The user access rights are used to grant privileges with regards to actions that can be performed in the account. Only administrators can grant these access rights, under "Admin -> Users".

• For better understanding, the list below explain the user access rights. The main access right is the "Access Level". The additional user access rights are: Status, Email Notifications, Time Entry Mode, Expense Entry Mode, User Directory and Show/Hide Help.

The Access Levels are used to define whether a resource is an administrator or a normal user.

• Administrator
  • An administrator has full control over the account.
  • An administrator can see the "Admin" link at the top of the application.
  • An administrator can view either their assigned projects or all projects under the "Portfolio" tab at the top of the application.
  • Exclusive actions for administrators include:
    • Manage all users, import data, delete projects and delete user items.
    • Manage the account information, user groups, time types, expense types, project types, project priorities, project statuses and clients.
    • Open and edit every project and every task, even if they are not assigned to it.
  • Generally, to ensure optimal security, the number of administrators should be as small as possible.

• Normal
  • A normal user's access rights may vary from project to project. Access rights are granted by a project manager or an administrator when the user is assigned to a project.
  • Once the user is assigned to the project, they will be allowed to perform actions in accordance with the access rights they have been granted.
  • Projects that are not assigned to a normal user will not be viewable.
  • The "Can add a project" access right enables the user to create a blank project or copy any project template he/she is assigned to.
  • The "Show the Project Portfolio Tab" access right is like an enhanced "project" tab. When this mode is enabled, the "Portfolio" tab is available at the top of the application. It provides features like Gantt charts, time reports or task reports for all the user's assigned projects. This access right does not give access to the account or user configuration however.
    • This access right grants the "Can Open This Project" access right automatically. In other words, even if a user is assigned to a project but cannot open it, the "Show the Project Portfolio Tab" will give him/her the right to open it. However, the behaviour of the "Project Manager", the "Time Approval", the "Expense Approval" and the "Edit Task Level" access rights will remain the same.
  • The "Can see financial data" access right allows the user to view the project's "Budget" group, as well as the Total Task Expenses, Total Project Expenses and Total Expenses values on all assigned projects.

The Status access right is used to set whether a user can access AceProject or not and whether you wish to have the user appear in lists for new assignements or not.

• The "Active - Access Allowed" option is set as default. It allows the user to access the account.
• The "Active - Access Denied" option prevents a user from loging in. However, users under this status will be available for new assignments.
• The "Inactive - Access Denied" option allows you to disable a user without deleting it and losing important historical data. Users under this status will not be available for new assignments. However, these users will not be unassigned from projects and tasks when their status is changed from an Active status to the Inactive status. Wherever they are already assigned, they will remain visible in the lists. Finally, AceProject does not send out email notifications to inactive users.

The Email Notifications access right enables you to decide whether the user can edit their email notification preferences under "My Office -> My Preferences".

The Time Entry Mode access right is used to define the method a user will use to fill timesheets. It can be manually by using the timesheet module, automatically by using the Time Clock module or both options combined. The following options are available:

• "Timesheet + Time Clock" offers the flexibility to fill timesheets either manually or automatically, as mentioned earlier.
• "Timesheet Only" forces a user to enter their time manually through the timesheet module, which is located under "My Office -> Time Sheets -> My Weekly Time Sheets". In that case, the Time Clock module is not available for time entry.
• "Time Clock Only" forces a user to use the Time Clock module for time entry. The time clock can be started and stopped within a task, or under "My Office -> Time Sheets -> My Time Clock". This option ensures efficient monitoring of users, since they cannot edit their time once entered.
• "Time Entry Disabled" prevents a user from entering time in AceProject, as both time tracking modules are not available.

Time can be entered based on these conditions:

1. Time can be added to incomplete projects only.
2. Time can be added to both incomplete and completed tasks.
   • If you have the "Can Open this Project" access right in a project, you can add time to the project itself and any task in the project.
   • If you don't have the "Can Open this Project" access right in a project, you can only add time to the project itself or to tasks you are assigned to or reviewer on.

The Expense Entry Mode access right is used to define whether or not a user will be allowed to add expenses. Additionally, this is where you will indicate if the user has the right to approve his own expenses.

Expenses can be entered based on these conditions:

1. Expenses can be added to incomplete projects only.
2. Expenses can be added to both incomplete and completed tasks.
   • If you have the "Can Open this Project" access right in a project, you can add expenses to the project itself and to any task in the project.
   • If you don't have the "Can Open this Project" access right in a project, you can only add expenses to the project itself or to tasks you are assigned to or reviewer on.
3. For Normal users, the "Can approve own expenses" right only applies to projects the user is assigned to and on which he/she has the «Expense Approval» right.

The User Directory access right is used to set permissions in regard to the resources displayed in a user's "User Directory" (located under "My Office -> User Directory"). This feature actually displays other user's contact information, such as phone numbers and email addresses. The following options are available:

• "Display All Users" lists all existing users in your account.
• "Display Only Administrators" lists administrators only. In that case, normal users are not listed.
• "Users Assigned on the Same Projects" lists users assigned on the same projects. In that case, users assigned on other projects are not listed.
• "Users in the Same Group" lists users associated with the same user group. For example, an architect would only see other architects. In that case, users associated with other user groups are not listed.
• "Disabled" prevents a user from viewing the user directory in the "My Office" section. This option ensures confidentiality as a user cannot find the other user's contact information.

The Show/Hide Help access right is used to decide whether the contextual help and the "Help" links are available to a user.

• The "Hide Help Link" checkbox enables you to prevent the user from seeing the "Help" link.
• The "Hide Contextual Help Link" checkbox enables you to prevent the user from seeing the "Contextual Help" links, at the upper right of all pages.

The project access rights are used to grant privileges at the project level. Both administrators and project managers can grant these access rights under "Open Project Tab -> Configuration -> Assigned Users".

The list below explain a few project assignment scenarios.

• Full control over the project
  • Project Manager : Yes*
  • Time Approval : Yes
  • Expense Approval : Yes
  • Edit Task Level : D2 - Level 2, Full Control Task Editing
  • Can Open Project : Yes
  • * Once the "Project Manager" access right is granted, the "Time Approval", "Expense Approval", the "Can Open Project" access rights and the highest "Edit Task Level" are granted automatically.
• Client Access for Task Review Only
  • Project Manager : No
  • Time Approval : No
  • Expense Approval : No
  • Edit Task Level : A1 - Read Only Task Editing
  • Can Open Project : No*
  • * Thus, the client can only view his/her assigned tasks under « My Office -> My Tasks ». In this example, the client cannot view any project-related task report, Gantt chart, Calendar or Statistics.
• Time Sheet Approval and Time Report Access Only
  • Project Manager : No
  • Time Approval : Yes
  • Expense Approval : No
  • Edit Task Level : A1 - Read Only Task Editing
  • Can Open Project : Yes
  • In this example, the user cannot edit his/her assigned tasks, but can open the project to approve/reject time sheets, generate time reports and view other data for the current project.
• Partial Task Editing But No Access to Time Data
  • Project Manager : No
  • Time Approval : No
  • Expense Approval : No
  • Edit Task Level : C2 - Level 2, Partial Task Editing
  • Can Open Project : Yes
  • This is an example of common project access rights a user may be granted. He/she can open the project and edit his/her assigned tasks partially, but cannot access timesheet data.

The project manager access right is used to grant full control over the project. As a project manager, a user can perform the following actions:

• Manage the project's structure:
  • The project's basic values (e.g. project number, project name, start and due dates etc.)
  • Assign and un-assign users as well as their project access rights.
  • Make changes to task parameters, such as task groups, statuses, types, and priorities
• The "Project Manager" access right automatically grants the "Time Approval" and "Expense Approval" rights. Furthermore, the Project Manager can edit work items (timesheet entries) and expenses recorded against the project. The "Project Access" (Can Open this Project) access right as well as the highest "Edit Task Level" (D2 - Level 2, Full Control) are also automatically granted to the Project Manager.

The time approval access right is used to grant the privilege to approve/reject time sheets submitted by users assigned to the project. Furthermore, this access right enables a user to generate time reports and, as a result, view the other user's timesheets in the project. However, only project managers and administrators can edit the other user's timesheets. In itself alone, the time approval right does not allow the user to edit other user's timesheet entries.

The Expense approval access right is used to grant the privilege to approve/reject expenses submitted by users assigned to the project. Furthermore, this access right enables a user to generate expense reports and, as a result, view the other user's expenses in the project. In itself alone, the expense approval right does not allow the user to edit other user's expenses.

The can open this project access right is used to grant the privilege to view all the project's data.

• If the user can open the project, he/she will get access to the project's tab, that is, all project data (calendars, charts, statistics, discussion forums, reports, among others).
• If a user cannot open the project, he/she will only see his/her assigned tasks under "My Office -> My Tasks". In that case, the open project tab is not available.

The edit task levels are used to define the actions a user can perform on tasks he is associated with. These levels are very flexible.

They are actually separated in four modes:

• Read Only (A1)
• Limited (B1, B2)
• Partial (C1, C2)
• Full Control (D1, D2, PM)

Details

: Yes : No : Task Creator : Assigned / Reviewer : Not Creator / Not assigned / Not reviewer

A1 : Read Only Task Editing B1 : Level 1, Limited Task Editing B2 : Level 2, Limited Task Editing C1 : Level 1, Partial Task Editing C2 : Level 2, Partial Task Editing D1 : Level 1, Full Control Task Editing D2 : Level 2, Full Control Task Editing PM : Project Manager/Administrator

	Read Only	Limited		Partial		Full Control
	A1	B1	B2	C1	C2	D1	D2	PM
Create task
Reopen completed task
Task
Read
Edit Status and % Done
Edit Actual Dates
Add comments
Edit all other fields
Copy task to the same project
Copy / Move task to another project
Delete task
Assignment
Assign users
Documents
Add/Delete documents
Lock/Unlock documents
Unlock documents locked by others
Make own document private/public
Make other's documents private/public
Dependencies
Create/Delete dependencies