Ninety's Observer Role Explained

Everything you need to know about the Observer role, what Observers can access, and common use cases.

Written by Tommy Mains

Updated at August 25th, 2025

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Table of Contents

What Is the Observer Role? Common Use Cases for Adding Observers 1. Executive Leadership Oversight 2. New Team Member Onboarding 3. Compliance and Audit Requirements 4. External Stakeholders 5. Cost Management What Observers Can Do in Ninety's Web App What Observers Can't Do What's the Difference Between the Observer Role and Inactive Status? How to Add an Observer Upgrading from Observer Role Best Practices for Setting Up Observers for Success Frequently Asked Questions

The Observer role in Ninety provides view-only access to your company's tools and data. Observers can see team information and participate in meetings, but they cannot make changes to content. This role is perfect for team members who need visibility without editing permissions.

 

What Is the Observer Role?

The Observer role is Ninety's view-only user type designed for team members who need to stay informed about company operations without the ability to edit content. Observers have no license cost to your organization, making them an economical way to provide company-wide visibility.

Key Observer Characteristics:

  • View-only access to all assigned team content
  • No license fee (free role)
  • Cannot edit, create, or delete any content
  • Can participate in meetings as attendees
  • Mobile app access for on-the-go viewing

Common Use Cases for Adding Observers

We've identified the following use cases for adding Observers to a Ninety account.

 

1. Executive Leadership Oversight

  • C-suite executives who need visibility across all teams.
  • Board members requiring operational insight.
  • Implementers, coaches, or advisors monitoring the company's progress.

2. New Team Member Onboarding

  • New hires learning company processes before full access.
  • Contractors familiarizing themselves with team operations.
  • Temporary staff needing limited access.

3. Compliance and Audit Requirements

  • Compliance officers monitoring processes.
  • Auditors reviewing organizational structure.
  • HR team members tracking performance metrics.

4. External Stakeholders

  • EOS Implementers observing client progress.
  • Consultants providing ongoing guidance.
  • Partners requiring operational visibility.

5. Cost Management

  • Team members who rarely need editing access.
  • Seasonal team members requiring temporary visibility.
  • Large organizations managing license costs.

 

What Observers Can Do in Ninety's Web App

Review the following tabs to see what Observers can do in Ninety's web app.

Full Viewing Access

Observers can view the information in the following tools for teams they're assigned to as well as anything shared from the leadership team:

Vision

  • View company Core Values and long-term goals
  • Read Marketing Strategy
  • Review 1-Year Goals and current Rocks

Org Chart (primary chart only)

  • View organizational structure
  • See all seats, role, and responsibilities
  • Review team assignments and reporting relationships

Rocks (Quarter Goals)

  • View all team Rocks and their progress
  • See Rock details, due dates, and completion status
  • Review quarterly objectives across teams
  • Access Rock history and archived quarters

Scorecard

  • View all team KPIs and their data
  • See performance trends and historical data
  • Review weekly numbers and targets
  • Access Scorecard analytics and insights

Issues List

  • View current Issues and their details
  • See Issue priorities and assignments
  • Review Issue history and resolution notes

To-Dos

  • View all To-Dos assigned to their teams
  • See To-Do details, due dates, and completion status
  • Review historical To-Do completion

Meetings

  • Join and observe team meetings
  • View meeting agendas and previous meeting notes
  • See meeting history and recap emails
  • Access meeting resources and attachments

1-on-1 Tool

  • View their own 1-on-1 conversations (as participant)
  • See their performance reviews and feedback
  • Access their Personal Analyzer results

Knowledge Portal

  • View all accessible Knowledge articles
  • Read processes, procedures, and documentation
  • Access training materials and resources

Directory

  • View team member profiles and contact information
  • See organizational structure and team assignments
 
 

Meeting Participation

Observers can join team meetings to follow the agenda, participate in discussions, and provide a meeting rating.

Meeting Email Notifications:

  • Receive meeting recap emails
  • Get meeting reminders and notifications
  • Access meeting materials shared via email
 
 

Mobile App Capabilities

Observers on companies with a paid subscription can download our mobile app to view their team's Issues list and more. Just as the web app, Observers cannot create new items (Issues, Headlines, To-Dos, etc.) in the mobile app.

 
 

 

What Observers Can't Do

Review the following tabs to see the limitations users with the Observer role have.

Editing Restrictions

Observers cannot create, edit, or delete conent, including:

  • Rocks (quarterly goals)
  • To-Dos (action items)
  • Issues (problems to solve)
  • KPIs (Scorecard metrics)
  • Vision content
  • Org Chart Seats
  • Knowledge Portal content
  • Meeting agendas
 
 

Item Ownership Limitations

Observers cannot own items in Ninety, so they cannot be assigned:

  • Rocks
  • To-dos
  • KPIs
  • Issues

 

When adding users to Ninety, if you know they'll be assigned items like the ones above, consider giving them a paid user role like Managee, Manager, or Admin.

 
 

Administrative Restrictions

Observers cannot access the following administrative details:

  • Billing information or payment methods
  • User management or role changes
  • Company settings or configuration
  • Integration management
  • Data import/export functions

 

Additionally, they cannot perform the following actions in Ninety:

  • Add or remove team members
  • Change user roles
  • Modify company settings
  • Manage integrations
 
 

Meeting Limitations

While observers can join meetings, they cannot do the following:

  • Start or facilitate meetings
  • Control the meeting's flow
  • Edit meeting agendas
  • Create or assign items such as To-Dos
  • Modify items such as Rocks or Issues
 
 

 

What's the Difference Between the Observer Role and Inactive Status?

When applying a user role to someone in your Directory, we offer two free options — Observer and Inactive. Here's a breakdown of these roles:

Observer Role:

  • Can log into Ninety
  • View all assigned team content
  • Participate in meetings
  • Use the mobile app
  • No license cost

Inactive Status:

  • Cannot log into Ninety
  • Used for Org Chart display only
  • No system access
  • No license cost

 

Tip: Choose Observer for people who need to see company information. Choose Inactive for people who should only appear on the Org Chart.

 

How to Add an Observer

To add a new Observer to your account:

  1. Click Add Teammates from the left navigation.
  2. Select the Observer from the Role access dropdown.
  3. Add an email address.
  4. Select their team(s) in Ninety with the Team(s) dropdown.
  5. Click Add another user to continue or Add teammates to complete this action.

 

New users will need to activate their accounts. Have the new team member check their email for the link to activate their account (from helpful@ninety.io). You can also send them a direct link by clicking the ellipsis at the end of the user's row in the directory and selecting “Copy unique invite link” from the options shown; then, send them their unique link.

After activating their account, the invited user can add their first and last name to their profile in the Directory.

 

Upgrading from Observer Role

If an Observer needs editing capabilities, consider these role upgrades:

Managee Role: Can be assigned To-Dos, Rocks, and KPIs.

Manager Role: Full editing access to their teams' tools, plus the ability to manage team members.

Admin Role: All Manager capabilities plus user management and some system settings.

 

Remember: Upgraded roles require paid licenses. Plan your role strategy to balance access needs with budget considerations. Learn more about manage licenses here.

 

 

Best Practices for Setting Up Observers for Success

To help your team members make the most out of Ninety, review the following best practices for Observers.

Team Assignment Strategy

  • Assign Observers only to teams they need to see.
  • Consider cross-functional visibility requirements.
  • Review team assignments quarterly.


Communication Guidelines

  • Inform the team about Observer participants.
  • Set expectations for Observer meeting participation.
  • Clarify Observer role limitations.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Observers count against my license limit?

No, Observers are free and do not consume paid licenses.

 
 

Can Observers see confidential team information?

Observers can see all content for teams they're assigned to. Use team assignments to control access levels.

 
 

Can an Observer submit Issues to discuss for meetings?

Observers cannot create items like Issues in Ninety, so if they need to raise an Issue, they'll need to discuss it with their team's leader.

 
 

Can I change someone from Observer to Manager later?

Yes, user roles can be changed at any time by Owners and Admins through the Directory.

 
 

What happens if I accidentally assign a Rock to an Observer?

The system will prevent items being assigned to an Observer. 

 
 

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