Catalog / Technical Writing Permissions Cheatsheet
Technical Writing Permissions Cheatsheet
A quick reference guide to understanding and managing permissions within technical writing workflows, focusing on templates and documentation control.
Fundamentals of Permissions
Permission Types
Read |
Allows users to view the document or template but not modify it. |
Write/Edit |
Allows users to modify the document or template. Includes adding, deleting, and changing content. |
Comment |
Allows users to add comments and annotations without directly altering the original content. |
Admin/Owner |
Full control over the document or template, including permissions management, deletion, and major modifications. |
Execute |
Specifically for Templates, allows to instantiate a new document from template. |
Levels of Access
User-Specific |
Permissions granted to individual users. Highly granular but can be difficult to manage at scale. |
Group-Based |
Permissions assigned to groups of users. Simplifies management for teams with common roles. |
Role-Based |
Permissions tied to predefined roles within the organization. Ensures consistent access based on job function. |
Public Access |
Accessible to anyone, typically for published documentation or templates meant for wide distribution. Requires careful consideration of content. |
Importance of Permission Control
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Template Permissions
Template Access Control
Restricted Access |
Only authorized personnel can modify the base template. Prevents accidental or malicious alterations that could impact all future documents created from it. |
Copy Permissions |
Control who can create new documents from the template. This is separate from editing the template itself. |
Version Control Integration |
Link template permissions to version control systems to track changes and revert to previous versions if needed. |
Scenarios
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Best Practices
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Documentation Permissions
Controlling Document Access
Draft Stage |
Restrict access to only the writing team and subject matter experts during the initial development phase. |
Review Stage |
Grant comment access to stakeholders for feedback and approval. |
Published Stage |
Provide read-only access to the intended audience, while maintaining write access for updates and revisions. |
Archived Stage |
Limit access to administrators or compliance officers for record-keeping purposes. |
External Sharing
Watermarking |
Add watermarks to documents shared externally to discourage unauthorized copying or distribution. |
Password Protection |
Require passwords to access sensitive documents shared with external parties. |
Limited-Time Access |
Grant temporary access to documents with automatic expiration to prevent long-term unauthorized access. |
Disable Download/Printing |
Restrict the ability to download or print documents to prevent offline distribution. |
Permissions Tools
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Troubleshooting Permissions
Common Issues
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Resolution Steps
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Auditing Permissions
Logs analysis |
Checking logs for suspicious activity. |
Access review |
Periodically review user access rights and permissions. |
Automated tools |
Use automated tools for access review. |