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Users and roles

Brightspot uses permissions to limit access to certain features based on a user's role. This section describes creating users and roles, assigning permissions and scopes, and more.

Users​

This guide provides detailed information on managing your users within Brightspot.

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Creating users​

This topic describes how to create a user in Brightspot.

  1. Click > Admin > Users & Roles.
  2. In the Users widget, click New Tool User.
  3. Using the following tables as a reference, complete the fields as needed.
  4. Click Save.

The following tables describe the available user settings.

FieldDescription
PermissionsUser's roles.

• Full Access—Default setting. The user has no role and therefore has all permissions.
• Roles—Assign roles from a list. You can select multiple roles.
• Site Specific Roles—Click Add Site Specific Roles to specify sites and associate roles with these sites. For details, see Site-specific roles.
NameUser's name. Brightspot displays this name for any content that this user creates or edits. The name also appears in various widgets.
EmailUser's email address. If blank, Brightspot applies the user's username.
UsernameUser's username. This value is used when logging in to Brightspot.
PasswordUser's password.
• Change—Displays fields for adding or changing a user's password.
• Keep Same—Retains current password. If you are creating a new user and select this option, the user will not be able to log in.
Change password on loginForces the user to change the password on next login.
AvatarUser's avatar. The avatar appears in the header and in various Brightspot widgets.
• None—No avatar associated with the user.
• New Upload—Displays a field for uploading an avatar.
• New URL—Displays a field for entering an avatar's URL.
LocaleUser's language and location. Brightspot's appearance changes to the selected language. For example, if you select Spanish, Brightspot appears in Spanish. If the selected language is not available, Brightspot appears in English.
Time ZoneUser's time zone.
Phone NumberUser's phone number for receiving text messages from Brightspot. For information about receiving text messages from Brightspot, see Notifications.
Guide OpenToggle on to open Guide by default each time the user logs in to Brightspot.
Site Owner Filter OverrideFilters search results by site owner.
• Current Site—The user only sees content in search results owned by the current site.
• All Sites (None Selected)—The user sees content in search results owned by any site.
• Select—The user sees content in search results owned by the sites you select.
Localization
FieldDescription
Content LocaleThe locale used on newly created content.
Search Locale OverrideThe locale selected by default in search results.
Notifications
FieldDescription
Delivery MethodsAvailable default delivery methods. See Delivery methods.
SubscriptionsAvailable default subscriptions. See Subscriptions.
Automatic SubscriptionsAutomatic subscriptions configured by the Brightspot administrator. Users can specify delivery methods for all such subscriptions as well as opt out of them. See Managing automatic subscriptions.

Editing users​

This topic describes how to create a user in Brightspot.

  1. Click > Admin > Users & Roles.
  2. In the Users widget, in the Search field, and start typing the user's name.
  3. Click the user you want to edit.
  4. Using Creating users, update the user's settings as required.
  5. Click Save.

Copying users​

This topic describes how to copy a user in Brightspot.

  1. Click > Admin > Users & Roles.
  2. In the Users widget, in the Search field, and start typing the user's name.
  3. Click the user you want to edit.
  4. At the top of the edit form, click , then click Copy This Tool User.

Archiving users​

This topic describes how to archive a user in Brightspot.

  1. Click > Admin > Users & Roles.
  2. In the Users widget, in the Search field, and start typing the user's name.
  3. Click the user you want to edit.
  4. At the bottom of the edit form, click Archive.
  5. In the confirmation prompt, click OK.

Restoring users​

This topic describes how to restore a user in Brightspot.

  1. Click > Admin > Users & Roles.
  2. In the Users widget, in the Search field, and start typing the user's name.
  3. Click the user you want to edit.
  4. At the top of the edit form, click .

Viewing user history​

This topic describes how to view a history of actions taken on a user.

Note

This does not show the actions a user has taken in Brightspot; only the actions taken on the user, like when the user was created, archived, restored, etc.

  1. Click > Admin > Users & Roles.
  2. In the Users widget, in the Search field, and start typing the user's name.
  3. Click the user you want to edit.
  4. At the top of the edit form, click , then click History.

Deleting users​

This topic describes how to delete a user in Brightspot.

  1. Click > Admin > Users & Roles.
  2. In the Users widget, in the Search field, and start typing the user's name.
  3. Click the user you want to edit.
  4. At the top of the edit form, click , then click Delete Permanently.
  5. In the confirmation prompt, click OK.

Impersonating users​

You can use Brightspot as a different user. This is useful when you need to verify that a user's role or permissions are configured correctly. For example, Olivia configured a role, Proofreader, with access only to the Workstreams and Scheduled Events widgets on the dashboard. Olivia can impersonate a user who has the Proofreader role to verify the dashboard is configured correctly.

5.0-typical-administrator's-dashboard 5.0-impersonated-user's-dashboard
  1. Click > Admin > Users & Roles.
  2. Select the user you want to impersonate.
  3. Click , and from the menu, select Impersonate This Tool User.

You return to the dashboard as seen by the impersonated user. A banner appears above the header indicating the user you are impersonating.

Note

In widgets that show an editor's name, such as the Version History widget, the impersonated user's name appears.

To stop impersonating the user, click Stop Impersonating in the banner above the header.

Searching all users​

You can view all users in your site in a list. This is helpful if you want to view a list of multiple users at once, including their roles and any attributes you include in your search criteria. For details on search filtering, see Adding fields to search results.

5.0-user-list
  1. Click > Admin > Users & Roles.
  2. At the top of the users list, click .
  3. Apply filters and sort through users as necessary.

Roles​

Each role has an associated list of permissions needed to access features and areas within Brightspot. For example, administrators typically have access to all sites, tabs, widgets, and the entire left navigation. Editors typically have access only to those sites, tabs, widgets, and items on in the left navigation menu associated with the content they provide.

In addition to a single role given to an administrator or editor, you may also assign site-specific roles that differ depending on the site in which the administrator or editor is working.

Creating roles​

This topic covers how to create a role in Brightspot.

  1. Click > Admin > Users & Roles.
  2. In the Roles widget, click New Tool Role.
  3. Using the following tabs as a reference, configure the role.
  4. Click Save.
FieldDescription
NameName of role.

Permission Settings:

FieldDescription
SitesSpecifies the sites to which the role has access.
AreasSpecifies the areas in the left navigation available to the role.
UISpecifies the actions a user can take:

- Content Unlock—The role can unlock an asset-level lock.
- Disable Content Unlock–The role can prevent other users from unlocking assets they opened.
- Edit Guide Field Editorial Note–The role can edit the granular Guides note for a field.
- Field Unlock–The role can unlock a field-level lock.
- Impersonate User–The role can impersonate another user.
- Image Editor–The role can access the image editor.
- Manage Watchers–The role can add or remove watchers on an asset.
- Manage Reports–The role can manage content reports.
- Pin Posts–The role can pin posts in the Conversation widget.
- Site Site Tool Theme–The role can modify Brightspot's appearance and layout for a site.
- Set Global Tool Theme–The role can modify Brightspot's appearance and layout for all users.
- View All Collections–The role can view all shared collections within their sites. When this permission is absent, users with this role can only view their own collections.
TypesSpecifies the content types available to the role.

- Content Type–Specifies which content types the role can see. Also allows you to specify the content form a role can see, whether assets are read-only after publish, which actions are available to the role (Archive, Publish, etc.), and even which specific assets of a specified content type the role can see.
- External Type–Specifies which external types the role can see. The options in this list depend on which integrations you have enabled.
- Other Type–Specifies which fields or within a content type or sites the role can see. Also allows you to specify whether the field is read-only after publish, which actions are available to the role (Archive, Publish, etc.), and even which specific fields of specific assets of a specified content type the role can see.
DeveloperSpecifies developer-level features available to the role, like whether the HTML toggle is available in the rich-text toolbar, or whether the role can view field-level developer information.
Additional PermissionsA list of additional permissions that depend on which integrations and plugins you have enabled. See the relevant documentation for more information on these permissions.
Site Specific PermissionsAllows you to designate permissions on a specified site.

Editing roles​

This topic covers how to edit a role in Brightspot.

  1. Click > Admin > Users & Roles. The Roles widget is displayed on the left side of the page.
  2. In the Roles widget, click the role you want to edit.
  3. Using Creating roles, update the role's settings as required.
  4. Click Save.

Copying roles​

This topic describes how to copy a role in Brightspot.

  1. Click > Admin > Users & Roles.
  2. In the Roles widget, find the role you want to copy.
  3. At the top of the edit form, click , then click Copy This Tool User.

Archiving roles​

This topic describes how to archive a role in Brightspot.

  1. Click > Admin > Users & Roles.
  2. In the Roles widget, find the role you want to archive.
  3. At the bottom of the edit form, click Archive.
  4. In the confirmation prompt, click OK.

Restoring roles​

This topic describes how to restore a user in Brightspot.

  1. Click > Admin > Users & Roles.
  2. In the Roles widget, find the role you want to restore.
  3. At the top of the edit form, click .

Viewing role history​

This topic describes how to view a history of actions taken on a role.

Note

This does not show the actions a role has taken in Brightspot; only the actions taken on the role, like when the role was created, archived, restored, etc.

  1. Click > Admin > Users & Roles.
  2. In the Roles widget, find the role whose history you want to see.
  3. At the top of the edit form, click , then click History.

Deleting roles​

This topic describes how to delete a role in Brightspot.

  1. Click > Admin > Users & Roles.
  2. In the Roles widget, find the role you want to delete.
  3. At the top of the edit form, click , then click Delete Permanently.
  4. In the confirmation prompt, click OK.

Site-specific roles​

If users require different levels of permissions across sites, you can assign site-specific roles.

Note

To assign site-specific roles, the role must first be created, and it must be associated to all sites (configured in the role's Sites field). For details, see Creating roles.

  1. Click > Admin > Users & Roles.
  2. From the Users list, in the Search field, and search for an existing user.
  3. Click the user to whom you want to assign site-specific roles.
  4. From the Permissions list, select Site Specific Roles.
  5. Click Add Site Specific Roles to add a new site-specific role to the user.
  6. Under Sites, select the site to which the role applies.
  7. Under Roles, select a role to apply to the selected site.
  8. Click Save.
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Multiple roles​

You can assign multiple roles to a user. Permissions belonging to roles are additive, meaning the user assigned with multiple roles receives all of the permissions afforded by the assigned roles. Consider the following scenarios:

  • If one role allows a user to only create articles, while another role allows a user to create only sections, then a user with both roles can create both articles and sections.
  • Similarly, if one role allows a user to only create new articles, while another role allows a user to only archive articles, then a user with both roles can both create and archive articles.

See the table below for more information on how multiple roles interact.

ConditionBehavior
When multiple content forms are set for a certain type...The first content form on the first role set on the user will be used.

For example, Role A includes a content form that hides the Internal Name field for an article, but Role B does not. If Role A is set before Role B, the editor will not see Internal Name when creating a new article.
When multiple content templates are set for a certain type...The first content template on the first role set on the user will be used.

For example, Role A includes a content template that populates the Headline field for an article with Brightspot News:, and Role B populates that field with Brightspot Insider:. If Role A is set before Role B, the editor will see Brightspot News: when creating a new article, but not Brightspot Insider:.
When only one role has two-factor authentication enabled...Two-factor authentication is not required.
When only one role has read-only access after publishing...Assets of the designated content type are read-only after publish, even if another role does not include this restriction.
When roles have different dashboards...Both dashboards are displayed for the editor, separated by tabs.

Default role for new users​

The default role is the role assigned to new users by default.

  1. Click > Admin > Sites & Settings > Sites > Global.
  2. Under Main, from the Default Role list, select the default role.
  3. Click Save.

Brightspot saves the default role, and uses it as the default when you create new users.

Permissions​

Permissions are a set of configurations that control access to Brightspot features. By configuring permissions, you can improve the security of your site.

Permissions are set at the role level, so they apply to all editors assigned to that role. If you have a role Reviewer, you customize permissions for that role, and then assign individual editors to that role.

Association between roles, permissions, and users

Referring to the previous illustration, the Reviewer role has access to two sites (Brightspot and Blog) and to two content types (Article and Blog Post). The two editors assigned to that role, Adam and Olivia, inherit those permissions. They can only write articles and blog posts for the sites Brightspot and Blog.

You can provide granular permissions at the site level.

Association between roles, permissions, and users—site specific

Referring to the previous illustration, the Reviewer role now has additional access to the site User Guide. Adam and Olivia, when working on that site, can publish four content types: Article, Blog Post, Image, and Video.

For information about configuring a role's permissions, see Creating roles.