and Permissions
Permission
A specific right to view, edit, delete, or administer parts of Kinabase, granted via Roles.
let you control that, making sure users have the right level of access while keeping sensitive information secure.

Why use roles & permissions?

Data security

Only the right people can edit or view

View

A customised display of Records in a Collection, defined by filters, sorting, grouping, and visible Fields.

certain collections

Collection

A list of records in Kinabase, similar to a table in a spreadsheet or database.

, fields

Field

A column in a Collection that stores a specific type of information for each Record, such as text, number, or date.

, and records

Record

An individual entry within a Collection, like a row in a database table, representing one item or entity.

Efficiency

Team members spend less time navigating irrelevant data, focusing instead on what actually matters for their job.

Compliance

Following data protection standards (e.g., ISO 9001, GDPR) becomes more straightforward when you can easily tailor who has access to specific information.

1. Creating or Editing Roles

In Kinabase, Roles

Role
A grouping of permissions you assign to Colleagues to control their access in Kinabase.

group users with similar access needs.
For instance, you might have 'Sales', 'Engineer', or 'Manager'.

These roles do not override whether someone is a System Admin or Billing admin - they're simply a way to define day-to-day permissions in your organisation.

Remember: You can assign colleagues multiple roles. This is especially useful for team members who straddle multiple teams.

To manage roles, go to Settings → Organisation → Roles.

Add a New Role
Click + Add Role, give it a name and description (e.g., 'Sales Team'), and (optionally) assign existing users.
Manage Existing Roles
Use the (⋯) menu next to a role name to rename it, add/remove users, or duplicate/delete it.

2. Setting Permissions

Permissions define what each role can do within Kinabase. For example, you may allow your 'Sales' role to view and edit 'Leads' and 'Clients', while 'No Access' to your 'Financial' collections.

Adjust Permissions in Roles

Open the Role
Under Settings → Organisation → Roles, select (⋯) next to the role, then choose Edit Permissions.
Set Access Levels
For each collection, click 'View & Edit', 'View Only', or 'No Access'. You can also allow tasks
Task
Something that needs to be done. Create and assign tasks to yourself or others, often linked to a specific Record.
, activities
Activity
A log of what's happened. This could be an event or note related to a Record, such as an email, call, or meeting.
, imports
Import
The process of bringing external data into Kinabase, typically from CSV or spreadsheet files.
, or other special features on a per-role basis.
Save
Click OK to confirm changes.

Fine-Tuning at the Collection Level

If you need more granularity, open a collection's Configure panel (via ⋯ in the collection toolbar or sidebar) to restrict or expand role-specific access - right down to field-level permissions.

3. Balancing 'Everyone' vs. Specific Roles

Kinabase includes an 'Everyone' role by default.

We recommend setting minimal privileges here - like 'View Only' or 'No Access' - and then granting more specific privileges through roles like 'Engineering', 'Sales', or 'Marketing'.

This approach maintains a secure baseline while preventing accidental overexposure of sensitive data.

Administrative user types vs. roles

User types are system-level account types.

System Admin
This user type has full access to all system settings and can manage every aspect of Kinabase. Typically limited to a few trusted individuals.
Billing Admin
This user type can view and manage subscription details but not broader system settings. Perfect for finance or administrative staff who only need billing visibility.
Regular User
This user type cannot access system settings or subscription details. These users are assigned roles (below) to control their access to Kinabase.

Roles define day-to-day permissions (like editing a 'Clients' collection) but do not grant system-level privileges. Even if someone is a System Admin, they might also hold the 'Sales' role for clarity - but it's the System Admin type that gives them platform-wide control.

See the guide on User Types for more details on how to set up your Kinabase workspace.

By assigning roles strategically, you can fine-tune access without compromising security.

If you need help or have questions, our Cambridge-based team is here to assist.

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