> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.dillien.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.dillien.com/users-and-access.md).

# How access works

Roles decide what someone can do in the data room. Access decides what they can see and do with each folder, file and request.

Two things decide what someone can do in a data room: their **role** and their **access**. You manage both under **Users & Access** in the left menu.

<figure><img src="https://1689311922-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FRVnrAcSJ77KUgime7CWw%2Fuploads%2F8SPC4IAugsCVCJmv4zuI%2Frole-and-access.svg?alt=media" alt="Two panels. Role, for the whole data room: Emma Berg is an Admin, with Users &#x26; access, Data room settings, Structure management, Work assignment and Work approval ticked, and Subscription not ticked. It&#x27;s set on the Roles tab. Access, for each folder, file and request: View is on for the folder 1. Company information and both files in it. Download is ticked for all of them except 1.2 Company ownership. The folder 2. Agreements has View off and is not accessible. It&#x27;s set on the Access tab."><figcaption><p>A role covers the whole data room. Access is set item by item.</p></figcaption></figure>

## Role: what someone can do in the data room

A role covers tasks that apply to the whole data room, such as:

* inviting users, giving them roles and access, and removing them
* changing data room settings and the subscription
* organising the folder structure and editing items others have uploaded
* approving work before the other side sees it
* assigning tasks to people on their own side

You find the roles on the **Roles** tab. You only see your own side's roles, and each side chooses the roles for its own team.

### The standard roles

| Permission                                                 | Data room creator | Admin | Standard | Restricted |
| ---------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------- | ----- | -------- | ---------- |
| **Users & access** (invite, set access, remove users)      | Yes               | Yes   | Yes      | No         |
| **Data room settings**                                     | Yes               | Yes   | No       | No         |
| **Subscription**                                           | Yes               | No    | No       | No         |
| **Structure management** (organise and edit others' items) | Yes               | Yes   | No       | No         |
| **Work assignment** (Project Management)                   | Yes               | Yes   | No       | No         |
| **Work approval** (approve others' work)                   | Yes               | Yes   | No       | No         |

The standard roles can't be changed. **Data room creator** is the person who created the data room, and nobody else can change their role. If the data room doesn't use Project Management or Approvals, those permissions aren't shown.

### Make your own role

1. On the **Roles** tab, select **Create new role**.
2. Give it a **Role name** and select **Create**.
3. Tick the permissions the role should have. Changes are saved straight away.

If you delete a role, everyone who had it gets **Restricted**.

### Change someone's role

On the **Users** tab, choose a new role in the **Role** column next to the person. You can only change roles on your own side, and only to a role with the same or fewer permissions than your own. You can't change your own role.

## Access: what someone can do with each item

Access is set per person, on the data room as a whole, a folder, a file or a request. These are the columns on the **Access** tab:

| Column               | Who it's for | What it allows                                                                                                       |
| -------------------- | ------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **View**             | Both sides   | See and open the item.                                                                                               |
| **Download**         | Both sides   | Download the item.                                                                                                   |
| **Q\&A**             | Both sides   | Sell-side: reply to questions. Buy-side: ask and reply.                                                              |
| **Resolve & upload** | Sell-side    | Resolve requests with files or text, and upload files.                                                               |
| **Add items**        | Buy-side     | Add additional requests and folders. Not in data rooms with [several bidders](/users-and-access/several-bidders.md). |
| **Review**           | Buy-side     | View and add findings, and review the item.                                                                          |

Without **View**, the person still sees that the item is there, with its number, but as *Not accessible folder*, *Not accessible file* or *Not accessible request*. They can't open it.

**Q\&A**, **Resolve & upload** and **Add items** can also be set to **With approval**. The person can then do the work, but someone on their side checks it before the other side sees it. See [How approvals work](/approvals.md).

## Who sets what

The sell-side decides what the buy-side can see and download. The buy-side decides what its own people can do with it.

<figure><img src="https://1689311922-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FRVnrAcSJ77KUgime7CWw%2Fuploads%2F9qyh4BH9vgFnh1eEJq6w%2Fwho-sets-access.svg?alt=media" alt="Who sets each column on the Access tab. For a sell-side user, the sell-side sets View, Download, Q&#x26;A and Resolve &#x26; upload. For a buy-side user, the sell-side sets View and Download, and the buy-side sets Q&#x26;A, Add items and Review. The buy-side can turn View off, but not on."><figcaption><p>Each side manages its own team, but only the sell-side can give the buy-side View and Download.</p></figcaption></figure>

|                        | For the sell-side's people                                | For the buy-side's people                                                          |
| ---------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **The sell-side sets** | **View**, **Download**, **Q\&A** and **Resolve & upload** | **View** and **Download**                                                          |
| **The buy-side sets**  | Nothing. The buy-side doesn't see the sell-side's access. | **Q\&A**, **Add items** and **Review**. It can also turn **View** off, but not on. |

To change access for others, you need a role with **Users & access**.

So if someone on the buy-side can't open a folder, or can open it but not download, the sell-side has to change it. See [Give someone download access](/users-and-access/give-download-access.md).

## Change someone's access

1. In **Users & Access**, select the **Access** tab.
2. Select the person. On the sell-side, choose **Sell-side** or **Buy-side** first.
3. In the table, change the columns for the data room, a folder or a file. Select the arrow next to a folder to see what's inside.
4. Select **Save**.

To see everyone's access to one folder instead, select **Switch to folder view**. You can also set access when you [invite someone](/users-and-access/invite-people.md#choose-access), by choosing **Custom Access**.

## Access follows the folder

Access you set on a folder applies to everything inside it. You can give a single item its own access. The folder then shows a badge with the number of items inside that differ, and the item gets a reset button that makes it follow the folder again.

<figure><img src="https://1689311922-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FRVnrAcSJ77KUgime7CWw%2Fuploads%2FMlpWWpx9WNEYE7GP8uQy%2Faccess-table.png?alt=media" alt="The Access tab with Emma Berg selected. Download is ticked on every item except one file, which has a reset button next to it. The folder above shows a badge with the number 1."><figcaption><p>Download is off for one file. The badge on the folder above shows that one item inside differs.</p></figcaption></figure>

To turn something on inside a folder, **View** has to be on for the folder above it.

## You can't give more than you have

You can only give others the same or less access than you have yourself, and you can't change your own access. Ask someone with more access to do it.

## Common setups

| You want                                                                       | Do this                                                                                                                                                                                |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| A colleague who answers requests, but doesn't invite people or change settings | Give them the **Restricted** role, and **Resolve & upload** and **Q\&A** on the folders they work on.                                                                                  |
| A colleague who can invite people, but not change settings                     | Give them the **Standard** role.                                                                                                                                                       |
| A senior colleague to check answers before the other side sees them            | Set the team's **Resolve & upload** and **Q\&A** to **With approval**, and give the senior colleague a role with **Work approval**. See [How approvals work](/approvals.md#set-it-up). |
| An adviser who only needs one folder                                           | [Invite them](/users-and-access/invite-people.md#choose-access) with **Custom Access**, and turn on **View** for that folder only.                                                     |
| A buyer who can read files but not download them                               | On the sell-side, turn on **View** and leave **Download** off.                                                                                                                         |
| Several buyers who mustn't see each other                                      | Use bidder groups. See [Run a data room with several bidders](/users-and-access/several-bidders.md).                                                                                   |

## Troubleshooting

| Message                                                                                     | What it means                                                                                                        |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| *Buy-side can only reduce view from Yes to No. To increase it later, ask sell-side.*        | Only the sell-side can give someone on the buy-side **View**. Ask your contact on the sell-side.                     |
| *Only sell-side can change download settings for buy-side.*                                 | Only the sell-side can give someone on the buy-side **Download**.                                                    |
| *You need this permission yourself to change it for others on this item.*                   | You can't give more than you have. Ask someone who has it.                                                           |
| *View is turned off for the parent. Turn it on first to change sub-items.*                  | Turn on **View** for the folder above first.                                                                         |
| *You don't have access to this item. Please contact an administrator for more information.* | You don't have **View** on the item. Ask an admin on your side. On the buy-side, they may need to ask the sell-side. |

## Guides

* [Invite people to a data room](/users-and-access/invite-people.md)
* [Give someone download access](/users-and-access/give-download-access.md)
* [How approvals work](/approvals.md)
* [Run a data room with several bidders](/users-and-access/several-bidders.md)