Report Permissions mixup, and a flexible new way to control web user roles

About a month ago, we made a mistake. When adding a feature that let you limit certain web users’ access to data, we made the decision that by default, no one other than Admin users should be able to see reports. After doing so, we got a number of complaints, saying, for example, that the whole point of a Read Only users or a Field Implementer is for them to see reports. This may have been affecting some of you negatively, if for example, you have someone out in the field who is a Read Only user and who was supposed to be checking up on your reports from time to time. This issue is now fixed, and no further action is required—except that you might want to check in with people you think should have been seeing reports and see if this problem affected them.

Relatedly, we’re happy to announce a new feature that will make web user permission management easier and more flexible. Every person has a role (previously Admin, App Editor, Field Implementer, and Read Only), and each role comes with specific permissions: Edit Mobile Workers, Edit Web Users, Edit Data, Edit Apps, and View Reports. You can now choose which permissions to give which web users through these configurable roles. To get started visit your project on www.commcarehq.org and select the Settings & Users at the top of the page.

If there’s anything we can do to help ameliorate a problem you experienced resulting from our previous oversight, please do let me know, and we hope you enjoy the new feature!

Cheers,

Danny