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Overview

Data Access provides granular control over who can view and edit records (data) within your Elementum applications. This security feature allows you to create dynamic access policies that determine which records users can see based on user roles, record criteria, and contextual conditions. Applies To Records In:
  • Apps: Control which records users can see within applications
  • Elements: Manage visibility of specific records in data elements
  • Tasks: Restrict which task records users can access
  • Tables: Filter which table records are visible to different users

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How Data Access Works

Dynamic Access Control

Data Access uses policy-based filtering to show users only the data they should see, when they should see it.Key Concept: Instead of static permissions, Data Access creates dynamic filters that evaluate in real-time based on current user context and record data.

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Access Policy Structure

Each access policy consists of:
1

Users and Groups

Define which users or groups the policy applies to
2

Access Conditions

Set criteria that records must meet for the specified users to access them
3

Filter Logic

Combine multiple conditions using operators and logical groupings

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Creating Access Policies

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Basic Policy Setup

1

Navigate to Data Access

  1. Go to your App Settings
  2. Navigate to Security → Data Access
  3. Click ”+ Policy” to create a new access policy
2

Select Users and Groups

  1. Choose Users and Groups that this policy applies to
  2. Use the dropdown to select specific users or user groups
  3. Multiple users and groups can be added to a single policy
Users can be part of multiple policies. The system will combine access from all applicable policies.
3

Configure Access Conditions

Define when users should have access to records:
  1. Click “Give access when” to start building conditions
  2. Select the field to filter on
  3. Choose the comparison operator
  4. Set the value or condition

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Filter Operators

Data Access supports filtering on all data types in Elementum with appropriate operators for each type:

Text Fields

Examples: contains..., starts with..., is..., is not...

Numeric Fields

Examples: equals, greater than, less than, between

Date Fields

Examples: is after, is before, is between, is in the last X days

State Fields

Examples: is empty, is not empty, is true, is false
The available operators automatically adjust based on the field type you select, ensuring you only see relevant filtering options.

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Current User Variable

Special Variable: Current User

The most powerful feature of Data Access is the ability to filter based on the current user viewing the data.Use Cases:
  • Show users only records assigned to them
  • Display data where they are mentioned or involved
  • Filter based on user attributes or group membership

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Current User Examples

  • Assigned Records Only
  • Department-Based Access
  • Creator or Assignee
Scenario: Users only see records assigned to themFilter Setup:
  • Field: Assigned User
  • Operator: is...
  • Value: Current User
This ensures users only see records where they are the assigned user.

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Advanced Filtering

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Multiple Conditions

1

Add Conditions

  1. Click ”+ Condition” to add additional filter criteria
  2. Each condition creates an AND relationship by default
  3. All conditions must be true for access to be granted
2

Condition Groups

  1. Click ”+ Condition Group” to create OR logic
  2. Condition groups allow for complex boolean logic
  3. Use groups to create “this OR that” scenarios
3

Clear All

Use “Clear All” to remove all conditions and start over

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Complex Access Scenarios

Scenario: Sales reps see leads in their territory that are activeFilter Setup:
  • Condition 1: Territory is... Current User's Territory
  • AND
  • Condition 2: Status is... Active
Both conditions must be true for access.
Scenario: Managers see all records, regular users see only their ownPolicy 1 (Managers):
  • Users: Manager Group
  • Conditions: (No conditions - access to all records)
Policy 2 (Regular Users):
  • Users: Staff Group
  • Conditions: Assigned User is... Current User
Scenario: Users see records created in the last 30 days that involve themFilter Setup:
  • Condition Group 1:
    • Created By is... Current User
    • OR
    • Assigned User is... Current User
  • AND
  • Condition 2: Created Date is after... 30 days ago

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Managing Access Policies

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Viewing Existing Policies

In the Data Access section, you can:

Policy Overview

View all active policies and their assigned users/groups

Edit Policies

Modify existing policies by clicking the edit icon

Delete Policies

Remove policies that are no longer needed

Policy Testing

Test policies to ensure they work as expected

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Default Policies

Default (All Records): Every app starts with a default policy that gives Internal Users access to all records. You can modify or delete this policy as needed.

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Security Best Practices

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Policy Design

Important: Always test your access policies thoroughly before deploying to production to ensure users can access the data they need.
1

Principle of Least Privilege

Start with restrictive policies and add access as needed rather than starting permissive
2

Regular Audits

Periodically review access policies to ensure they still align with business needs
3

Document Policies

Keep documentation of why specific access policies were created and their intended purpose
4

Test User Experience

Test policies from different user perspectives to ensure the experience is intuitive

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Common Pitfalls

Problem: Users can’t access data they need for their jobSolution:
  • Use condition groups to create multiple access paths
  • Consider user workflows when designing policies
  • Test with actual user scenarios
Problem: Multiple policies create unexpected access patternsSolution:
  • Document policy interactions
  • Use clear naming conventions for policies
  • Regular policy reviews and cleanup
Problem: Complex policies slow down data loadingSolution:
  • Keep conditions simple when possible
  • Index fields used in access policies
  • Monitor system performance after policy changes

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Troubleshooting

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Users Can’t See Expected Data

1

Check Policy Assignment

Verify the user is included in the correct policy groups
2

Review Conditions

Ensure filter conditions match the actual data values
3

Test Current User Variables

Verify that user attributes match the expected values
4

Check Multiple Policies

Review all policies that might apply to the user

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Policy Not Working as Expected

Check: Verify AND/OR logic between conditions Solution: Use condition groups to create proper boolean logic
Check: Ensure filter values match field data types Solution: Verify text fields use text operators, dates use date operators, etc.
Check: Verify user has the required attributes set Solution: Update user profiles with necessary field values

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Integration with Other Features

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Workflow Automation

Data Access policies work seamlessly with:
  • Assignment Rules: Automatically assign records based on access policies
  • Notifications: Send notifications only to users who have access to the data
  • Automations: Trigger workflows based on access policy changes

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Reporting and Analytics

  • Filtered Reports: Reports automatically respect data access policies
  • Dashboard Views: Dashboards show only data the user can access
  • Export Controls: Data exports are filtered by access policies
By implementing Data Access policies, you can ensure that users see only the data they need while maintaining security and compliance requirements across your Elementum applications.
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