Using Notebook Groups to Manage Access

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Notebook groups allow you to grant multiple users view or edit access to a specific set of folders or pages — rather than assigning access one user at a time. 

Let's say that each summer you have five interns who are given view only access to the templates folder and edit access to the rest of the notebook. You can set permissions for each user independently but to save time, you may prefer to create a group that has those permissions. With each batch of new interns, you simply add them to the notebook and to the group.

Consider the following when implementing notebook groups: 
  • Groups are defined per notebook. 
  • If using groups, define access at the highest notebook structure level possible (folder level, ideally) for easier management over time.
  • Any changes to a group's access or permissions will automatically apply to all current and future group members. 
  • Groups are not recommended if each member of your group has different access privileges.
  • Groups are not recommended in project-based notebooks with different membership configurations.
  • Only use if there is a notebook, such as a lab resource notebook, that is used by everyone across the team.
  • Only use groups if there is a "group" of lab members who fluctuate, but all members of that group should have the exact same access to a given notebook.  
Managing member access in notebooks can get difficult, especially with large groups, complex notebooks with many folders, and multiple groups with different permissions. Often, it's simpler to organize content into separate notebooks and grant users full access to everything within a given notebook. Visit Creating a New Notebook and Inviting Members to a Notebook for additional information. 
 
How to Create a Group

Notebook Owners, Account Admins, and Notebook Admins can create and manage groups in the Group Management section of notebook settings. To access this feature, click the triple-dot menu in the top-right corner of the page and select Notebook Settings.

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In the Group Management tab, click the New Group icon. Enter a name and description for your group, then click Add Group to create it.

Tip: Use the Description field to specify which folders or pages the group will have access to. 

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Note: The Full Edit Access Group is a default group for members with full editing rights to the entire notebook. When an Account Admin, Notebook Admin, or User is added via Account Manager or Notebook User Management, they are automatically added to this group. The Full View Only Access Group does not allow for notebook editing and can be applied to notebook members under the User Management tab. 

How to Add Users to a Group
Note: Before assigning members to a group, they must first be added to the notebook through the notebook’s User Management tab. Members assigned the Guest role in a notebook cannot be added to Groups. 

To add a notebook member to a group, visit the User Management tab and click the pencil icon next to the notebook member's name.

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From the Group Membership tab, you will see a list of groups including the two default Full Edit Access and Full View Only Access group along with any custom groups that have been created in the notebook. Select the group you would like to assign the member to and deselect Full Edit Access Group if needed. Repeat this for each notebook member you want added to the group. All members in the group will share the same access rights. 

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To remove a member from a group, click the pencil icon under the Group Membership column for the member and uncheck the desired groups. After removal, the member will lose access to the notebook. To learn how to grant selective access to sections of a notebook, visit Limiting Access to a Section of a Notebook. 

How to Assign Custom Permissions to a Group

The Notebook Owner, Account Admin, or Notebook Admin can apply group permissions by right-clicking or Ctrl + Click on Mac on specific folders and pages from the notebook navigator and selecting the Share icon.

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From the Share dialog, select the Groups or People with Access tab, locate the group under the User Column (the Group label will display in the Role column) and use the Rights column to adjust the group’s access level to Can Edit, Can View, or No Access. Repeat this for each folder or page.

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When managing access at the folder or page level, it's crucial to clearly communicate the permissions assigned to each group. Keep in mind that individuals can belong to multiple groups or be granted additional rights to specific folders, pages, or entries. You can always grant a user additional access to specific parts of a notebook. However, you cannot restrict an individual's access below the rights granted to the group they belong to. For example:
  • If someone is part of a group with edit access to a folder, you can't then limit that person to "Can View" access for a single page within that same folder.
  • If someone is part of a group who has "Can view" access to a folder, one person in that group can be given edit access to materials in that folder.
  • If someone is part of a group that has "View only" access to a folder and another group that has edit access to that folder, the user will have edit access to that folder.