Understanding Organization Roles
Boardwise uses a role-based permission system to control what users can see and do within your organization. Each person you add to Boardwise is assigned an organization role that determines their base level of access.
Role Hierarchy
There are three organization roles, shown on the person's page as Organization Access. From most to least access:
- Admin - Full control over the organization
- Member - Standard access to view board information
- Guest - Limited access, typically for external participants
You can also list someone as Directory only. They appear in the directory but cannot sign in to Boardwise.
Admin
Administrators have complete control over the organization. This role is typically assigned to corporate secretaries and board administrators who need to manage all aspects of Boardwise.
Admins can:
- Configure organization settings
- Add, edit, and remove people
- Assign and change roles
- Schedule and manage all meetings
- Upload, edit, and delete documents
- View the full directory
- Invite people to any role, committee, or meeting
Member
Members have standard access to view information and participate in board activities. This is the typical role for board members and committee members.
Members can:
- View board information and documents
- Approve documents (when approval is requested)
- View meeting minutes
- Access the people directory
Members cannot:
- Schedule or manage meetings
- Upload or edit documents
- Invite other people
A Member can still do some of these things for a particular board or committee if their role in that group allows it. For example, a Member who is Secretary of the Audit Committee can schedule that committee's meetings.
Guest
Guests have the most limited access. This role is designed for external participants who need access to specific meetings or committees without seeing organization-wide content.
Guests can:
- View basic board information
- Attend meetings they are invited to
Guests cannot:
- View the document library
- View meeting minutes (unless invited to that meeting)
- Access the people directory
Common use case: An external legal advisor attends quarterly audit committee meetings. They are assigned the Guest role at the organization level but given membership in the Audit Committee, granting them access to that committee's meetings and documents.
How Organization Roles Work with Group Roles
Boardwise has two layers of permissions that work together:
Organization Role (This Article)
Your organization role sets your baseline access across the entire organization. It determines whether you can see the document library, view the directory, or manage meetings organization-wide.
Group Role (Board/Committee Membership)
Your role within a specific board or committee grants additional permissions for that group's content. There are eleven group roles, from Chair and Secretary to Member, Observer and Staff. See Assigning Board and Committee Roles for the full list and what each can do.
The two layers combine. A person's effective permissions are the combination of their organization role and their group memberships.
Examples
Board Chair with Admin Role: Full access to everything. Can manage the organization and has leadership status on the board.
Committee Member with Guest Role: Cannot see organization-wide documents but has full access to their committee's meetings and materials. This is common for external advisors.
Board Member with Member Role: Can view all organization documents and has participation rights in board meetings. This is the standard setup for most board members.
Meeting-Only Access
People can also receive temporary access through meeting invitations without any organization or group role. When you invite an external guest to a single meeting, they receive access only to that meeting and its documents. This access automatically expires 30 days after the meeting ends.
Choosing the Right Role
| Scenario | Recommended Role |
|---|---|
| Corporate secretary managing the board | Admin |
| Assistant who prepares meetings with you | Admin |
| Chief executive or staff who attend board meetings but do not vote | Member + Staff role on the board |
| Board member or committee member | Member |
| External advisor on one committee | Guest + Committee Membership |
| One-time meeting presenter | Meeting invitation only |
Match the role to the person's seat. Directors need Member so they can open the organization library — a director set to Guest can read board materials but is refused organization documents, which usually surfaces as "I can't open the document." Reserve Guest for people whose access should stop at a single committee or meeting.
Spotting directors without organization access
Boardwise flags any director who holds a voting board seat without Member or Admin access. You'll see a notice on the People page and on the person's profile, with a one-click Give organization member access button. See Adding Members to Your Organization.