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Roles and Permissions

ProjectDesk uses roles to keep each user focused on the work they are responsible for. All signed-in users can update their own account name, email address, and password from the Account tab. Workspace roles only control organization access and product actions.

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Platform Role

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Platform Administrator

Platform administrators manage the overall ProjectDesk environment. They can:

• Create client workspaces.
• Create pilot workspaces.
• Access Platform Setup.
• Assign users to workspaces from Workspace Access.
• Use the full Operations Console: Setup, Evidence, Reporting, and Services.
• Review all workspace operations.

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Workspace Roles

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Organization Owner

The organization owner is the primary client-side owner of a workspace. They can typically:

• Review workspace progress.
• Manage workspace team access.
• Use Delivery Control for setup, evidence review, executive reporting, and escalations.
• Review evidence.
• Track reporting records.

They cannot assign ProjectDesk services access. Services access is assigned by ProjectDesk administrators or existing ProjectDesk services users.

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HQ Manager

HQ managers coordinate project execution and management oversight. They can typically:

• Create project structure.
• Track activities.
• Review evidence.
• Manage risks.
• Publish stakeholder updates.
• Create reporting records.
• Add workspace members from Workspace Access.

They cannot assign ProjectDesk services access. Services access is assigned by ProjectDesk administrators or existing ProjectDesk services users.

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MEL Lead

MEL leads focus on evidence quality, indicators, and reporting. They can typically:

• Review evidence.
• Track indicators.
• Monitor data quality.
• Import field data.
• Create reporting records.
• Add risks and stakeholder updates.

They do not manage workspace access unless they are also assigned a manager role.

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Field Supervisor

Field supervisors coordinate field execution. They can typically:

• View assigned project structure.
• Submit evidence.
• Review or help correct field submissions where permitted.
• Track field risks and blockers.
• Escalate field blockers to ProjectDesk.

They can use evidence requirements in their field workflow but do not edit the results framework, MEL plan, or evidence standards unless they are also assigned a MEL or manager role.

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Field Staff

Field staff are responsible for submitting evidence from field work. They can typically:

• View assigned activities.
• Submit evidence.
• Add field notes.
• Track their own evidence submission status.

They do not see workspace access, management reporting, managed service cases, or other users’ evidence submissions.

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ProjectDesk Services

ProjectDesk services users support client operations. They can typically:

• Review workspace health.
• Assist with evidence and data quality.
• Manage service cases.
• Resolve service cases.
• Support setup and reporting workflows.
• Support client access from Client Access.

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Donor Viewer

Donor viewers have restricted visibility for stakeholder review. They can typically:

• View workspace progress.
• Inspect approved evidence.
• Review stakeholder updates.
• Review visible risks and blockers.
• Review ready or shared reports.

They should not edit operational records.

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Auditor Viewer

Auditor viewers have restricted visibility for compliance review. They can typically:

• Inspect reporting records.
• Inspect approved evidence.
• Review visible exceptions and risks.
• Confirm that records are visible, organized, and ready for assurance review.

They should not edit operational records.

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Workspace Navigation by Role

The “How this workspace is used” guide changes by role. A field staff user receives field submission guidance, a donor receives stakeholder review guidance, an auditor receives assurance guidance, and management users receive coordination and reporting guidance.

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Choosing the Right Role

Use the least powerful role that lets the user do their job. For example:

• A person who only needs to inspect progress should be a viewer.
• A person who submits field records should be field staff.
• A person who manages indicators should be MEL lead.
• A person who owns the client relationship should be organization owner or HQ manager.