I have a question about the functional role security setting for Dashboards. If set to "Admin", the user can create and edit public dashboards, as expected. My question concerns the "Admin (if owner)" settings.

If set to "Admin (if owner) else Editor", the user seems to have complete control of the dashboard, if they already own it. However, if they create a new one, they are only able to create it as a Private dashboard, which implies less than Admin privileges for a dashboard they will subsequently own. Is this the intent? For them to own a Public dashboard, it seems a full Admin must create it first and then assign them ownership. I would like this user to be able to create Public dashboards that they own.

If set to "Admin (if owner) else Viewer", the user seems to again have complete control of the dashboard, if they already own it. However, they cannot create a new one because the New button is not available to them. Again, this implies less than Admin privileges for a dashboard they will subsequently own. Is this the intent?

In the end, I need a way for a user to be able create and edit dashboards that they own without having full Admin rights. This is what I think "Admin (if owner)" settings should provide. I have reviewed the doc and it implies that the user can “Add” but if it the dashboard doesn’t exist, are they supposed to be prevented from adding a new one?

Just talking about Public dashboards...

In 5.2.2 if you're "Admin (if owner) else Viewer", there's no button to create a new dashboard directly on the ribbon; you can only create a new dashboard while editing an existing one you own.

So if they're "Admin (if owner) else Viewer" there needs to be a dashboard already set up for them to own; once they own a dashboard, they can get into the designer to create new public ones, and then they own them and are Admins for them.

OR, if you make the role be "Admin (if owner) else Editor", they can edit an existing dashboard and click New to create a New dashboard and since they own it because they created it, they can save it as public and then they own that public dashboard and are are able to administer it.

Admittedly this is a workaround to this situation - we didn't foresee this situation in the security model.

In PMF 5.3 there's will be a New button on the ribbon if they have the proper role access to Dashboards, so they can create New dashboards directly.

So do the workaround for now and in the future it will get easier.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, Bob.

However, what I am seeing is not as you state above.

“So if they're "Admin (if owner) else Viewer" there needs to be a dashboard already set up for them to own; once they own a dashboard, they can get into the designer to create new public ones, and then they own them and are Admins for them.”

I see no way on this situation to get a new dashboard, public or private. There is no active New button (as you state) and there is no active Save as button.

“OR, if you make the role be "Admin (if owner) else Editor", they can edit an existing dashboard and click New to create a New dashboard and since they own it because they created it, they can save it as public and then they own that public dashboard and are able to administer it.”

With a user with “Admin (if owner) else Editor”, when I attempt to save a new dashboard, the radio button for Public/Private is not active and Private is pre-selected. If I save, I only get Private dashboards. “Save as” behaves the same way.

What I think I need to do is either:
1. Have a central administrator always create the dashboards and assign ownership, not desirable as the intent is to offload dashboard creation.
2. Grant full dashboard admin rights to the user and control the contents of the Today Page list so they have no means to get to other dashboards that they should not be touching, although technically they have been authorized to.

Is the Public/Private radio button suppposed to be inactive when a user with "Admin (if owner) else Editor” tries to save a New dashboard?

You are seeing what I described, it's just we're getting muddled trying to describe a graphical user interface with words.

In 5.2.2 the New button only appears WITHIN the dashboard designer. Not on the toolbar. Within the designer. You have to be IN the designer to click New. By designer I do not mean the ribbon. To get into the dashboard designer you have to 1) select a dashboard you are allowed to edit 2) click the Edit (pencil) button.

For that to be available to a user with Edit privileges, you have to have at least one dashboard the user can edit. because they can't create new dashboards until they are in the designer.

In 5.3 it will be different. there will be a New button on the ribbon. Only in 5.3. Not in 5.2.2.

thanks

I am not seeing what you describe. I know that there must be at least one Dashboard already owned to get the "Pencil". I create that as a full administrator and assign ownership to the user in question. After pressing the Pencil, I am then in the Dashboard Designer. With "Admin (if owner) else Editor" privileges, I do have an active New button but I can only save my new dashboard as a Private Dashboard. The Public/Private radio button is inactive and Private is pre-selected. This is what I am asking. Should I not be able to save a new Public dashboard?

Hi Rob,

In 522 the only functional role that has the authorization to create Public dashboards is a full admin.

Admin (if owner) else Editor – has the ability to create and edit Private dashboards or manage Public dashboards that have been assigned to them via a separate full admin. They will then have delete capability on Public dashboards if they are the owner.

Editor – can create Private dashboards and edit Public dashboards (no delete capability for the public dashboards)

Admin (if owner) else Viewer – Can edit dashboards that they have been assigned as owner to. They can not create new dashboards of any type.

Your argument is compelling to allow the “Admin (if owner) else Editor” to select whether they should create that dashboard as a Public or Private one. They would just not have full admin capability on those dashboards that they do not own. We will look at adding this capability into the next releases of PMF (523 and going forward).

Thanks for you input and I hope this answered your question.

Best regards,
Mike

Thanks Mike. I guess I over-estimated the capability given to "Admin if Owner". I have it working well now by customizing the rules that control the ability to access the dashboard builder for any given dashboard.