings are configured, save the changes.
Types of Accesses
The Default Access Level offers several types of access.
- Private: Ensures that only the record owner and admins can view the records.
- Public view only: Allows peers to view records without editing them.
- Public view and edit: Public view and edit enables peers to view and edit records,
- Unrestricted: Full access, including the ability to delete records.
The table below explains the different Access Levels in the Default Access Level feature, showing who can view, edit, or delete records.
Access Levels | View | Edit | Delete |
Private | Records owned by the user and their subordinates | Records owned by the user and their subordinates | Records owned by the user and their subordinates |
Public view only | All Users | Records owned by the user and their subordinates | Records owned by the user and their subordinates |
Public view and edit | All Users | All Users | Records owned by the user and their subordinates |
Unrestricted | All Users | All Users | All Users |
Notification for the changes
Whenever a change is made to a record, the record owner receives a notification. This ensures transparency and keeps the record owner informed about updates or modifications.
Notes:
- All record-level permissions are managed through the Default Access Level feature, while actions at the related list level, such as activities, are configured using Profile Permissions. For example, if a user has permission to create activities, they can still add activities to a record's related list, even if the Default Access Level feature grants them view-only access to the record.
- If peers with access to your record make changes like edits or deletions, they cannot be undone.