Team Management

Manage your organization’s team members, roles, permissions, and approval processes. This guide covers inviting new users, managing access requests, and maintaining team security.

Team Structure Overview

User Types & Relationships

Internal Team Members

  • Managers: Full administrative access to organization functions
  • Staff: Standard access to daily operations and request processing
  • Specialists: Role-specific access based on job functions

External Users

  • Distributors: External partners who can submit requests
  • Agents: Third-party representatives acting on behalf of clients
  • Contractors: Temporary or project-based access users

Approval Hierarchy

  • Organization Administrators: Approve all team member requests
  • Client Product Managers: Approve external user access
  • Designated Approvers: Approve requests from specific distributors/agents

Inviting Team Members

Email Invitations

Single User Invitation

  1. Navigate to Team Management
  2. Click “Invite Team Members”
  3. Enter the user’s email address
  4. Select appropriate role and permissions
  5. Click “Send Invitation”

Bulk Invitations

  1. Use the bulk invitation text area
  2. Enter multiple email addresses separated by commas
  3. System validates all email formats automatically
  4. Click “Send Invitations” to process all at once

Email Format Examples

john.doe@company.com
jane.smith@partner.org, mike.jones@supplier.net
user@domain.com, another@example.org, third@company.co

Invitation Links

Generating Shareable Links

  1. Click “Copy Invitation Link” in the team setup area
  2. Link is automatically copied to clipboard
  3. Share the link via any communication method
  4. Users can request access through the shared link

Link Management

  • Links are unique to your organization
  • No expiration date by default
  • Can be regenerated if security concerns arise
  • Track link usage through access request logs

Managing Access Requests

Reviewing Pending Requests

Access Request Information

  • User Details: Name, email, and company affiliation
  • Requested Role: What type of access they’re seeking
  • Approver Information: For external users, who will oversee their access
  • Company Context: Business relationship and justification

Approval Process

  1. Review user credentials and business justification
  2. Verify approver information for external users
  3. Confirm appropriate role assignment
  4. Approve or deny the request with optional notes

External User Approvals

Distributor/Agent Requests

  • Require designated internal approver
  • Approver must be a Manager or Client Product Manager
  • Approval creates ongoing relationship for future requests
  • Monitor approver workload and distribute accordingly

Verification Steps

  • Confirm business relationship exists
  • Verify approver has capacity for oversight
  • Check for any conflicting access or security concerns
  • Document approval reasoning for audit purposes

Role Management

Standard Roles

Manager

  • Full organization administration access
  • Can approve team member requests
  • Access to all products and markets
  • Billing and subscription management
  • Team management capabilities

Client Product Manager

  • Approve external user requests
  • Manage product catalogs and specifications
  • Oversee distributor and agent relationships
  • Monitor request fulfillment processes

Staff Member

  • Process standard requests and orders
  • Access to assigned products and markets
  • Basic inventory and shipping functions
  • Cannot approve new team members

Distributor/Agent

  • Submit requests for approved products
  • Access to specific market segments
  • Requires ongoing approval for request processing
  • Limited administrative functions

Custom Permission Sets

Tailored Access Control

  • Assign specific product access
  • Limit market availability by user
  • Control inventory visibility
  • Restrict administrative functions

Permission Categories

  • Product Access: Which products a user can work with
  • Market Access: Geographic or segment restrictions
  • Functional Access: What system features they can use
  • Administrative Access: Team and organization management capabilities

Team Member Lifecycle

Onboarding New Members

Account Activation

  1. User receives invitation email or uses invitation link
  2. Creates account with secure password
  3. Completes profile information
  4. Administrator approves access request
  5. User gains system access based on assigned role

Initial Setup

  • Provide role-specific training materials
  • Configure access permissions
  • Assign to appropriate approver if external user
  • Document user’s responsibilities and scope

Ongoing Management

Regular Reviews

  • Quarterly access audits
  • Role appropriateness verification
  • Permission adjustment as responsibilities change
  • Inactive user identification and cleanup

Permission Updates

  • Modify access based on changing job functions
  • Add or remove product/market access
  • Upgrade or downgrade administrative permissions
  • Temporary access adjustments for projects

Offboarding Process

Account Deactivation

  1. Remove from all active approval relationships
  2. Disable system access immediately
  3. Transfer any pending approvals to other team members
  4. Archive user activity for compliance
  5. Update team directory and contact lists

Knowledge Transfer

  • Document any specialized processes the user managed
  • Transfer approver relationships to other managers
  • Update team workflows and responsibility matrices
  • Notify external partners of contact changes

Approval Workflows

Setting Up Approver Relationships

Assigning Approvers

  • Each external user requires an internal approver
  • Approvers must have Manager or Client Product Manager roles
  • Consider workload distribution when assigning
  • Document approval scope and limitations

Approval Delegation

  • Managers can delegate approval authority
  • Set up backup approvers for coverage
  • Define escalation paths for complex requests
  • Monitor approval response times and efficiency

Managing Approval Queues

Pending Approvals Dashboard

  • View all requests awaiting approval
  • Priority indicators for urgent requests
  • Approver assignment and workload visibility
  • Automated reminder systems for overdue approvals

Approval Analytics

  • Track approval times and patterns
  • Monitor approver workload and capacity
  • Identify bottlenecks in approval processes
  • Generate reports for process improvement

Security & Compliance

Access Control Best Practices

Security Policies

  • Regular password updates for all users
  • Two-factor authentication where available
  • Role-based access principle (minimum necessary permissions)
  • Regular review of user access and permissions

Monitoring & Auditing

  • Track user login patterns and activity
  • Monitor unusual access attempts or patterns
  • Log all permission changes and approvals
  • Generate compliance reports for audits

Data Protection

Information Access

  • Users only see data relevant to their role
  • Market and product restrictions enforced automatically
  • Sensitive information limited to appropriate roles
  • External user access logged and monitored

Privacy Compliance

  • Document user data handling procedures
  • Implement data retention policies
  • Provide user access to their own data
  • Support data deletion requests when appropriate

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Invitation Problems

Email Delivery Issues

  • Check spam/junk folders with recipients
  • Verify email addresses are correctly formatted
  • Use invitation links as alternative delivery method
  • Contact system support for persistent delivery problems

Link Access Problems

  • Regenerate invitation links if users report access issues
  • Verify users are using current browser versions
  • Check for corporate firewall or security restrictions
  • Provide alternative invitation methods if needed

Access Request Issues

Pending Approval Delays

  • Review approver workload and availability
  • Set up backup approvers for critical periods
  • Implement automated reminders for overdue approvals
  • Escalate urgent requests through management channels

Permission Conflicts

  • Review role assignments for conflicting permissions
  • Clarify user responsibilities and access needs
  • Adjust permissions to match actual job functions
  • Document permission changes for future reference

System Access Problems

Login Issues

  • Verify user accounts are properly activated
  • Check password reset procedures
  • Confirm role permissions are correctly assigned
  • Review any recent permission or role changes

Feature Access Problems

  • Verify user role includes necessary permissions
  • Check for product or market access restrictions
  • Review recent permission changes or role updates
  • Confirm system functionality is operating normally

Best Practices Summary

Team Organization

  • Clearly define roles and responsibilities
  • Maintain appropriate approval hierarchies
  • Regular review and cleanup of user access
  • Document team processes and procedures

Security Management

  • Implement principle of least privilege
  • Regular access audits and reviews
  • Monitor for unusual activity patterns
  • Maintain compliance with data protection requirements

Growth Planning

  • Anticipate team expansion needs
  • Plan approval capacity for growth
  • Develop scalable onboarding processes
  • Document procedures for consistent implementation