How Do I Set Permissions on a Document Center Folder

What Folder Permissions Control

Every folder in Document Center has a permission level that controls who can see its contents. Permissions are set once per folder and automatically apply to every file inside it — there's no separate setting on individual files, so moving a file into a folder immediately gives it that folder's visibility.

• Admin only — only organization admins can see the contents. Best for board-only material or sensitive financial documents.
• Member read — visible to all members of the organization. Best for shared reference material like meeting minutes or membership forms.
• Public — anyone with the link can fetch the contents, with no login required. Best for content meant to be shared outside the member portal, such as a document linked from a public website.

Example: A "Board Financials" folder set to Admin only keeps sensitive budget documents away from regular members, while a "Meeting Minutes" folder set to Member read lets every member log in and review them. A "Community Photos" folder set to Public lets staff drop a shareable link into a newsletter without requiring the recipient to log in.

How to Change a Folder's Permission

1. In Document Center, go to Browse.
2. Right-click the folder (or select its checkbox and open the ⋮ menu on the row) and choose Change Permissions. Exception: the Email Attachments folder is a locked system folder — it has no checkbox and no ⋮ menu, so its permission level can't be changed this way.
3. Select Admin only, Member read, or Public.

1. Click Save Changes.

Spotting a Folder's Current Permission at a Glance

Document Center opens in list (row) view by default, and each folder's row shows an icon that matches its current permission level in its own column, so staff don't have to open the folder to check access. Switching to grid (tile) view shows the same icon on each tile; your chosen view is remembered even after navigating away or switching organizations:

• A lock icon means Admin only.
• A people icon means Member read.
• A globe icon means Public.

Filtering Folders by Permission Level

To quickly find every folder set to a specific permission level (for example, to audit which folders are Public), use the filter control next to Sort:

1. Click Filter folders.
2. Under Access, choose the permission level from the Select Access dropdown.
3. Click Apply.

Good to Know

• Changing a folder's permission is retroactive — every file already inside the folder is affected immediately, along with anything added later.
• Permission changes are recorded in the Activity Log, so staff can see who changed a folder's access level and when.