Understanding Folder Permissions in the Workspace

This article explains how folder permissions work in your workspace, including how inheritance and permission hierarchy works.

🔁 Understanding Permission Inheritance

Folder Permission follows a top-down inheritance model, meaning permissions are passed down from parent folders to their subfolders and documents.

1. Parent to Child – Child folders automatically inherit permissions from their parent folder.

2. Folder to Documents – Documents inherit permissions from the folder they are stored in.

3. Override Capability – You can override inherited permissions at any level by setting specific permissions on a folder or document.

Inheritance helps maintain consistency, but you can always customise access by adjusting permissions at a lower level.

🔒 Permission Levels

There are three levels of folder permission assignment in the workspace:

1. Default Permissions

1. • What it is: The default folder permissions that apply when no specific user or group permissions are set.

   • Who it affects: All users and groups without explicit permissions.

   • Priority: Lowest priority – can be overridden by both group and individual user permissions.

   • When to use: Use this option to establish default access for all users prior to applying individual or group permissions.

   • How to set: See How To Set Default Folder Permissions for step-by-step instructions.
2. Group Permissions
   • What it is: Permissions assigned to specific user groups.
   • Who it affects: All members within the selected group.
   • Priority: Overrides default permissions but can be overridden by individual user permissions.
   • When to use: Best for granting access to defined user groups (e.g. Internal, External).
   • How to set: See How To Set Group Folder Permissions for step-by-step instructions.
     
3. Individual User Permissions
   • What it is: Permissions assigned directly to specific users.
   • Who it affects: Only the selected individual.
   • Priority: Highest priority – overrides both default and group permissions.
   • When to use: Use when granting special access or applying restrictions to specific users.
   • How to set: See How To Set Individual Folder Permissions for step-by-step instructions.
     

⚙️ Folder Permission Hierarchy

When determining a user’s overall access, the system evaluates permissions in the following order:

1. Individual User Permissions (highest priority)

2. Group Permissions (if the user belongs to multiple groups, they are granted a permission if at least one of their groups allows it. This applies when the permission is explicitly granted, not inherited.)
   

   1. Example 1: Explicit permission granted

      1. Group A:  Can Upload (explicit)

      2. Group B: Cannot Upload (explicit)

      3. User in both groups: Can Upload, as one group explicitly grants the permission

   2. Example 2: Inherited permission overridden by an explicit restriction

      1. Group A: Inherited Can Upload

      2. Group B: Cannot Upload (explicit)

      3. User in both groups: Cannot Upload, because an inherited permission cannot override an explicit restriction. 

3. Inherited Permissions from the Parent Folder (if no explicit setting exists)

4. Default Permissions ((lowest priority - only used if no inheritance is available)