Workspace Permissions and Sharing

Introduction 

In Bearish OS, managing who can access and contribute to your workspaces is key to maintaining smooth collaboration and security. Workspace permissions allow you to control what team members and external collaborators can see and do within your workspaces. With a range of permission levels and sharing options, you have full control over how workspaces and their items are managed.

Permission Levels

Bearish OS offers multiple levels of permissions to accommodate various collaboration needs. Each user you add to a workspace can be assigned a specific role that determines their access level:

• Owner: The creator of the workspace or anyone assigned the highest level of access. Owners can do everything within the workspace, including managing all content, adjusting permissions, and deleting the workspace.

• Admin: Admins have similar permissions to owners but may not have access to deleting the workspace. They can manage members, update content, and oversee workflows.

• Editor: Editors have access to all items within the workspace and can make changes. This includes editing documents, updating boards, adding tasks, and more. Editors cannot change the workspace settings or permissions.

• Commenter: Commenters can view all content within the workspace and leave feedback or comments. However, they cannot make direct edits to any items.

• Viewer: Viewers can access and read the content within the workspace but cannot interact with it. They cannot leave comments or make any changes.

Setting Permissions for Users

When creating or managing a workspace, you can assign specific permission levels to users:

1. Adding Users:

   • Navigate to your workspace and select “Manage Members” from the workspace settings.
   • Click on “Add Member”, then enter the email address or username of the person you want to add.
   • Select their permission level (Owner, Admin, Editor, Commenter, or Viewer) based on their role in the project.
   • Click “Invite” to send the user an invitation to join the workspace.

2. Adjusting Permissions:

   • If you need to change a user’s permission level, go to “Manage Members” and find the user in the list.
   • Use the dropdown menu next to their name to change their role, such as upgrading them from a Commenter to an Editor or downgrading from Admin to Viewer.

3. Removing Users:

   • To remove a member from a workspace, navigate to “Manage Members” and select the “Remove” option next to the user’s name.

Sharing Workspaces with External Collaborators

Bearish OS allows you to share workspaces with people outside your organization, ensuring seamless collaboration with clients, contractors, or partners. You have control over how much access these external collaborators have:

1. Invite External Users:

   • Follow the same steps for adding internal users, but enter the external collaborator's email address.
   • Assign them an appropriate permission level based on what they need to access or contribute to.

2. Sharing Workspace Links:

   • You can generate a shareable link for your workspace, which can be sent to external collaborators.
   • Links can be set to View Only, Comment, or Edit access, depending on the level of collaboration needed.
   • For added security, you can set an expiration date for the link, after which access will be revoked.

Sharing Specific Items within a Workspace

If you don’t want to share an entire workspace, Bearish OS allows you to share specific items such as a document, task board, or grid:

1. Share Individual Items:

   • Select the item (e.g., a document or board) you want to share within the workspace.
   • Click the “Share” button and choose the people you want to invite.
   • Assign specific permissions for that item, which can be different from their workspace-wide permissions. For example, a user may have Viewer access to the workspace but Editor access to a specific document.

2. Setting Access for External Sharing:

   • If you need to share a specific item with someone outside the workspace, you can generate a Shareable Link for that item.
   • Choose the appropriate access level (View, Comment, or Edit) and set any restrictions like password protection or expiration dates to control external access.

Public Workspaces and Content

For teams that want to share knowledge or projects with a broader audience, Bearish OS offers options for making workspaces public:

1. Make a Workspace Public:

   • In the workspace settings, toggle the “Public Workspace” option. This will allow anyone with the link to view the workspace, regardless of whether they have a Bearish OS account.
   • You can choose whether public users have View Only or Comment access, but they won’t be able to edit any content unless they are invited as a member with higher permissions.

2. Public Sharing for Individual Items:

   • You can also make specific documents, wikis, or presentations public without sharing the entire workspace.
   • Use the “Share” feature within each item, and toggle the option for Public Access. A public link will be generated, which can be shared with anyone outside your workspace.

Managing Permissions for Multiple Items

Bearish OS allows you to manage permissions across multiple items simultaneously, which is particularly helpful when dealing with large workspaces:

1. Batch Assign Permissions:

   • From the “Manage Members” section, select multiple items like documents, boards, or tasks that you want to update.
   • Assign or adjust permissions for all selected items in one go, rather than having to set permissions for each item individually.

2. Templates for Permissions:

   • If you frequently create similar workspaces, you can set up Permission Templates. These templates predefine roles and access levels for different types of projects or workspaces, speeding up the setup process

Best Practices for Workspace Permissions

To make sure your workspace remains secure and organized:

• Assign Roles Thoughtfully: Only grant Admin or Editor access to those who truly need it. Limiting access reduces the chance of accidental changes.

• Regularly Review Permissions: As projects progress, review member permissions to ensure the right people have access to the right information. Remove any users who no longer need access.

• Use Commenters and Viewers: For team members or external collaborators who only need to provide feedback or stay informed, assigning Commenter or Viewer roles keeps things streamlined and secure.

• Set Expiration Dates for External Access: When sharing with external collaborators, consider setting expiration dates for links or access. This ensures that once their involvement ends, their access does too.

Audit Trails and Activity Logs

Bearish OS includes audit trails and activity logs to track user actions within a workspace:

• Monitor User Activity: See who made changes to specific items, what updates were made, and when. This ensures transparency and accountability within the workspace.

• Track Access: For public or shared links, you can track how many people have viewed the workspace or individual items, giving you insights into engagement and security.

Managing workspace permissions and sharing is vital to maintaining a productive, secure environment in Bearish OS. With flexible options and easy-to-use controls, you can ensure that the right people have access to the right information—without compromising the integrity of your projects or sensitive data.