---
title: Groups and permissions | Lightfield
description: Set who can create, edit or delete records using workspace defaults, groups and individual access.
---

Permissions decide who can create, edit and delete each kind of record. You set a default for the whole workspace on each object, give groups or individual members more access, and change access on a single record when one deal needs it.

## Who can use it

Groups and permissions are on Enterprise. Only owners and admins see the **Groups** tab and an object’s **Permissions** tab, and owners and admins always have full access to every record.

On every other plan, roles decide access: Owners, Admins and Members can create and edit every record, and Viewers can only view them. See [Members](/help/settings/members/index.md). To get groups and permissions, an admin changes the plan in [Settings → Billing](https://crm.lightfield.app/crm/settings/billing/) or contacts Lightfield.

Permissions cover accounts, contacts, opportunities and custom objects. The access levels below control who can change records; **View only** still allows viewing records. Private email and meeting content has separate visibility controls. See [Privacy and access](/help/privacy-and-access/index.md).

## Access levels

| Level           | What it allows                                                |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **View only**   | View all records, but not create or edit them                 |
| **Can create**  | Create records, and edit or delete only the ones they created |
| **Can edit**    | Create records, and edit or delete records created by anyone  |
| **Full access** | Create, edit and delete any record, and manage who has access |

**Can edit** also allows deletion; it is not an edit-without-delete level.

**Can create** is available on an object’s **Permissions** tab only. A single record offers **View only**, **Can edit** and **Full access**.

## Create a group

Groups let you set access once for a team, such as Sales or Customer Success, instead of member by member.

1. In [Settings → Members](https://crm.lightfield.app/crm/settings/members/), open the **Groups** tab.
2. Click **New group**, enter a **Name** and a **Description**, and choose its **Members**.
3. Click **Save**.

The group appears in the list with its member count. To change it, open the group’s menu and choose **Edit**.

Archiving a group immediately changes who can access records through it: its permissions are paused until you restore it. Open the group’s menu and choose **Archive**, then confirm. Archived groups are listed under **Archived groups**, where **Restore** brings one back.

## Set who can edit an object’s records

1. In [Settings → Data model](https://crm.lightfield.app/crm/settings/data-model/), choose the object and open the **Permissions** tab.
2. Under **Workspace**, choose the default access level for everyone in the workspace.
3. To give some people more than the default, click **Add groups** under **Groups** or **Add members** under **Individual members**, and choose their level.

Changes apply straight away. We recommend a default of **Can edit** and raising specific groups to **Full access**; start from **View only** only for objects most people shouldn’t change, such as a contracts object owned by finance.

People who can’t edit a record see a **View only** chip next to its name. Hovering it shows **You have view only access to this record**.

## Change access on one record

Use this when one deal or account needs different access from the object’s default, for example a strategic opportunity only its deal team should edit.

1. Open the record and click **Access** at the top of the page.
2. Search for members or groups, choose their level, and click **Add**.
3. To change someone, open their level and pick another, or choose **Remove custom access**.

Records with their own settings show **This record has custom permissions**. To go back to the object’s defaults, choose **Restore defaults**.

Only members with **Full access** to the record, and workspace admins, see **Access**. Viewers can’t be given edit access, and owners and admins already have full access, so the panel marks those choices as having no effect.

## Troubleshooting

### A field says “You don’t have permission to edit this record”

Your role can edit records, but this object’s or record’s permissions don’t let you. Ask an admin to raise your access on the object’s **Permissions** tab, or ask someone with **Full access** to the record to add you under **Access**.

### I don’t see the Groups or Permissions tab

Both are on Enterprise and only show to owners and admins. On other plans, roles control access; see [Members](/help/settings/members/index.md).

### Someone lost access after I archived a group

Archiving pauses every permission the group gave. Restore the group from **Archived groups**, or give those people access directly under **Individual members**.

## Common questions

**Can I stop members from editing opportunities other people created?** Yes. Set the opportunity default to **Can create**, so members edit only the opportunities they created, and raise managers’ groups to **Can edit** or **Full access**.

**Does giving someone access to a record show them my private emails?** No. Access controls who can change the record. Private email and meeting content stays private.

**Do permissions apply to Viewers?** Viewers can’t edit records whatever their access level. To let someone edit, make them a Member first.