Adding a User to Interface Only

[annawright]

I would like to assign leads within a base to a member of my team, but do not want them to be able to have full access to the base. I would prefer them to only see the base as an interface, and only be able to read and access leads that have been shared with them. Is this possible?

[ScottWorld]

If you share the interface only, then your users will not have access to the “view data” button.

[idodan]

@ScottWorld, @annawright That's only true as long as you dont have to create permissions in the interface based on their user fields......

[ScottWorld]

Nope. That’s not true. You can invite someone to interface access only, without giving them access to the entire base. In your User field, you need to make sure that you turn off the option that says “Notify Users”. See screenshot below.

[idodan]

Again, this is true only if you don’t use filters that use “current user” to apply privacy and permissions. Meaning, if your interface shows records based on the signed in user, you must add these users to the base. So it overrides the screenshot you provided. And that’s the essence of the problem.

[ScottWorld]

No, you're not understanding. You can add people to a user field WITHOUT giving them base permission. That checkbox is what gives them base permission. Uncheck that checkbox and they will not have base permission. (If you've already accidentally added them to the base, you should remove their privileges first.)

In reality, Airtable should do a better job of naming that checkbox, because it's not accurately named. The checkbox makes it seem like that checkbox "simply notifies people", but in reality, that checkbox ACTUALLY gives people base permission. That checkbox controls whether you're adding them to the base or not.

Alternatively, there are other ways to limit interface record access, instead of using a User field. You can just use a normal email field to limit interface record access too.

@Dan_Montoya Would you mind reporting the issue above to the Airtable engineers? That User field checkbox seems to cause significant confusion... this exact same issue came up in another Airtable forum as well. 🙂

[raghavsethi]

You should be able to use current user filters with interface-only collaborators - we have lots of customers that do this. I think where you may be getting tripped up is that you need to already have a user be 'a collaborator' to show up in the collaborator field dropdown. For self-serve plans, the only way to get people to show up in the dropdown is to invite them to any model connected to the base (workspace, base, interface). In your case, you should first set up your interface with current-user filters, then invite all the collaborators to your interface, and then reference them in  the collaborator field.

Also, to clarify, even if notify is on, you should still see a modal that allows you to make a choice as to whether you want to invite that user or not. If you choose to invite in a base setting, the invitation will be to the base.

[ScottWorld]

HI @raghavsethi,

Thanks for that excellent clarification!

However, I'm able to successfully do it in the reverse order from what you mentioned. Although my method does require that the user has already signed up for their own Airtable account first.

I can add brand new users to the User field by choosing "Add Users By Email" (see screenshot below), and then invite them to the interface afterwards.

Although they are still required to "Request Access" from me to get into the interface.

So I can add them to the User field before inviting them to the interface.

Thoughts on this method?

 

[raghavsethi]

You can do it in whatever order makes sense for your workflow. The reason I highlighted that specific ordering is that we've seen users get tripped up by the fact that they'd want to first make sure the data looks good for all their soon-to-be-invited interface and then invite them to collaborate. Since the collaborator field requires that those users already be collaborators (in self-serve plans) this doesn't work smoothly.

As you pointed out, email-based filtering as another option that would address this need.

[ScottWorld]

Thanks so much, @raghavsethi! 🙂 One other question which came up above: Do you think that the wording of that checkbox in the Users field could be modified to provide a little more clarity to users?

[raghavsethi]

I've passed your feedback on to the relevant team internally.