Understanding Roles
Roles determine what users can see and do in Kaana. Each user has one role.
Standard Roles
Owner
The highest level of access:
All administrative permissions
Billing and subscription management
Can manage other admins
Full access to all features
Admin
Administrative access:
Create and manage all projects
Manage users (except owners)
Configure settings
Access all reports
Cannot manage billing
Member
Standard team access:
View projects they're assigned to
Create and edit tasks
Upload documents
Log activities
Limited settings access
Guest
Read-only access:
View assigned projects
View documents
Cannot create or edit
Limited navigation
Permission Categories
Permissions are grouped by feature:
Project Permissions
View projects
Create projects
Edit own projects
Edit all projects
Delete projects
Document Permissions
View documents
Upload documents
Edit own documents
Edit all documents
Activity Permissions
View activities
Create activities
Edit own activities
Edit all activities
Issue Permissions
View issues
Create issues
Edit own issues
Edit all issues
Administrative Permissions
Manage users
Manage roles
Configure integrations
Access reports
Custom Roles
Administrators can create custom roles:
Create a Custom Role
Go to Settings > Roles
Click + New Role
Enter:
Role Name - e.g., "Project Manager"
Description - What this role is for
Select permissions for each category
Click Create
Edit a Custom Role
Find the role in the list
Click to open
Modify permissions
Save changes
Changes affect all users with that role.
Delete a Custom Role
Open the role
Click Delete
Choose where to move affected users
Confirm
Note: Standard roles cannot be deleted.
Assigning Roles
Set User Role
Go to Settings > Users
Open the user
Select role from dropdown
Save
Multiple Role Assignment
Some organizations allow users to have different roles on different projects. Contact your administrator for details.
Ownership-Based Permissions
Some permissions check ownership:
"Own" items - Users can only modify content they created
"All" items - Users can modify any content
Example: A Member with "Edit own projects" can edit projects they created but not others.
Permission Inheritance
Higher roles include lower role permissions:
Owner > Admin > Member > Guest
An Admin has all Member permissions plus additional access.
Troubleshooting Access
"Access Denied" Message
This means your role doesn't have permission for that action. Contact your administrator if you need access.
Missing Menu Items
Navigation only shows items you can access. Missing items may indicate:
Your role doesn't have access
The feature is disabled
Contact admin for clarification
Can't Find a Feature
Check if:
Your role has access
The feature is enabled for your organization
You're looking in the right section
Best Practices
Role Assignment
Assign minimum necessary access
Review roles during onboarding
Update as responsibilities change
Custom Roles
Create roles for common job functions
Name roles clearly
Document role purposes
Regular Review
Audit permissions periodically
Remove unnecessary access
Update as features change