Effective user management is essential for maintaining a secure, organized Collinear implementation. This guide explains how to manage users, assign appropriate roles, and configure permissions to ensure everyone has the access they need.

Understanding User Roles

Collinear offers different user roles with varying levels of access:

Standard Role Types

• Institution Administrator: Full access to all settings and data across the institution.
• Department Administrator: Administrative access limited to specific departments.
• Teacher: Access to create and manage classes, assignments, and view student data.
• Teaching Assistant: Limited teacher capabilities as defined by the administrator.
• Student: Access to view and submit assignments and receive feedback.

Permission Levels

1. View: Ability to see information without making changes.
2. Edit: Ability to modify existing content.
3. Create: Ability to add new content.
4. Delete: Ability to remove content.
5. Manage: Ability to control settings and permissions for others.

Adding Users

Multiple methods for adding users to your Collinear account:

Individual User Addition

• Manual Creation: Create accounts one at a time with basic information.
• Email Invitation: Send invitations for users to create their own accounts.
• Self-Registration: Allow users to register using a special code or link.
• Account Claiming: Connect pre-created accounts to users via email verification.

Bulk User Import

1. CSV Upload: Import multiple users via a formatted spreadsheet.
2. API Integration: Automatically sync users from your SIS or directory service.
3. Batch Invitation: Send multiple invitations simultaneously.
4. Template-Based Creation: Create accounts based on predefined templates.

Organizing Users

Strategies for keeping users organized:

Organizational Structures

• Departments: Group users by academic department or subject area.
• Grade Levels: Organize by grade or year level.
• Custom Groups: Create custom groupings for specific purposes.
• Tags and Attributes: Apply searchable tags to user accounts.

Hierarchy Management

1. Reporting Structures: Define who reports to whom within the system.
2. Access Inheritance: Configure how permissions flow through the hierarchy.
3. Visibility Settings: Control who can see which groups and users.
4. Cross-Group Membership: Manage users who belong to multiple groups.

Managing Permissions

Configure what different users can access and modify:

Permission Assignment

• Role-Based Permissions: Assign permissions based on standard roles.
• Custom Permission Sets: Create specialized permission combinations.
• Group Permissions: Apply permissions to entire groups of users.
• Individual Overrides: Customize permissions for specific users.

Permission Scopes

1. Institution-Wide: Permissions that apply across the entire institution.
2. Department-Level: Permissions limited to specific departments.
3. Class-Level: Permissions for specific classes or courses.
4. Content-Specific: Permissions for particular types of content or data.

User Lifecycle Management

Handling changes throughout the user lifecycle:

Onboarding

• Welcome Sequences: Automated messages and resources for new users.
• Initial Training: Required training modules for different user types.
• Profile Completion: Guidance for completing user profiles.
• First Login Experience: Customized first-time login workflows.

Ongoing Management

1. Role Changes: Process for changing a user’s role or permissions.
2. Department Transfers: Moving users between departments or groups.
3. Status Updates: Managing active, inactive, or suspended accounts.
4. Password Management: Policies and procedures for password resets and changes.

Offboarding

• Account Deactivation: Temporarily disabling accounts.
• Data Preservation: Retaining necessary data when users leave.
• Account Deletion: Permanently removing user accounts.
• Transfer of Ownership: Reassigning content owned by departing users.

Bulk Operations

Efficiently manage multiple users simultaneously:

Batch Actions

• Multi-Select Operations: Perform actions on multiple selected users.
• Filtered Actions: Apply changes to all users matching certain criteria.
• Scheduled Updates: Set changes to occur at a specific time.
• Templated Operations: Use templates for common multi-user actions.

Mass Updates

1. Role Assignment: Update roles for multiple users at once.
2. Permission Changes: Modify permissions for groups of users.
3. Department Transfers: Move multiple users between departments.
4. Status Updates: Change status for batches of accounts.

User Authentication

Manage how users sign in to Collinear:

Authentication Methods

• Username/Password: Standard login with secure password requirements.
• Single Sign-On (SSO): Integration with your institution’s SSO provider.
• Multi-Factor Authentication: Additional security layer beyond passwords.
• Social Login: Optional authentication through trusted third parties.

Security Policies

1. Password Requirements: Configure password strength and complexity rules.
2. Login Restrictions: Set IP or time-based restrictions on login attempts.
3. Session Management: Control session duration and concurrent logins.
4. Failed Attempt Handling: Define responses to multiple failed login attempts.

User Monitoring and Auditing

Track user activity and ensure compliance:

Activity Tracking

• Login History: Record of user login times and locations.
• Action Logs: Detailed logs of significant user actions.
• Resource Access: Monitoring of which users access which resources.
• System Usage: Metrics on how frequently users engage with the platform.

Audit Capabilities

1. Compliance Reports: Generate reports for compliance requirements.
2. Security Audits: Review access patterns for security concerns.
3. Permission Audits: Verify appropriate permission assignments.
4. Activity Investigations: Tools for investigating specific user activities.

Best Practices

Recommendations for effective user management:

Security Recommendations

• Least Privilege Principle: Grant only the permissions users need.
• Regular Audits: Periodically review user accounts and permissions.
• Role Standardization: Standardize roles across the institution.
• Access Reviews: Schedule regular reviews of who has access to what.

Efficiency Tips

1. Template Usage: Create templates for common user types.
2. Automation: Automate routine user management tasks.
3. Self-Service: Enable appropriate self-service options for users.
4. Documentation: Maintain clear documentation of your user management policies.

For additional assistance with user management or to discuss advanced configuration options, please contact our support team at support@collinear.app.