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Projects and the Security Matrix
Projects and the Security Matrix

Everything you need to know about the security matrix and projects.

Updated over a week ago

Edition: Business, Enterprise

User-level: All user levels


Each staff record has an application security level assigned during initial setup. Learn what features and actions each of the staff access levels can perform within Synergy using the standard security matrix.

Synergy Enterprise product allows for a custom security matrix to be defined!


Projects Security Matrix

The security restrictions below are applied in both billable and non-billable projects.

Feature

User

Assistant project manager

Project manager

Director

Assistant administrator

System administrator

Read

This feature gives access to the Project list and unticking this feature takes away any ability to access an individual project. Projects are missing from the main menu. The stats list and the Recent project panel (dashboard) are still visible but clicking on any project will give an error message: “Access Denied”

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Add

This feature allows the ability to add a new project to the database. When this feature is ticked, the ADD button appears in the top right-hand corner of the Project list and anyone within a Security User Group with a tick can add a new project, and be nominated as Project Manager (even though they may not have access to fees and budgets)

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Edit

This feature's security settings are hardcoded. Users cannot edit a project (regardless of whether the feature is ticked) and Assistant Project Managers and above can edit projects, regardless of whether the feature is ticked or not.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Delete

This feature allows for projects which are Proposal status only to be deleted. If the feature is not ticked, the delete function is still visible (on the Details Edit page) but trying to use it results in the “Access Denied” error message. The feature can be activated (ticked) for Assistant Project Managers and above; Users are hard coded as unable to delete projects.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Change project office

Only Assistant Administrators and System Administrators can change a Project Office. However, if the box is unticked both Assistant Administrators and System Administrators can lose this power.

Y

Y

Phase

Regardless of whether Security User Groups are ticked or not, Users cannot enable phases and Assistant Project Managers and above can.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Edit revenue forecast, planning and resource planner

This feature is contained in the Planning board which is unavailable to Users and Assistant Project Managers. Ticking this for either of those Security User Groups does not change their Organisation drop down menu view, but does allow them access to the Project planning and Revenue forecasting through the menu button on the Resource planning board, this does not however provide access via Projects > Plan menu. Unticking this for the other Security User Groups does limit their access to the Forecast board (within the Planning board) by removing the option from the Planning board menu.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Performance (Enterprise only)

This feature relates to the EVM tool available via the Planning board menu in the main menu, the Rating stars in the Project list and Performance tab on the Projects > Plan menu. If this feature is ticked Performance is available: for Users - in the Planning board menu and Rating stars on the Projects list (but not via the Projects > Plan menu). For Assistant Project Managers and above all three instances are available.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Schedule (Enterprise only)

This feature refers to access to the planning board within individual projects. Regardless of whether this is ticked or not, Users do not get access to this feature. Assistant Project Managers and above can be given access to the Schedule within individual projects.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Kanban (Enterprise only)

This feature relates to the Kanban board available via the Planning board menu in the main menu, and Projects > Plan menu. If this feature is ticked the Kanban board is available: for Users - in the Planning board menu (but not via the Projects > Plan menu). For Assistant Project Managers and above all three instances are available.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Stage

This feature adds additional functionality within the Work breakdown screen. When the feature is ticked, the Security User Group can also access Contract Fees and Apply Templates from the WBD menu (using the ellipse menu) in addition to the other options. Turning this feature off will not prevent users from creating Stages.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Task

This feature is hard-coded and whether it is ticked or not will not make a difference to Assistant PM and above. Users are unable to edit the WBD so there no impact.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

View budget

*This feature will allow Users access to the Project > Plan menu.
This feature is available to Assistant Project Manager Security User Group and above. Users can be given access to view a Project budget via the Project > Plan menu. This feature can be unticked for Security User Groups which will withdraw access to the budget screen.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Edit budget

This feature also is available for Assistant Project Manager group and above If this is unticked, the ability to Edit the budget screen is removed and while the Budget vs Actual screen shows the Edit budget button, clicking on it returns the user to the Budget screen, without the Edit button.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Actuals

This feature refers to the visibility of Actual costs, as well as Standard costs on the Progress and Profitability tabs of a project. This feature is hard coded and is available to Directors and System Administrators only and can not be turned off.

Y

Y

Profit

This refers to the Project > Financials menu on being visible on the project menu. Financial menu is only visible to Assistant Project Managers and above and can not be changed despite being ticked/unticked.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Financial Summary

No changes can be made: Users and Assistant Project Managers do not have access to the Project Summary, Project Managers and above do have access to the Financial Summary.

Y

Y

Y

Y

WIP

This is hardcoded and cannot be changed. Assistant Project Managers and above will have access to Transactions, and therefore they will have access to WIP.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Custom Status

This feature enables Custom statuses and sub-statuses to be created. When this is ticked the option is visible: Org drop down > Settings > Project Lists > Status. Ticking or Unticking this option will add or remove this option from Users and above.

Y

Y

Create project types

No changes to this can be made: Only Assistant Administrators and Systems Administrators can add Project Types, and this power cannot be taken away.

Y

Y

Bypass Project Access Limitations (Enterprise only)

This feature enables a user level to access all projects despite permissions. See Project Permissions. Director and above access levels bypass this feature (and, regardless of teams assigned, can view all projects). Ticking or unticking this option will turn Bypass on or off for all user levels.

Y

Y

Y

WIP write-off

This option is not available to Users and Assistant Project Managers (this cannot be changed), this can be taken away from Project Manager and above. While the option will still appear, it will be an unauthorised operation.

Y

Y

Y

Y

WIP transfer

This option is not available to Users and Assistant Project Managers (this cannot be changed), this can be taken away from Project Manager and above. While the option will still appear, it will be an unauthorised operation.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Remove Transaction from Invoice (Enterprise only)

This feature will allow Transactions to be returned to WIP from an invoiced (owing and paid), this option is not available to Users and Assistant Project Managers (this cannot be changed), this can be given and taken away from Project Manager and above.

Y

Pre-bill

This cannot be given to the User Security Group but can be given to Assistant Project Manager. Pre-bill feature can be taken away from Project Managers & above, no longer being visible as an option in the Project Financial menu.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Assign to Tasks [Fieldbook]

Y

Allow staff charge value in report

This feature allows Assistant Project Managers and above to see and user the "Transaction Staff Target Charge" columns in Reports. This is hard coded and can not be removed whether or not it has a tick and it cannot be given to Users.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Stage management (Enterprise only)

This feature can be added to or removed from any Security Group, by default it is not available for Users but can be turned on for them.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

≈ Reports: If you are set up as a staff manager (using the 'reports to' staff field) then more options are available in the missing timesheets and direct reports. Other users can only view details on their own timesheets, not the timesheets entered by people in their team.

TIP!

Turning "View budget" on for Users will allow them to see the Projects > Plan menu (but will also provide them access to view Budgets).


Project Contact Security Matrix

Feature

User

Assistant project manager

Project manager

Director

Assistant administrator

System administrator

Read

This feature is the most basic permission. If this is unticked for a Security User Group, there is no way to access the Project Contacts list: While the Project Contacts option is still listed in the project menu, when clicked on an error message appears “Access Denied.” This option can be given or taken away from any Security user group.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Add

Allows new Project Contact records to be added to the list. When this is unticked, the ADD button at top right of screen disappears. This option can be given or taken away from any Security user group.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Edit

This feature allows Project Contact records to be changed. When this feature is unticked for a Security User Group, the multi-select feature on the left side of page disappears (losing the Set as Active/Not active function) and the edit function from the pencil menu has a lock symbol. This option can be given or taken away from any Security user group.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Delete

This feature is usually available via the drop-down arrow attached to the multi-select box within the Projects Contacts list. If this feature is unticked the Delete function is missing from the menu. This option can be given or taken away from any Security user group.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Set primary contact

The ability to set a Project Contact as the Primary contact on a Project. This option can be given or taken away from any Security user group.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Set invoice contact

The ability to set a Project Contact as the Invoice Contact on a Project. This option can be given or taken away from any Security user group.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Set care of contact

The ability to set a Project Contact as the C/O on a Project. This option can be given or taken away from any Security user group.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Set portal access

The ability to give a Project Contact access to the Portal of a Project. This option can be given or taken away from any Security user group.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y


Invoice Security Matrix

Feature

User

Assistant project manager

Project manager

Director

Assistant administrator

System administrator

Read

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Add

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Edit

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Delete a draft invoice

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Delete a cancelled invoice

Y

Y

Y

Finalise

Y

Y

Y

Y

Credit

Y

Y

Y

Y


You can review the security matrix at any time, granted you have the permissions to. Otherwise, if you want your Assistant PM's or Project Managers to have more available data and features, upgrade to Enterprise to enable the customisable security matrix.


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