User types and access levels

IBM® Rational® Focal Point™ includes predefined user types and access levels that can be set while configuring Rational Focal Point users.

When a user is added, two instances of the user account are created. First, the user is added to the database and listed on the Manage Users page. Second, the user is added as a member of one or more workspaces. To access a workspace, users must be members of that workspace, even if they are administrators.IBM Rational Focal Point includes several user types and member access levels.

User types

Note: User types are related to licenses. If you purchased user-based licenses, make sure that the number of users of a certain type do not exceed the number of licenses. If you purchased floating licenses, make sure that you have enough licenses of a certain type to cover the corresponding usage.
Table 1. User types
User Types Description
Regular user

Regular users do not have administration rights. However, administrators can grant regular users permissions to complete various administration tasks, both on global and workspace levels.

When regular users are not logged in to a workspace, they can access the About Focal Point page from the General menu.

Team user Team users are like regular users, but team users cannot use Gantt charts or the Prioritization, Visualization, and Plan features.
Stakeholder Stakeholders can add elements, but cannot edit them.
When stakeholders are not logged in to a workspace, they can access the About Focal Point page from the General menu.
Note: If permission is granted, stakeholders can complete various administration tasks, both on global and workspace levels.
Global administrator Global administrators have full administration rights.
When global administrators are not logged in to a workspace, they can access the following areas:
  • General:
    • Workspaces
    • Workspace Templates
    • Global Attributes
    • Report Templates
    • Report Images
    • About Focal Point
  • Application:
    • Mail
    • Support/Contact
    • Proxy
    • Login Page
    • Security
    • Change Integration (only if integration with IBM Rational Change is enabled)
  • Users:
    • Add User
    • Manage Users
    • User Settings
    • LDAP Settings (only if LDAP is enabled)
    • LDAP Verification (only if LDAP is enabled)
    • RDS Settings (only if Rational Directory Server is enabled)
    • RDS Update (only if Rational Directory Server is enabled)
    • User Attributes
    • User Log
    • Online Users
    • Find User
  • Advanced:
    • SQL
    • Caches
    • Migrate Baselines
    • Business Rules
    • Expression Queue
    • Broadcast Message

Member access

To access a workspace, you must be a member of the workspace.
Table 2. Member access
Member access Description
Regular member

Regular members can see and edit information in the views that they are granted access to.

Regular members can be granted permissions to complete various administration tasks in a workspace. When they are logged in to a workspace, regular members can access views and the What's New? and About Focal Point pages.

Workspace administrator Workspace administrators can see and edit information in the views that they are granted access to, can configure and administer the workspace, and can manage members.
When workspace administrators are logged in to a workspace, they can access views and the following areas:
  • Modules
    • All created modules; for example, Requirements, Products, Competitors, and Customers
    • Criteria 
    • Releases
    • Checkpoints 
    • Resource Types
    • Saved Plans
    • Saved Charts
    • Saved Reports
    • Saved Baselines
  • Configure
    • Workspace
    • Modules
    • Attributes
    • Views
    • Notifications
    • Alias
    • Workflows
  • Members
    • Add Member
    • Members
    • Member Log
    • Online Members
    • Find Member
  • Information
    • What's New?
    • About Focal Point
  • Advanced
    • SQL (only for workspace administrators who are also global administrators)
    • Online Members
    • Verify Integrity
    • Broadcast Message
Read-only Read-only members can see, but not edit, information in the views that they are granted access to.

If read-only members are granted the Add views permission, they can add elements. If they are granted administrative permissions, they can complete various tasks, depending on the permission. When read-only members are logged in to a workspace, they can access views and the What's New? and About Focal Point pages.

Permissions 

In addition to user types and access levels, non-administrators can be granted permissions to complete certain administrative tasks.
  • Global permissions
  • Workspace permissions

Task flow

The following diagram shows a high-level task flow that covers the basic functions of IBM Rational Focal Point and indicates the required user type and member access combination to perform a task.

The diagram implies that each task follows sequentially, whereas in reality most tasks can be acted on simultaneously.


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