Overview
Keeping content organized in folders helps everyone find and use the right dashboards and workbooks. This article explains how folder permissions work, how to structure your folders, and how to control who can view, edit, or manage content. For instructions on actually sharing content, see Sharing Content with Users in Insights.
Understanding Content Access Permissions
A user’s role (No Access, Viewer, Editor, or Manager) affects what they can do with your content in Insights. These roles can be set at either the folder or document level. Here’s a quick guide:
Access Roles and Permissions
Role | View dashboards | Explore workbooks | Update content | Manage permissions |
No Access | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
Viewer | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
Editor | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Manager | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
No Access: The user will not see the folder at all, with the exception of the Shared Group Folder. This folder will always be present to users, but if the user has not been granted Viewer or higher access to any folder or content within the Shared Group Folder, they will see nothing when opening the Shared Group Folder.
Viewer: Can view dashboards.
Editor: Can update content but not manage access.
Manager: Can do everything, including setting permissions.
Tip: Always assign the lowest role a user needs—and use No Access when someone shouldn’t see the folder or its contents at all.
The Shared Group Folder and Default Access
Every organization in Insights has a single Group Folder at the top of its content structure.
By default, all users have Viewer access to the Shared Group Folder.
Admins have Manager access and can restructure folders or change access levels for others.
If you want a more controlled setup (so users see only what’s intended), start by:
Going to the Shared Group Folder’s settings.
Changing the organization-wide role from Viewer to No Access.
Removing any user-specific roles listed underneath.
This step is critical: folder access in Insights becomes more permissive as you go deeper, so the most restrictive access must be set at the top. Otherwise, users may inherit access you didn’t intend.
Every customer has a shared group folder in the Hub. By default:
All users in the organization have a Viewer role on this shared group folder.
Admins have a Manager role on the shared group folder.
Because Admins have Manager permissions, they can adjust the folder’s default settings, add subfolders, and fine-tune individual users’ roles within the subfolders. If you need a more restrictive setup, Admins can lower the default permissions for users, then selectively grant higher roles (Editor or Manager) within subfolders or documents.
Remember: While you can’t create extra “top-level” folders in the Hub, you can nest folders inside your group folder up to seven levels deep.
Structuring Permissions: Restrictive First, Then Selective
Permissions in Insights are inherited and additive:
Subfolders automatically inherit access from their parent folder.
You can add more access at lower levels, but you cannot restrict access more than what the parent allows.
If a folder is visible to a user, they’ll also see its subfolders—unless those subfolders contain nothing the user is permitted to open.
Best Practice: Start by applying No Access at the top (Shared Group Folder), then grant access only where needed, folder by folder.
Real-World Example: Larger Organization with Multiple Regions and Hotels
Let’s apply the permissions structure within the context of a larger organization’s hierarchy to see how you can use it for your own folder and content organization.
Step-by-Step Structure for Controlled Access: Role-based visibility
Step 1: Restrict the Top Level
Set the Group Folder to No Access for everyone except Admins or designated Managers.
Step 2: Add Regional Folders
Create “Region 1” and “Region 2” folders.
Grant Regional Directors appropriate roles (e.g., Manager or Editor) in their respective regional folders.
Step 3: Add Hotel Subfolders
Within Region 1, add “Hotel A” and “Hotel B.”
Within Region 2, add “Hotel C."
Assign each hotel team Viewer or Editor roles on their own hotel folder only.
Step 4: Place Dashboards and Workbooks
Upload or move each hotel’s dashboards into their corresponding hotel folder.
Hotel teams will only see content in the folders where they’ve been explicitly given access.
Assigning Access Roles to Users
To assign or change a user’s access:
Select the folder or document.
Click Share.
In Share with users, choose individuals or groups.
Select a role: No Access, Viewer, Editor, or Manager.
Click Share to confirm.
Note: “No Access” is a valid role and ensures a user does not see the selected folder or content. This ensures that the right people have the right level of access while keeping content secure and organized.
Next Steps and Additional Help
For details on sharing content with others, see Sharing Content with Users in Insights. If you have any questions or run into problems, please reach out to our Advisory team via in-platform chat. We’re happy to help!