> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://academy.shade.inc/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://academy.shade.inc/sharing-and-collaboration/permission-management-overview.md).

# Permission Management Overview

We designed permissions to be managed at the workspace, drive, folder, and file level. Anyone that is not a workspace member or admin is considered a **workspace guest**.

{% embed url="<https://youtu.be/5ySa_BG-8KE?si=Vn8WXzixDYa1rlEx>" %}

For a more detailed overview, visit the [Workspace and Drive Permissions](/sharing-and-collaboration/workspace-and-drive-permissions.md) page:

### Workspace Permissions

#### Adding workspace members:

Workspace members can be invited by navigating to the workspace Settings > Members tab. Workspace members and admins have the following permissions:

#### **Workspace Admins**

Member permissions and:

* Add workspace members
* Control billing
* View workspace usage details
* Manage all drives and permissions across the workspace

Workspace owners cannot leave a workspace without transferring ownership to another admin

#### **Workspace Members**

Your core team that can:

* Create new drives
* Manage drive configurations for drives where they have been granted Manager permissions
* Manage drive access for guests on drives where they have Manager permissions
* Manage file and folder permissions for guests on drives where they have access
* Mount Drives

**Note:** Workspace members do not automatically have Manager permissions on existing drives. Admins must explicitly grant Manager permissions on each drive, or set default inheritance permissions for the workspace.

#### **Workspace Contributors**

Contributors get the same inherited drive access as members and can mount drives, but they cannot create new drives.

#### **Workspace Contractors**

Contractors are workspace members who do not inherit access to any drives. They only see the drives, folders, and files they have been explicitly invited to. Contractors are listed in the **Contractors** tab of Settings > Members.

Contributors and contractors count toward your workspace's paid seats, just like members.

#### Groups

Groups let you give several people the same access at once. Workspace admins manage groups from the **Groups** tab of Settings > Members:

* Click **Create Group**, enter a group name, and find and add the users you want in the group
* Click a group to see its members, and use **Add User** to add more people
* Use a group's **Actions** menu to rename or delete it. Deleting a group does not remove its users from the workspace

To give a group access to a drive, go to Settings > \[drive name] > Permissions, click **Invite to drive**, and add the group just as you would a person. Groups with access to a drive are listed in the **Groups** tab of that drive's Permissions page.

Groups synced from your identity provider can't be renamed or deleted in Shade, and their users can't be removed in Shade.

#### Viewing All Permissions for a Workspace

Workspace admins can see a global view of all permissions from the workspace Settings > Members page. Selecting an individual on this page will reveal the tree of what they have access to.

#### Workspace Permission Inheritance

Workspace admins can manage the **default inheritance permissions** of drives. These define the access level workspace members will have to newly created drives and can be applied to existing drives. The default inheritance permissions are `Full Access` by default, but this does not automatically grant Manager permissions unless explicitly set.

To change it, go to Settings > Members and use **Default Access for New Drives** under **Drive Inheritance**. The new level only applies to drives created afterwards. After you change it, Shade asks **Update existing drives?** so you can choose which existing drives, if any, should switch to the new level.

**Important:** Members must be explicitly granted Manager permissions on each drive by admins, or admins can set default inheritance permissions for the workspace that will apply to new drives.

### Drive Permissions

#### Adding drive members

Drive members can be invited by navigating from the workspace Settings > \[drive name] > PermissionsMembers tab. Workspace members will only have the permissions explicitly granted to them on each drive:

**Viewer:** Only view files

**Downloader:** Can view and download files

**Commenting:** Viewer permissions plus commenting

**Editor:** Commenting permissions plus file deletion, renaming, and reorganization

**Full Access:** Editor permissions plus file-level permission management

**Drive Manager (Admin):** Full Access permissions plus drive renaming, deletion and drive-level permission management.

#### Viewing All Permissions for a Drive

Drive managers and workspace admins can see a global view of all permissions from the workspace Settings > \[drive name] > PermissionsMembers page. Selecting an individual on this page will reveal the tree of what they have access to.

### File and Folder Permissions

Workspace and drive members will already have access to all files in their respective workspace or drive based on their drive-level permissions. Guests can be invited to files and folders by right clicking on the asset or asset path. Guests can be invited to files and folders with the following permissions:

**Viewer:** Only view files

**Downloader:** Viewer permissions plus downloading

**Commenting:** Viewer permissions plus commenting

**Editor:** Commenting permissions plus deletion, renaming, and reorganization

**Full Access:** Editor permissions plus permission management

### Published Links

Published links are great for inviting external collaborators that need temporary access to a folder or file. You can create a link from one of your workspace's link templates or create a custom link.

**Default link templates**

* Editor: View, download, comment, view asset details, upload, and view stack versions
* Reviewer: View, download, comment, view asset details, and view stack versions
* Client: View, download, and view asset details

Workspace admins can edit these templates or add new ones in Settings > Sharing.

**Custom link permissions**

* Download assets
* Comment
* View asset details (with optional Edit asset metadata and Visible metadata)
* Upload
* View Stack Versions

Published links can also use passwords, expiration dates, view limits, and watermarking. Link activity can be reviewed after sharing. See [Published Links](/sharing-and-collaboration/published-links.md) for details.


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