Understand User Roles and Permissions

    Every user in Pipeline CRM has three things that decide what they can do: a role, an access type, and a set of permissions. This article explains what each one controls.

    Before you start: You need Account Admin permissions. Everything below is set at Settings > General > Users.

    The Three Parts of a User's Access

    Part

    What it controls

    Role

    How much of the account's data the user can see

    Access type

    Whether the user can add and edit data at all

    Permissions

    Specific actions the user is allowed to take, like exporting or merging

    You set all three in the same place, at the same time — when you invite the user, or later by editing them.

    User Roles

    Role

    What they can access

    Belongs to a team?

    Team Member (default)

    Sees and edits records based on their team's settings

    Yes

    Team Leader

    Manages and edits data for their team, or the whole account

    Yes

    Executive

    Sees and edits all data across the account

    No

    SuperShare (External User)

    Views the deal list view only, and only lists that have been shared with them

    No

    Tip: SuperShare is designed for people outside your company — a client or a partner who needs to see one shared list and nothing else. See SuperShare Setup for the full walkthrough.

    Access Types

    Every user is either Normal or Read-only. This is the single biggest switch on the account.

    • Normal access — the user can add and edit all types of data.
    • Read-only access — the user cannot add or edit any records, but they can add and comment on activities.

    Note: Read-only does not mean silent. A read-only user can still log an activity and comment on activities. What they cannot do is create or edit records such as companies, people, and deals.

    Permissions

    Permissions are the checkboxes below the access type. Each one grants a specific action on top of the user's role.

    Permission

    What it allows

    Account Admin

    Manage this Pipeline account, including settings, users, and billing

    Can merge records

    Combine records for companies, deals, and people

    Can delete people & deals

    Delete the people and deals that they own

    Can export reports

    Export list view and reporting data for records they can see or edit

    Can send bulk emails

    Send mass emails via the People and Deals list views

    Can manage email campaigns

    Create and manage email campaigns (if enabled on your account)

    Can change company owner

    Change the company owner on company records they can see or edit

    Can create company via shortcut

    Create a new company record while creating a deal or person record

    Tip: These same descriptions are built into the product. In the invite window, click Permission descriptions to expand them.

    Set a User's Role and Permissions

    1. Go to Settings > General > Users.
    2. Click \+ Add users to invite someone new, or click an existing user's name to change their access.
    3. Choose a Role.
    4. Choose a Team. Team Member and Team Leader must belong to one; Executive and SuperShare cannot.
    5. Select Normal access or Read-only access.
    6. Check the permissions you want to grant.
    7. Click Send Invite for a new user, or save your changes for an existing one.

    Check Who Has What

    • The Active users tab lists every user's Role, whether they're an Admin or Read-Only, their synced email status, and their last login.
    • The Users security tab shows who has multi-factor authentication enabled and who still needs to set it up.
    • The Org chart tab shows your teams and reporting lines visually.

    Common Questions

    Can I change a user's role later? Yes. Click the user's name on the Active users tab and update their role, team, access type, or permissions at any time.

    What happens to a user's records if I change their role? Record ownership doesn't change when a role changes. To move records to someone else, use Reassign data. See Removing a User.

    Why can't I see another user's API key? API keys follow the role hierarchy, so you only see keys for users at or below your own level.

    Need help? Contact support at customercare@pipelinecrm.com.