Permissions in detail

Learn how permissions are applied to the items you share with other people in ClickUp.

What you'll need

  • On our Free Forever Plan, everyone who joins your Workspace can only have full access to create and edit items.
  • On our paid plans, you can give members and guests specific permissions to Folders, Lists, tasks, Dashboards, Docs, Goals and Goal Folders, and select views.
  • On our Enterprise Plan, you can also set permissions on Spaces

How do permissions work?

Permissions are applied to items and locations in the Hierarchy

The permissions you have to each specific item or location are determined in the following order:

Business Plus or Enterprise Plans can set Custom Permissions per user role. Custom permissions settings may override your ability to perform certain actions.

Steps Yes No
1. Did you create the item? You can access the item with full permissions. Go to step 2.
2. Do you have full, edit, comment, or view-only permissions to the item? You can access the item with that level of permission. Go to step 3.
3. Are you in a Team with permission to the item?

You can access the item with that level of permission.

Go to step 4.
4. Is the item private?

You can't see or access the item.

Private items are only available to the people and Teams with permission to the item.

Go to step 5.
5. Is the item a Space, and are you a guest? You won't have access to this item because guests don't have access to Spaces. Go to step 6.
6. Do you have permission to the item based on your permissions throughout the Hierarchy?

Your permissions to the item are inherited from the Hierarchy.

For example:

Each employee has a task in the Payroll List with their salary amount.

Each task is shared with the employee, so they can only see their own salary.

The Payroll List is private and only shared with the payroll team.

The payroll team inherits full permissions to all of the Payroll List tasks because they have permissions to the Payroll List.

You have full access to the item.

For example:

A task is created to fix a bug on the mobile app.

No permissions are set on the task, the Bug List, the Mobile app team Folder, or the Engineering Space.

The task, List, Folder, and Space are not private.

Everyone (except for guests) has full access to the bug task.

 

If the Engineering Space is private, you'll only have access to the bug task if:

  • You created the Space.
  • You joined the Space.
  • You are in a Team with access to the Space.

Conflicting permissions

It's possible to have different permissions to the same item. In this case, permissions set on the most granular level of the Hierarchy or the highest permission level are applied.

Permissions on tasks override Lists and permissions on Lists override Folders.

  • For example: You have comment permissions on a bug task you submitted. You have view-only permissions to the Bug List. You can only comment on the task you submitted. You can only view all other tasks in the Bug List.

Permissions for individual people override permissions granted to Teams.

  • For example: Sam has comment permissions on their own payroll task that includes their salary.
    Sam is also a member of the payroll Team, who has full permissions to the task. Sam can only comment on their own payroll task.

Full permissions override edit permissions, edit overrides comment, and comment overrides view-only permissions.

  • For example: A task is added to two separate Lists. You have view-only permissions to one of the Lists, and comment permissions to the other List. You inherit the highest permission, so you can comment on the task.

How are permissions applied?

The four permission levels are applied a bit differently based on the item, location, and user role.

For example, the edit permissions on a Folder allow members to share that Folder. And guests can't share anything, even with edit permissions.

Click the links in the following table for more detailed information on each item and user role:

Item User role
Tasks Members
Guests
Folders Members
Guests
Lists Members
Guests
Dashboards Members
Guests (always view only)
Docs Everyone
Goals and Goal Folders Everyone
Protect and unprotect views Everyone except guests
Chat view Everyone except guests
Embed view Everyone except guests
Form view Everyone except guests
Doc view Everyone

Tasks

What you can and can't do with tasks varies by user role. Workspace owners and admins have the same permission options as members.

Subtasks and nested subtasks inherit their primary parent task's permissions.

Members

Member Permission level Description
Full

Members with Full access can

Can edit and delete a task.

Can perform all of the following actions.

Edit

Members with Edit access can

Can merge, move, print, convert to List, add to another List, add to Favorites, add to LineUp, mark as a Milestone, use templates, and archive the task.

Can share tasks with others, including guests.

Can publicly share tasks.

Can only give others edit, comment, or view-only permissions.

Can add, change, and remove assignees.

Can create and add tasks to Relationships.

Can view Relationships linked to any tasks they have permission to access.

  • If they don't have permissions to a task linked as a Relationship, only the Relationship displays. The task does not. 

Members with Edit access can't

Can't create, edit, or delete tasks or subtasks.

Comment

Members with Comment access can

Can comment, change task status, copy task links and IDs, print, attach emails and files, add to Favorites and LineUp, and mark as a Milestone.

Can react with emoji, assign and resolve their own assigned comments, and complete assigned checklist items.

Can share tasks with others, including guests. 

Can publicly share tasks.

Can only give others comment- or view-only permissions. 

Assignees can change the task status, add other assignees, or remove themselves as the task assignee. 

Members with Edit access can't

Can't create, edit, or delete tasks or subtasks.

View only

Members with View-only access can

Can view tasks, copy links and IDs, print, add to Favorites and LineUp, and mark as a Milestone. 

Members with View-only access can't

Can't create, edit, or delete tasks or subtasks.

Can't comment on or edit tasks.

Guests

Guest Permission level Description
Full

Guests with Full access can

Can duplicate, move, and merge tasks.

Can convert tasks to Lists or subtasks, archive and delete tasks.

Can add to Favorites, use templates, add comments.

Can add, change, and remove assignees, edit, assign, resolve, and delete their own comments, assign and resolve other people's comments.

Can view, edit, and print the task description.

Can restore the task description from the history.

Can create and add tasks to Relationships.

Can view Relationships linked to any tasks they have permission to access.

  • If they don't have permissions to a task linked as a Relationship, only the Relationship displays. The task does not. 

Guests with Full access can't

Can't mark tasks as a Milestone.

Can't add tasks to LineUp.

Can't manage Custom Fields for this task's List.

Can't share the task.

Edit

Guests with Edit access can

Can merge and move tasks.

Convert tasks to Lists.

Can add to Favorites, use templates, and archive the task. 

Can view, edit, and print the task description.

Can restore the task description from the history.

Can add, change, and remove assignees, and add comments.

Can edit, assign, resolve, and delete their own comments, assign and resolve other people's comments.

Can create and add tasks to Relationships.

Can view Relationships linked to any tasks they have permission to access.

  • If they don't have permissions to a task linked as a Relationship, only the Relationship displays. The task does not. 

Guests with Edit access can't

Can't create tasks, subtasks, or convert a task to a subtask.

Can't delete the task.

Can't perform any other actions.

Comment

Guests with Comment access can

Can copy links and task IDs, print, attach emails, and add to Favorites.

Can add comments, edit, assign, resolve, and delete their own comments, resolve and reassign comments they've been assigned.

Assignees can change the status and set assignee(s) on the tasks they're assigned to.

Can view Relationships linked to any tasks they have permission to access.

  • If they don't have permissions to a task linked as a Relationship, only the Relationship displays. The task does not. 

Guests with comment access can't

Can't edit the task.

Can't perform any other actions.

View only

Guests with View only access can

Can view tasks, copy links and IDs, print the task, add to Favorites.

Can view Relationships linked to any tasks they have permission to access.

  • If they don't have permissions to a task linked as a Relationship, only the Relationship displays. The task does not.

Guests with View only access can't

Can't add comments.

Can't perform any other actions.

Folders

What you can and can't do with a Folder varies by user role. Workspace owners and admins have the same permission options as members.

Members

Member Permission level Description
Full

Members with Full access can

Can create tasks in this Folder.

Can edit Folder settings and delete the Folder.

Edit

Members with Edit access can

Can edit tasks in this Folder and Folder settings.

Can share Folders with others, including guests.

Members with Full access can't

Can't create tasks or delete the Folder.

Comment

Members with Comment access can

Can comment on Tasks in this Folder.

Assignees can change the status and set assignee(s) on the tasks they're assigned to in this Folder.

Members with Comment access can't

Can't edit Folder settings.

View only

Members with View-only access can

Can view items in this Folder, and share Folders with others, including guests.

Members with View-only access can't

Can't comment or edit on tasks in this Folder, or edit Folder settings.

Guests

Guest Permission level

Description

Full

Guests with Full access can

Can create tasks in this Folder, copy Folder links, and add to Favorites.

Guests with Full access can't

Can't edit Folder settings.

Edit

Guests with Edit access can

Can edit, copy Folder links, and add to Favorites.

Guests with Edit access can't

Can't create tasks in this Folder or edit Folder settings.

Comment

Guests with Comment access can

Can comment, copy links, and add to Favorites.

Assignees can change the status and set assignee(s) on the tasks they're assigned to in this Folder.

Guests with Comment access can't

Can't edit Folder settings.

View only

Guests with View-only access can

Can view items in this Folder, copy links, and add to Favorites. 

Guests with View-only access can't

Can't comment or edit on tasks in this Folder, or edit Folder settings.

Lists

What you can and can't do with a List varies by user role. Workspace owners and admins have the same permission options as members.

Members

Member Permission level Description
Full

Members with Full access can

Can create tasks in this List, edit List settings, and delete the List.

Edit

Members with Edit access can

Can edit tasks in this List and List settings. 

Can share Lists with others, including guests.

Members with Edit access can't

Can't create tasks or delete the List.

Comment

Members with Comment access can

Can comment on tasks in this List.

Can view List Info, copy links, and add to Favorites.

Assignees can change the status and set assignee(s) on the tasks they're assigned to in this List.

Members with Comment access can't

Can't edit List settings.

View only

Members with View-only access can

Can view this List, List Info, copy links, and add to Favorites.

Members with View-only access can't

Can't comment, edit tasks in this List, or edit List settings.

Guests

Guest Permission level Description
Full

Guests with Full access can

Can create tasks, copy links, edit List Info, and add to Favorites.

Guests with Full access can't

Can't edit List settings.

Edit

Guests with Edit access can

Can edit tasks, copy links, edit List Info, and add to Favorites.

Guests with Full access can't

Can't edit List settings.

Comment

Guests with Comment access can

Can comment, copy links, view List Info, and add to Favorites. 

Assignees can change the status and set assignee(s) on the tasks they're assigned to in this List.

Guests with Full access can't

Can't edit List settings.

View only

Guests with View-only access can

Can view this List, copy links, view List Info, and add to Favorites.

Guests with Full access can't

Can't comment, edit tasks, or edit List settings.

Protect and unprotect views

There are two permission options related to protecting views:

  • Can protect and unprotect view: Can protect this view and unprotect it to save changes.
  • Can't unprotect view: Can't save changes to this view.

Chat view

You can set unique permissions that just apply to a Chat view.

  • Can manage chat: Can edit settings and delete this view.
  • Can't manage or delete chat: Can view, add comments, copy, and add to Favorites.
    Can't edit settings or delete this Chat view.

Embed view

You can set unique permissions that just apply to an Embed view.

  • Can manage Embed view: Can edit view settings and delete this view.
  • Can't manage Embed view: Can view, copy, and add to Favorites.
    Can't edit settings or delete this view.

Form view

You can set unique permissions that just apply to a Form view.

  • Can edit and manage Form: Can edit Form fields, Form and view settings, and delete this view.
  • Can't edit or manage Form: Can view, submit, copy, and add to Favorites.
    Can't edit Form fields, Form or view settings, or delete this view.

Doc view

You can set permissions to a Doc that is shared as a Doc view. Permissions set on a Doc view also apply to the Doc itself.

Permission level Description
Edit

Members and guests with Edit access can

Can edit Doc, edit Doc and view settings, and delete this view.

Can share Docs with others, including guests.

Comment

Members and guests with Comment access can

Can view, add, edit, and delete their own comments.

Can copy the view and add to Favorites.

Members and guests with Comment access can't

Can't edit Doc, view or Doc settings, or delete this view.

View only

Members and guests with View-only access can

Can view this Doc

Can see Doc history

Members and guests with View-only access can't

Can't edit Doc, add comments, edit view or Doc settings, or delete this view.

 

Dashboards

What you can and can't do with Dashboards varies by user role. Workspace owners and admins have the same permission options as members.

Widgets were renamed to cards on March 9th, 2023.

Members

Member Permission level Description
Full

Members with Full access can

Can add, edit, and delete cards.

Can edit settings and delete this Dashboard.

Edit

Members with Edit access can

Can add, edit, and remove cards. 

Can share Dashboards with others, including guests.

Members with Edit access can't

Can't delete the Dashboard.

View only

Members with View-only access can

Can view this Dashboard.

Can comment, edit and delete their own comments in Chat cards.

Members with View-only access can't

Can't add, edit, or delete cards.

Can't edit or delete this Dashboard.

Guests

There is only one Dashboard permission option available for guests.

View only: Can view this Dashboard. Can comment, edit, and delete their own comments in Chat cards.

Docs

Permissions set on Docs also apply when Docs are shared as a view or in the Sidebar.

Permission level Description
Edit

Members and guests with Edit access can

Can edit the Doc, Doc settings, and delete the Doc.

Can share Docs with others, including guests. They can also publicly share Docs and pages.

Comment

Members and guests with Comment access can

Can view the Doc, add, edit, and delete their own comments.

View only

Members and guests with View-only access can

Can view the Doc.

Members and guests with View-only access can't

Can't edit doc, add comments, edit Doc settings, or delete the view.

Goals and Goal Folders

You can set unique permissions that just apply to Goals and Goal Folders.

Permission level Description
Edit

Members and guests with Edit access can

Can create, edit, move, and delete goals.

Can share Goals with others, including guests.

View only

Members and guests with View-only access can

Can't create, edit, move, or delete goals.

Updated

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