Profiles

Security – Profiles

The profile system is the main method for establishing security levels for CAIRS users. CAIRS requires that every user have a profile assignment. A profile allows system administrators to design one set of access rights and privileges based on a group of people. There are three different access aspects for each profile:  Menu and Actions, Switches, and Work Centers. When you create a profile, you limit the CAIRS database access each user has based on these three aspects.

First, you grant each profile access to certain menus and then actions it can perform within each menu. Let us take the Facilities menu for example. Within Facilities, there are three sub-menus:  Buildings, Connections, and Sites and you may want to allow a profile to perform functions only within Buildings. To restrict profile functionality to Buildings you would remove the Allow functions for Connections, and Sites, making those menu options read only.

Second, each profile can access one or more switches. When granting access within this option, you allow the profile members access to the switch records and can grant them an SMA switch connection. This access does not affect who can send information to the switch when completing work orders.

Finally, you can grant each profile access to specific work centers allowing people to be responsible for only their portion of the work order and the work order to flow electronically from one job center to the next.

Adding a Profile

  1. Click the System Admin
  2. In the Navigation pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Security to access the sub-menus.
  3. Click Profiles.
  4. There are two ways to add a new profile:
    • Within the tool bar directly above the Navigation pane, click the dropdown arrow next to New. From the list, select Profile.
    • Within the Actions pane, click the Add New Profile
  1. With either option, the General-Profile window opens. Enter in the following information for the profile (required fields are marked with an asterisk (*):
    • Profile Name* – type-in the alphanumeric profile name, we recommend keeping profile names easy to identify when adding a user, for example administrator, site user, TCO, etc.
    • Description – type-in a brief profile description
    • Disabled * – click the box to insert a checkmark to disable the profile. We recommend administrators disable profiles instead of deleting them. This saves time by allowing you to activate a profile instead of re-adding.
  1. Within the Actions ribbon group, click the Save (to save and stay) button to continue working with the profile, or click the Save & Close (to save and exit) button to return to the Profiles list.

Menu and Actions

Adding Menu and Action Access to a Profile

  1. Click the System Admin
  2. In the Navigation pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Security to access the sub-menus.
  3. Click Profiles.
  4. In the Profiles list, double click the profile name.
  5. The General-Profile window opens. Within the Show ribbon group, click the Menus and Actions
  6. There are three panes of information within the Menus and Actions
    • Menu privileges – displays a list of all the menu options within CAIRS. Next to each menu name, click the plus sign (+) to view the sub-menu options.

! When you highlight a menu name within the Menu Privileges pane, the information within the Action Privileges and Related Menus for Selected Action pane changes to reflect only the items associated to the selected menu.

    • Action privileges – displays a list of available user actions within the selected menu option. There are five different actions: Allow List, Allow Select, Allow Update, Allow Add, and Allow Delete.
    • Related menus for selected action – displays a list of menu items related to the selected action. When you change an action within the Action privileges pane, you affect the options available within this pane. For example, if you choose to allow the profile to view the list for accounts, you also affect what the profile views in Configured Items.
  1. We are going to break this into three sections based on the name of the panes

Section 1:  Menu Privileges

Within this pane, you will be determining if the profile can see and access menu options within the Navigation pane.

  1. Next to each of the main menu items is a plus sign (+), click on the plus sign to view the sub-menu items, some menus have up to four sub-menus. When you click on the box to add or remove the checkmark, the sub-menu items are also affected. It is a good idea to expand the entire menu group before you start to ensure that you are adding and removing the correct privileges.
  2. Within the Menu privileges pane, there are two options available:
    • Enable – this box remains unchecked, meaning that the profile cannot perform any functions within the menu. Click on the box to insert a checkmark, this allows the profile to some basic functionality. Please keep in mind you have only enabled the menu option you must still add in the functionality by selecting the appropriate actions.
    • Visible – this field remains checked, meaning that the profile can see the menu option within the Navigation pane. Click on the field to remove the checkmark to remove the menu option from the Navigation pane.

Section 2: Action Privileges

Within this pane, you are determining what actions the profile can perform. Notice that some of the options are selected and grayed out, this means that those actions are not available for the action group.

At the top of this pane, there are two option buttons:

    • Actions for Selected Menu – CAIRS defaults to this selection, when you have a menu item highlighted within the Menu privileges pane, only the actions associated to that menu appear within the Action privileges pane.
    • All Actions – click the option button to list all the actions for the profile within the pane.

In addition to the options, there is an Edit All Records button. When you click on the double down arrow next to Edit All Records, the checkboxes for the allow columns become available. The checkmarks are grayed out, click the field to remove the mark. Click on the field again to re-add the checkmark, when you re-add, that the entire column now contains checkmarks. CAIRS requires you to perform a few extra clicks to make sure that you really want to change the entire column, please do not get frustrated, we meant to do it that way!

Within this pane, there are seven columns of information:

    • Action Group Name – displays the name of the menu item that will be affected when you change any of the allow options
    • Group Type – displays the type of action that you are affecting when you change any of the allow actions, for example, File Attachment Actions, when you allow add, list and delete you are allowing the profile to attach, view and delete file attachments from the menu item (specifically the item listed within the action group name column)
    • Allow List – a checkmark in the field indicates that the profile is allowed to view a list of the action group, for example if the action group is Site, you are allowing the profile to view a list of the selected sites. Leave the field blank to prohibit the profile from viewing the list of information.
    • Allow Select – a checkmark in the field indicates that the profile is allowed to double click on any item within the list to view the complete details. Leave the field blank to prohibit the profiles from access any record within the menu item.
    • Allow Update – a checkmark indicates that the profile can modify any record associated to the menu item. Leave the field blank to prohibit the profiles from making any changes to the record.

! When you add permissions for the following items, you are enabling links within the Actions pane, dropdown lists and buttons within the toolbar. As well as actions within the records Action ribbon group.

    • Allow Add – a checkmark indicates that the profile can add new records into the database. Leave the field blank to prohibit the profile from adding new items into the database.
    • Allow Delete – a checkmark indicates that the profile can delete existing records from the database. Leave the field blank to prohibit the user from delete items from the database.
  1. To add or prohibit privileges click on the box to add or remove the checkmark.

Section 3: Related menus for selected action

When you start to change the privileges within the Action Privileges pane, you may be affecting other areas of the software. This pane displays the other areas that are effected by your selections. For example,   if you allow a profile to add within Configured Items -> Set Management -> Configured Sets, you are also allowing the profile to perform the same action within Directory, Published Directory, etc.

It is good to pay close attention to the items that appear within this pane to make sure you are not granting the profile permission to an area that you do not want them to access.

  1. When you finish adding the appropriate privileges, click Save (to save and stay), or click Save & Close (to save and exit) from within the Actions ribbon group.

Modifying Menu and Action Access from a Profile

  1. Click the System Admin
  2. In the Navigation pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Security to access the sub-menus.
  3. Click Profiles.
  4. In the Profiles list, double click the profile name.
  5. The General-Profile window opens. Within the Show ribbon group, click the Menus and Actions
  6. Within the Menu privileges pane, click the box in the Enabled or Visible column; removing the check mark and thus the privilege from the profile. Alternatively, click the box to insert a checkmark to add the privilege.
  7. Within the Action privileges pane, click the box in any column to remove the check mark, thus removing the privilege for this profile to perform the action. Alternatively, click on the box to insert a checkmark to add the privilege.

When you manipulate profile actions, pay close attention to the related menus for selected action pane. This pane displays the other areas that are affected by your selections. For example, if you allow a profile to add within Configured Itemsà Set Managementà Configured Sets, you are also allowing the profile to perform the same action within Directory, Published Directory, etc.

  1. Click Save (to save and stay), or click Save & Close (to save and exit).

Switch Access

When you grant the profile access to a particular switch, you allow them to view the switch records and its related CAIRS database information. You can also grant the profile access to SMA connection, allowing you to securely interface with the switch. To learn more about this connection see Switches.

Adding Switch Access to a Profile

  1. Click the System Admin
  2. In the Navigation pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Security to access the sub-menus.
  3. Click Profiles.
  4. In the Profiles list, double click the profile name.
  5. The General-Profile window opens. Within the Show ribbon group, click the Switches
  6. The details pane displays all switch records with three columns of information:
    • Switch Name – displays the switch name, click the plus sign (+) next to the switch name to view the sites the switch is associated to.
    • Selected – a check mark in the column indicates the profile has access to view related switch information.
    • Grant SMA Permission – a check mark in the column indicates the profile can create a SMA switch connection. Within the Selected column, check mark and grant the profile switch access.
  1. Find the switch name within the list and click the box under the Selected column to insert a checkmark granting the profile access to the switch.
  2. Within the Grant SMA Permission column, insert a checkmark to grant the profile SMA access to the switch.
  3. Within the Actions ribbon group, click Save (to save and stay) to continue working with the profile, or click Save & Close (to save and exit) to return to the profile list.

Deleting Switch Access from a Profile

  1. Click the System Admin
  2. In the Navigation pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Security to access the sub-menus.
  3. Click Profiles.
  4. In the Profiles list, double click the profile name.
  5. The General-Profile window opens. Within the Show ribbon group, click the Switches
  6. The details pane displays all switch records within three columns of information:
    • Switch Name – displays the switch name, click the plus sign (+) next to the switch name to view the sites the switch is associated to.
    • Selected – a check mark indicates the profile can access information relating to this switch.
    • Grant SMA Permission – a check mark indicates the profile can remotely access the switch through Secure Maintenance Access.
  1. Find the switch name within the list. Click the box under either column to remove the checkmark to prohibit the profile from accessing the switch.
  2. Within the Actions ribbon group, click Save (to save and stay) to continue working with the Profile, or click Save & Close (to save and exit) to return to the Profile list.

Work Center Access

After you create a work center, you have to grant the appropriate profiles access to the center.  Each profile is granted access to the work centers directly relating to their daily job function. This allows the users to be responsible for only the information pertaining to their job.

Adding Work Center Access to a Profile

  1. Click the System Admin
  2. In the Navigation pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Security to access the sub-menus.
  3. Click Profiles.
  4. In the Profiles list, double click the profile name.
  5. The General-Profile window opens. Within the Show ribbon group, click the Work Centers
  6. A details pane displays the following three columns. Click on a column, as necessary:
    • Work Center Name – displays the work center name.
    • Selected – a check-marked column indicates the profile has access to view the work center information.
  1. Within the Selected column, click the box to insert a checkmark granting the profile access to the work center.
  2. Within the Actions ribbon group, click Save (to save and stay) to continue working with the profile, or click Save & Close (to save and exit) to return to the profile list.

Deleting Work Center Access from a Profile

  1. Click the System Admin
  2. In the Navigation pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Security to access the sub-menus.
  3. Click Profiles.
  4. In the Profiles list, double click the profile name.
  5. The General-Profile window opens. Within the Show ribbon group, click the Work Centers
  6. Within the Selected column, click the box to remove the checkmark to remove the profile’s access to the work center.
  7. Within the Actions ribbon group, click Save (to save and stay) to continue working with the profile, or click Save & Close (to save and exit) to return to the profile list.

Disabling a Profile

  1. Click the System Admin
  2. In the Navigation pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Security to access the sub-menus.
  3. Click Profiles.
  4. In the Profiles list, double click the profile name.
  5. The General-Profile window opens. Within the Disabled field, click on the box to insert a checkmark, this removes the profiles access.
  6. Within the Actions ribbon group, click Save (to save and stay) to continue working with the profile, or click Save & Close (to save and exit) to return to the profile list.

Enabling a Profile

  1. Click the System Admin
  2. In the Navigation pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Security to access the sub-menus.
  3. Click Profiles.
  4. In the Profiles list, double click the profile name.
  5. The General-Profile window opens. Within the Disabled field, click the box to remove the checkmark, granting the profiles access.
  6. Within the Actions ribbon group, click Save (to save and stay) to continue working with the profile, or click Save & Close (to save and exit) to return to the profile list.

Deleting a Profile

It is recommended administrators disable profiles instead of deleting them. This saves time by allowing profiles to be re-activated rather than re-added. Before deleting the profile, you must first reassign all users to another profile.

  1. Click the System Admin
  2. In the Navigation pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Security to access the sub-menus.
  3. Click Profiles.
  4. There are two ways to delete a profile:
    • Within the list, highlight the profile name. In the Actions pane, click the Delete
    • Double click the profile name within the list. The Profile window opens. Within the Actions ribbon group, click the Delete
  1. Once you click Delete, a message box appears verifying that you really want to delete the profile. Click Yes to continue or No to cancel the operation.
  2. If the profile is currently associated to any users, you must reassign the users before deleting the profile. If there are still user associations, a message appears saying the profile is currently in use. Click the Close button to return to the profile list.

Copy Profile

Within each profile, you can create an identical copy of the profile by clicking the Copy Profile button within the Profile Actions ribbon group. This opens a new window allowing you to rename and modify the privileges for the new profile. This action is useful if you want to create profiles and limit by site.