Understanding Roles and Permissions

Atlock uses Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to manage what each user can see and do on the platform. Every user is assigned a role, and each role has a specific set of permissions.

Accessing Access Control

1. Navigate to Team > Access Control in the sidebar (shortcut: `G` then `U`).
2. You will see two tabs: Users and Roles.

Default Roles

Atlock comes with four built-in roles:

Company Admin

• Full access to all features, settings, and data.
• Can create, edit, and delete other users and roles.
• Can access billing and subscription management.
• Can view the audit log.
• Typically assigned to company owners and senior managers.

Supervisor

• Access to operational features (scheduling, incidents, reports).
• Can manage guards assigned to their sites.
• Cannot access billing, API settings, or company-wide settings.
• Cannot create or modify roles.

Guard

• Access to the mobile app only (not the admin dashboard).
• Can clock in/out, complete patrols, file reports, and view their schedule.
• Cannot access any admin features.

Dispatcher

• Access to the Command Center for ticket management.
• Can create, assign, and resolve dispatch tickets.
• Can view guard locations and active shifts.
• Limited access to other admin features.

Note: Default roles cannot be deleted, but their permissions can be customized.

Custom Roles

You can create custom roles with granular permissions to match your organization's structure.

Creating a Custom Role

1. Go to Access Control > Roles tab.
2. Click Create Role.
3. Enter a Role Name (e.g., "Site Manager", "HR Coordinator").
4. Optionally add a Description.
5. Configure permissions by toggling individual capabilities:

Permission Categories

1. Click Save Role.

Editing a Custom Role

1. In the Roles tab, find the role you want to modify.
2. Click the Edit (pencil) icon.
3. Adjust permissions as needed.
4. Click Save Changes.

Warning: Changing role permissions takes effect immediately for all users with that role.

Role Comparison

To compare permissions between two roles side by side:

1. Go to Access Control > Roles.
2. Click Compare Roles.
3. Select two roles to compare.
4. A side-by-side view shows which permissions each role has.

Managing User Roles

Assigning a Role to a User

1. Go to Access Control > Users tab.
2. Find the user (use the search bar for large teams).
3. Click the user's row to open their profile.
4. In the Role dropdown, select the desired role.
5. Click Save.

Bulk Role Assignment

1. In the Users tab, select multiple users using the checkboxes.
2. Click Bulk Actions > Assign Role.
3. Choose the role and confirm.

How Permissions Work

• View permissions let users see data but not modify it.
• Create permissions let users add new records.
• Edit permissions let users modify existing records.
• Delete permissions let users remove records.
• Manage permissions combine create, edit, and delete into one toggle.

Permissions are additive — a user has the combined permissions of their assigned role. There are no "deny" permissions.

Tips & Best Practices

• Principle of least privilege — Give users only the permissions they need for their job function.
• Audit regularly — Review roles and user assignments quarterly to ensure they are still appropriate.
• Use custom roles — Instead of giving everyone Supervisor access, create targeted roles like "Scheduling Manager" or "Report Viewer".
• Test before deploying — After creating a new role, log in as a test user with that role to verify the experience.

Troubleshooting

User can't see a feature

• Check their assigned role in Access Control.
• Verify the role has the required permission for that feature.
• Some features also require subscription-level access (feature gates).

Role changes not taking effect

• Ask the user to refresh their browser or re-open the mobile app.
• Changes are applied immediately but cached sessions may need a refresh.

Can't create roles

• Only Company Admins can create and manage roles.
• Verify your own role has the `users.assign_role` permission.

Related Articles

• Understanding the Admin Dashboard
• Inviting Guards to the Platform
• Configuring Company Settings
• Viewing the Audit Log