Overview
Background
A single construction document can have tens of revisions and hundreds of minor version updates throughout its life. Each of those revisions is suitable for a different stage, purpose, and audience on the job. On many projects these revisions are scattered across different folders that require manual permissions management. However, with Procore's Document Management tool, you can automatically control permissions on each individual document revision within a “container.” The tool can use that revision's attributes, such as status, stage, type, or discipline to automatically determine permissions.
How it Works
The Document Management tool uses two permission levels: General Procore tool permissions to grant access to the tool itself and flexible permission groups to grant access to individual document revisions based on their attributes.Permission groups can be created for different user roles or companies on the project, and you can set specific rules to automatically control which document revisions these groups have access to and at what level they should have access (e.g. Viewer, Owner, or Admin). Permissions can be further customized on the Permissions tab of the Configure Settings page and within permission templates for the Workflows tool.
Best Practices
Before you set up permissions for the Document Management tool, consider the following:
What are the distinct set of user roles on your projects that need different levels of access to project documents?
What should these groups be able to access and which document fields are necessary to determine this access?
For example, you might consider providing your project managers and document controllers with 'Admin' access to every document revision in the system, but only give your field team 'Viewer' access to approved project drawings.
Who should be able to change the settings within the document management tool itself?
undefinedPaul is a member of a document control team. He's assigning permissions for the following individuals at his company:
Jake, another document controller at his company.
Sarah, the project manager at his company.
Matt, who serves as a foreman for the concrete subcontractor.
In the project's Directory tool, Paul chooses from 'Admin' or 'Standard' level permissions to assign to users for the Document Management tool:
Paul assigns Jake and himself 'Admin' level permissions.
This grants them both full control over the tool and the ability to initiate and oversee document workflows.
Paul assigns Matt and Sarah 'Standard' level permissions.
They can use the tool with standard access and participate in document approval workflows. However, they won't have the authority to change any settings within the tool itself.
To refine permissions further, Paul uses two distinct permission groups in the Document Management tool:
Paul adds Jake, Sarah, and himself to the 'Document Controller' permission group.
They will be able to upload and submit documents, streamlining the document control processes.
Paul adds Matt to a 'Concrete Subcontractor' permission group:
He will be granted 'Owner' access to any document originating from his company, regardless of document status. In addition, he will have 'Viewer' access to issued-for-construction drawings and technical submissions associated with any other discipline.
Paul is a member of a document control team. He's assigning permissions for the following individuals at his company:
Jake, another document controller at his company.
Sarah, the project manager at his company.
Matt, who serves as a foreman for the concrete subcontractor.
In the project's Directory tool, Paul chooses from 'Admin' or 'Standard' level permissions to assign to users for the Document Management tool:
Paul assigns Jake and himself 'Admin' level permissions.
This grants them both full control over the tool and the ability to initiate and oversee document workflows.Paul assigns Matt and Sarah 'Standard' level permissions.
They can use the tool with standard access and participate in document approval workflows. However, they won't have the authority to change any settings within the tool itself.
To refine permissions further, Paul uses two distinct permission groups in the Document Management tool:
Paul adds Jake, Sarah, and himself to the 'Document Controller' permission group.
They will be able to upload and submit documents, streamlining the document control processes.Paul adds Matt to a 'Concrete Subcontractor' permission group:
He will be granted 'Owner' access to any document originating from his company, regardless of document status. In addition, he will have 'Viewer' access to issued-for-construction drawings and technical submissions associated with any other discipline.