Intro to User Permissions

User Permissions

Every user in OpenBoxes has a permission level that controls what they can see and do in the system. These permissions can be set for the whole system, or for a specific location. The main permission levels are:

  • No access - Can log in but can’t see or do anything. If you have no access to the whole system that is probably an error - email your administrator. But you can also have no access to a specific location, which means you would not see that location in the system but would still have access to other locations
  • Browser - can view all pages and reports in OpenBoxes, but cannot edit anything. This is good for stakeholders who want to see data, but aren't actually working in the supply chain
  • Manager - can do everything a browser can do, plus can create shipments, orders, and other transactions
  • Admin - can do everything a manager can do, plus can rollback shipments, do data imports, and create locations, products, users, stock lists, and people
  • Superuser - can do everything a manager can do, plus can rollback receipts, impersonate other users, and do mass data changes. Usually only 1-2 superusers per organization.

Additional permissions can be added to the base permissions above:

  • Financial user - can see pricing data in the system. If you do not have this permission, all pricing data will be blurred out or show as zero
  • Approver - can approve and place a PO; can edit or rollback a PO after it is placed. 
  • Invoice user - can create and submit invoices

Administrators can also set the type of notification emails the user will get. Users who do not have notifications added will not receive emails.

Most help articles assume that the user has manager and financial user permissions.

  • Browsers will be able to follow the instructions for viewing data and for running reports, but will be prevented from doing the tasks under the create and edit sections.

  • Non-financial users will see blurred data or zeroes where the example in the manual shows financial data.

  • Tasks that must be done by an administrator or superuser are separated out into their own sections in the knowledge base. See Administrator Guide.

The table below gives a detailed overview of what each permission level can do in the system:


Browser Manager Admin Superuser
View inventory Yes Yes Yes Yes
Run reports Yes Yes Yes Yes
Ship and receive shipments No Yes Yes Yes
Adjust inventory No Yes Yes Yes
Create purchase orders No Yes Yes Yes
Roll back shipments No No Yes Yes
Create products No No Yes Yes
Create users No No Yes Yes
Create stock lists No No Yes Yes
Create locations No No Yes Yes
Create people No No Yes Yes
Import data No No Yes Yes
Roll back receipts No No No Yes
Edit/Delete transactions No No No Yes

 View my User Profile


  • In the upper right hand corner, click on the profile icon. You can see your username with your permission level next to it in brackets. If you need to change your user permissions, contact your administrator.


  • You can edit your user profile or logout.

To learn more about editing your profile, please see this document - Updating your Profile.

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