Smart Groups and Smart Permissions are two different ways to simplify and automate the way you set access permissions within your Channeltivity PRM software. This article explains how they're different, how to use them, and when to use one over the other.
What are Smart Groups?
Smart Groups are Groups that Users are automatically assigned to based on specific rules, rather than manual assignment. When you create a Smart Group (available only for Partner and Distributor Users), you define the criteria for membership which then determines which Users are automatically to the Group.
For example, if you wanted to create a Smart Group for EMEA-based Gold Partners, you'd set rules to automatically assign all Users at Partners where the Partner Type is "Gold Partner," and the Region is set to "EMEA" (screenshot below).
--> Learn more about Groups and how to use them to set permissions in your partner portal
What are Smart Permissions?
Smart Permissions are a more dynamic way to set permissions to content within your partner portal. Similar to Smart Groups, Smart Permissions allow you to establish access rules based on User and Organization fields. Any Users who meet the criteria specified in the rules will be granted access to the relevant content.
Important: Smart Permissions should only be used sparingly for one-off permissions. If you're going to use a particular set of Smart Permissions rules more often, we recommend using Smart Groups instead.
The screenshot below shows an example use of Smart Permissions, where all Users located in the Europe, Middle East, or Africa Regions have access.
--> Learn more about setting partner portal content access and permissions
When should I use Smart Groups and Smart Permissions?
Both Smart Groups and Smart Permissions are powerful tools to make your life easier. However, there are a few pronounced differences:
| Smart Groups | Smart Permissions | |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Partner & Distributor Users | Everyone |
| Used to give access to | Modules & content | Content only |
| Best used for | Automatically giving Users access to functionality and content | Targeted content permissions for edge cases where creating a Group doesn't make sense |
For more detailed guidance on how to best use Smart Groups and Smart Permissions, see the Planning your Groups and Permissions Structure section in this article.
Related Documentation:
- What is the Permissions Report?
- How do I set Partner Portal Content Access & Permissions?
- What are Groups and How Do I Use Them to Set Permissions in my Partner Portal?