Not every user can create or manage KPIs in Ninety. Permissions are determined by each user's role in the Directory, and those role boundaries are enforced in real time throughout the Scorecard tool. This article clarifies exactly what each role can and cannot do, so you can set up the right permissions for your team and troubleshoot access issues when they come up.

*Team Members and Managers can delete KPIs they own from the My 90 Scorecard widget. Owners, Admins, and Coaches can archive or permanently delete any KPI from the KPI Manager.

Observers have read-only access to the tools and teams they are explicitly assigned to. In the Scorecard tool, an Observer can view Scorecard data for their assigned teams, see historical trends and weekly performance, and participate in meetings where Scorecards are reviewed.

Observers cannot:

The Observer role is intended for stakeholders, board members, or anyone who needs visibility into team performance without accountability for updating or managing the metrics. Observers do not count toward your paid license seats.

Team Members (also called Managees) can enter data for KPIs assigned to them and view Scorecard data for their assigned teams. They can see whether their metrics are on or off track and add notes or details within a KPI's details panel.

Team Members cannot:

Managers have full Scorecard editing access for the specific teams they are assigned to. They can create KPIs, edit settings, add existing KPIs from other teams, organize groups, and assign KPI ownership to Team Members.

Managers cannot:

Owners, Admins, and Coaches have unrestricted Scorecard access across the entire company. They can view, edit, and manage every Scorecard, every KPI, and every piece of data. In addition to everything Managers can do, these roles can:

Coach role: Coaches have similar permissions to an Admin or Owner but cannot own KPIs on any team's Scorecard.

Role changes are made in the Directory. Only Owners and Admins can change roles; you can only change roles for users at your level or below.

Changes save automatically.

When you downgrade a user to Observer, any KPIs they own are not removed from the Scorecard. The KPI stays visible on the team's Scorecard with the Owner field marked as "unassigned." No data is lost. A Manager, Admin, Owner, or Coach can then open the KPI's details panel and reassign it to another team member.

Rocks are different. Unlike KPIs, Rocks must be reassigned before changing a user's role to Observer. Observers cannot own Rocks, so the system will block the Rock from being assigned after the role change. Reassign any Rocks first, then update the role.

Creating a KPI means building one from scratch: defining what you will track, setting the goal, choosing an owner, and determining the frequency. Creating a KPI requires Manager, Admin, Owner, or Coach permissions.

Entering data for a KPI means typing a number into an existing KPI each week. Any licensed user (Team Member and above) can enter data for KPIs assigned to them.

The distinction matters because you want stability in what you are measuring, which is why only Managers and above can create KPIs, while you need flexibility in who can report data, which is why Team Members can enter data.

Managers, Admins, Owners, and Coaches can add an existing KPI to additional teams' Scorecards. When a KPI is shared, all teams see the same data. Updating the KPI on one team's Scorecard immediately updates it on every other Scorecard where it appears.

To share a KPI:

For a full guide to sharing and duplicating, see How to Share and Duplicate KPIs Across Team Scorecards.

The KPI Manager is a centralized view for managing every KPI in your company. It is accessible only to Owners, Admins, and Coaches.

From the KPI Manager, you can:

For full instructions, see The KPI Manager.

"I can't create a KPI for my team."

Your role may be set to Team Member or Observer, which does not include the ability to create KPIs. Creating a KPI requires Manager, Admin, Owner, or Coach permissions. Contact your company Admin or Owner to either upgrade your role or have them create the KPI on your behalf.

If you are not sure what role you have, go to the Directory and check your entry in the user list.

"My manager told me I should be able to add KPIs, but I don't see the button."

This usually means your role is set to Team Member (Managee), which allows you to enter data but not create KPIs. The New KPI button is only visible to Managers and above. Ask your Admin or Owner to check your role in the Directory. Your manager may have intended to give you Manager-level access, or they may be unaware of the role distinction.

"I want to hide old KPIs without losing historical data."

Use the Archive function instead of deleting. Archiving removes a KPI from the active Scorecard but preserves all historical data for reporting and comparison. Archiving requires Owner, Admin, or Coach access via the KPI Manager.

To archive a KPI:

"I need to give someone access to another team's Scorecard."

Access to a team's Scorecard is controlled by team membership, not role alone. To give someone view or edit access to a team's Scorecard, an Admin or Owner must add them to that team in the Directory. Once added, their role determines what they can do on that team's Scorecard.

Start with Team Members; promote to Manager when needed.

Don't grant Manager permissions to everyone by default. Most users need only enough access to enter their own data. Promote individuals to Manager when they genuinely need to create or restructure Scorecards.

Use Observers for stakeholders who need visibility but not accountability.

If someone needs to see the data (for example, board members, external advisors, or Coaches observing a team), assign them the Observer role. They stay informed without the ability to alter the Scorecard.

Assign clear KPI ownership.

Every KPI should have one, and only one, owner. That person drives the number and reports on it during the Weekly Team Meeting (WTM). Clear ownership prevents confusion about who is responsible for which metrics.

Review permissions quarterly.

As your team grows and roles evolve, review user permissions at least once per quarter. Someone promoted to a leadership role may need Manager access. Someone who left a team may still have unnecessary access to that team's Scorecard.

Archive, don't delete.

When a KPI is no longer relevant, archive it rather than deleting it. Archiving preserves historical data for year-over-year comparisons. Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone.

Access to the Scorecard tool depends on your subscription plan:

If you are on the Free plan and want to use Scorecards, you will need to upgrade. Visit ninety.io/ninety-pricing to compare current plans.

Can Observers see all Scorecards in the company?

No. Observers can only see Scorecards for teams to which they are explicitly assigned. Owners, Admins, and Coaches can view all KPIs across the organization via the KPI Manager.

What happens if I permanently delete a KPI instead of archiving it?

Permanently deleting a KPI removes it and all its historical data. This action cannot be undone. Always archive KPIs unless they were created by mistake and have no data worth keeping. Permanent deletion is only available in the KPI Manager.

Can I change who owns a KPI?

Yes. Any Manager, Admin, Owner, or Coach can reassign KPI ownership from the KPI's details panel. Open the KPI, click the owner field, and select a new owner.

Do I need to reassign KPIs before changing a user's role to Observer?

No. When a user is downgraded to Observer, their KPIs remain on the Scorecard with the Owner field marked as "unassigned." No data is lost. A Manager or higher can then reassign them at any time. However, Rocks must be reassigned before the role change, because Observers cannot own Rocks.