Permissions

Detailed guide to access control in Opus.

Permission Levels

Opus has four permission levels, from least to most access:

Viewer

Can:

• View the document
• See comments (but not add them)
• View version history

Cannot:

• Edit anything
• Add comments or suggestions
• Export (if downloads disabled)

Use for: Committee members, stakeholders, anyone who needs read-only access.

Suggester

Can:

• Everything a Viewer can do
• Make suggested edits (via Track Changes)
• Add comments
• Reply to comments
• Export (if downloads enabled)

Cannot:

• Make direct edits
• Accept or reject suggestions
• Manage collaborators

Use for: Reviewers, advisors giving feedback, external collaborators providing input.

Editor

Can:

• Everything a Suggester can do
• Make direct edits
• Accept/reject suggestions
• Add/remove other Editors and below
• View activity history
• Change document settings

Cannot:

• Delete the document
• Transfer ownership
• Remove the Owner

Use for: Co-authors, research partners, active collaborators.

Owner

Can:

• Everything an Editor can do
• Delete the document
• Transfer ownership
• Manage all permissions
• Access all settings

Note: Only one Owner per document.

Use for: Primary author, project lead.

Permission Matrix

Action	Viewer	Suggester	Editor	Owner
View document	✓	✓	✓	✓
View comments	✓	✓	✓	✓
Add comments		✓	✓	✓
Make suggestions		✓	✓	✓
Direct edit			✓	✓
Accept/reject			✓	✓
Manage Viewers			✓	✓
Manage Suggesters			✓	✓
Manage Editors			✓	✓
Manage Owner				✓
Delete document				✓
Transfer ownership				✓

Setting Permissions

When Inviting

1. Click Share
2. Enter email(s)
3. Select permission from dropdown
4. Send invitation

Changing Existing Permissions

1. Click Share
2. Find the collaborator
3. Click their current permission
4. Select new permission

Changes take effect immediately.

Bulk Changes

To change multiple people at once:

1. Click Share
2. Hold Shift and click to select multiple
3. Use the Set Permission dropdown

Permission Inheritance

Link-Based Access

When sharing via link:

• The link has a set permission level
• Anyone with the link gets that level
• You can create links at different levels

Example: Create a Viewer link for wide distribution and an Editor link for co-authors.

Team Permissions

In Team workspaces:

• Team members have a base permission
• Individual documents can override
• Owner can restrict below team level

Access Control Strategies

Thesis/Dissertation

You: Owner
Advisor: Editor or Suggester
Committee: Viewer
External reviewers: Suggester

Multi-Author Paper

Lead author: Owner
Co-authors: Editor
Statistical consultant: Suggester
Lab members: Viewer

Grant Proposal

PI: Owner
Co-PIs: Editor
Budget staff: Editor (or Viewer for sensitive sections)
Department admin: Viewer

Class Assignment

Student: Owner
Professor: Editor or Suggester
TAs: Suggester
Peer reviewers: Suggester

Special Permissions

Download Control

Restrict exports:

1. Go to Share > Settings
2. Toggle Allow downloads
3. When off, only Owner can export

Comment-Only Mode

Force all editors to use suggestions:

1. Go to Share > Settings
2. Enable Suggestion Mode for All
3. Even Editors can only suggest

Time-Limited Access

Set access to expire:

1. Click collaborator's menu
2. Select Set Expiration
3. Choose date
4. Access automatically revokes

Document States

Draft Mode

Default state. All permissions work normally.

Locked Mode

Freeze the document:

1. Go to Document > Lock
2. Only Owner can edit
3. Others become Viewers temporarily

Useful for final review or archiving.

Published Mode

Make document public:

1. Go to Share > Publish
2. Anyone with link can view
3. No sign-in required
4. No editing possible

Audit Trail

Activity Log

Track who did what:

1. Click Activity in sidebar
2. See all changes with timestamps
3. Filter by person or action

Available to Editors and Owner.

Version History

See document at any point in time:

1. Click History in sidebar
2. Select a version
3. View or restore

Versions can't be deleted.

Troubleshooting

"Permission Denied"

• Verify you're signed in with correct account
• Check with Owner about your access level
• Try refreshing the page

Can't Change Permissions

• You need Editor or Owner access
• You can't elevate above your own level
• Only Owner can manage other Owners

Invitation Not Working

• Check email address spelling
• Ensure person has Opus account
• Try resending invitation

Security Best Practices

1. Minimum necessary access - Give lowest level that works
2. Review periodically - Remove access when not needed
3. Use expiration - For temporary collaborators
4. Avoid link sharing - For sensitive documents
5. Monitor activity - Check logs for unusual access

Next Steps

• Sharing - Invite collaborators
• Real-Time Editing - Work together
• Track Changes - Review workflow