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Is it possible to show interfaces to only part of base collaborators

Kim_Trager1
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In our base, there are about 10 people from 4 different departments. They are all editors, and we're on the business tier. 

We've started to build quite a lot of interfaces, and it's starting to get a little crowded. I wonder if it's possible to only have certain people able to see and access certain interfaces?

The documentation alludes to the possibility of sharing the interface. However, I can't get it to work, as anyone seems to be able to see and access all the build and published interfaces with or without sharing. 

Is it possible to restrict access to certain interfaces if they are base collaborators? if so how do I do it?

Best answer by ashley_24

Hi Kim,

In my understanding, in order to limit the interface pages to different viewers, you cannot have them all with base access. In fact, I recommend only allowing your power users of Airtable to have base access and then sharing the interfaces with the appropriate people who need access. If everyone has editor access to the base, they will always have full access to every interface you build from that base.

 

I hope this helps!

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ScottWorld
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Yes, but the terminology is confusing.

Airtable refers to the “interface groups/folders” as simply “interfaces”, and then the pages within those groups/folders are called “interface pages”.

You can only change the permissions on a group-by-group basis, so if you want different pages to have different permissions, then you would need to move those pages into a different group, because the permissions are set at the group level.

Hope this helps! If you’d like to hire an expert Airtable consultant to help you with anything Airtable-related, please feel free to contact me through my website: Airtable consultant — ScottWorld 

Kim_Trager1
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ashley_24
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  • ashley_24
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  • January 27, 2025

Hi Kim,

In my understanding, in order to limit the interface pages to different viewers, you cannot have them all with base access. In fact, I recommend only allowing your power users of Airtable to have base access and then sharing the interfaces with the appropriate people who need access. If everyone has editor access to the base, they will always have full access to every interface you build from that base.

 

I hope this helps!

Kim_Trager1
Kenneth_Raghuna
TheTimeSavingCo
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Kim_Trager1
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ashley_24 wrote:

Hi Kim,

In my understanding, in order to limit the interface pages to different viewers, you cannot have them all with base access. In fact, I recommend only allowing your power users of Airtable to have base access and then sharing the interfaces with the appropriate people who need access. If everyone has editor access to the base, they will always have full access to every interface you build from that base.

 

I hope this helps!


Yes, this kind of makes sense. Basically, I just need to treat most people as external collaborators?

ashley_24
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Kenneth_Raghuna
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@ashley_24 is correct. The permissions are hierarchical. Anyone with base access will always have access to all interfaces.

You don't necessarily need to treat everyone as an external collaborator, you just need to change your approach to how you conceptualize user interaction.

With the introduction of interfaces, Airtable's intention was to have most users interacting with data through interfaces. On a team of people using data within the same base, most are interface-only collaborators, and the number of people with access to the Data layer is minimal.

Only the builder(s) (with either Creator or Owner permissions) need access to the data layer. Builders then create interfaces for the end-users (other members of the team, or in some cases, external collaborators) to use. The end-users still have the ability to edit/create data through the interface (by giving them Editor permission), when the Builder has allowed for it.

Here is a link to the Airtable Academy course on Personas and Permissions.

Kim_Trager1
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ashley_24
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Kim_Trager1
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Kenneth_Raghuna wrote:

@ashley_24 is correct. The permissions are hierarchical. Anyone with base access will always have access to all interfaces.

You don't necessarily need to treat everyone as an external collaborator, you just need to change your approach to how you conceptualize user interaction.

With the introduction of interfaces, Airtable's intention was to have most users interacting with data through interfaces. On a team of people using data within the same base, most are interface-only collaborators, and the number of people with access to the Data layer is minimal.

Only the builder(s) (with either Creator or Owner permissions) need access to the data layer. Builders then create interfaces for the end-users (other members of the team, or in some cases, external collaborators) to use. The end-users still have the ability to edit/create data through the interface (by giving them Editor permission), when the Builder has allowed for it.

Here is a link to the Airtable Academy course on Personas and Permissions.


Thank you makes alot of sense.

It's been a slightly confusing transition because we first recently switched full force to interfaces, so we've been used to working without them - so everyone have been working in the data layer - however it would be nice to limit this - so I can see how the this would work...

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