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User Roles and Permissions

How each user role can use Ninety's tools, with expanded permissions for every tool.

Written by Tommy Mains

How User Roles and Permissions Work in Ninety

How do user roles work?

Roles dictate what content you can edit or view within Ninety, including access to tasks such as inviting new users or updating billing options. Here is a general overview of each role's capabilities:

  • Owners have visibility and editing access to all teams and tools, full control of company settings, and the ability to update billing information or delete the account.

  • Admins have visibility and editing access to all teams (except private teams) and tools, editing power over all tools, full control of company settings, and the ability to update billing information.

  • Managers have editing power of all their teams' tools and the ability to create new teams.

  • Team Members can view all tools and create items in many of them (for example, Rocks, To-Dos, Issues, and so on).

  • Observers can view all tools through the team(s) they're assigned to.

  • Coaches have similar permissions to Admins, but they cannot be assigned items.

How to change user roles

Users with Coach or Owner permissions can change the permission level of users in their account. Admins can update most roles but cannot assign the Coach role. Here's how:

  1. Click Directory from the left navigation.

  2. Locate the user whose role needs to change.

  3. Click the Role access dropdown in their row.

  4. Select their new preferred user role.
    ​

Changes are saved automatically.

The user who created the company account has Owner permissions. However, more than one person can have the Owner user role.

How do I know my user role?

To find your user role and permission level:

  1. Click your name at the bottom of the left navigation.

  2. Note your user role under your name.

Expanded permissions for each role by tool

The sections below detail the basic functions of each tool. Next to each tool function for each user role, there will be a “✅” or “❌”.

  • ✅ Indicates the role can perform the function.

  • ❌ Indicates the role cannot perform the function.

Personal tools

These tools consolidate your work into a single space — saving you time and making it easier to focus.

My 90

The customizable My 90 workspace shows all your owned content, including To-Dos, Rocks, Milestones, and KPIs. Learn more about My 90.

Permission

Owner

Admin

Manager

Team Member

Observer

Coach

View, edit, and mark complete Team To-Dos from all teams you're assigned to

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Create Team To-Dos

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

View, edit, and mark complete Private To-Dos

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

Create Private To-Dos

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

View your Rocks and Milestones

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

View all KPIs you own

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

Input data on your KPIs

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

Add notes to your KPIs

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

Edit your KPIs

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

Edit your My 90 layout

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Delete KPIs they own

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

A note on Coaches: Because Coaches cannot be assigned content, they don't have personal Rocks, KPIs, or Private To-Dos to view in My 90. The Team To-Dos and layout permissions still apply.

Insights

The Insights tool contains a series of dashboards that help leaders understand the high-level trends of their team's activities in Ninety. Learn more about Insights.

Permission

Owner

Admin

Manager

Team Member

Observer

Coach

Access the Insights tool

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

View aggregated details from your teams' tools

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

View aggregated details from every team's tools

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Partner Hub

The Partner Hub is exclusive to Coaches. Learn more about Partner Hub.

Permission

Owner

Admin

Manager

Team Member

Observer

Coach

Access the Partner Hub tool

❌

❌

❌

❌

❌

✅

Accountability tools

Our six accountability tools help your teams improve performance every day.

Data

Use the Data tool to create and manage your individual and team's KPIs. Each KPI provides visibility to the goals essential to the team's success. Learn more from Introduction to the Data Tool.

Permission

Owner

Admin

Manager

Team Member

Observer

Coach

Create new KPIs

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Add KPIs to Scorecards

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Own KPIs

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

Input Scores

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Edit existing KPIs (title, description, goal, etc.)

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Remove KPIs

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Adjust goals of KPIs

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Add notes to KPIs

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Access Scorecard tool settings

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

A note on Coaches: Coaches have the same Scorecard access as Owners and Admins, with one exception: they cannot be assigned as a KPI owner on any team's Scorecard.

Rocks

The Rocks tool helps you create and track quarterly goals outside the scope of daily work. Learn more from Introduction to Rocks.

Permission

Owner

Admin

Manager

Team Member

Observer

Coach

Create Rocks

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Create a linked item from a Rock

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Own Rocks

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

Archive Rocks

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Archive all completed Rocks

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

View archive

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Delete a Rock

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Change settings

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Print to PDF

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Download to a spreadsheet

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

A note on Coaches: Coaches can manage Rocks across every team but cannot be assigned as the owner of a Rock.

To-Dos

The To-Dos tool manages action items to keep teams accountable, productive, and organized. Learn more from Introduction to To-Dos.

Permission

Owner

Admin

Manager

Team Member

Observer

Coach

Create To-Dos

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Create a linked item from a To-Do

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Own To-Dos

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

Archive To-Dos

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Archive all completed To-Dos

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

View archive

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Delete a To-Do

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Print to PDF

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Download to a spreadsheet

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

A note on Coaches: Coaches can manage Team To-Dos across every team but cannot be assigned as the owner of a To-Do.

Issues

The Issues tool documents the problems, obstacles, ideas, and opportunities your teams need to discuss and solve together. Learn more from Introduction to Issues.

Permission

Owner

Admin

Manager

Team Member

Observer

Coach

Create Issues

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Create a linked item from an Issue

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Own Issues

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

Archive Issues

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Archive all completed Issues

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

View archive

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Delete an Issue

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Change settings

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Print to PDF

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Download to a spreadsheet

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

A note on Coaches: Coaches can manage Issues across every team but cannot be assigned as the owner of an Issue.

Meetings

Use the Meetings tool to manage your daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual meetings. Learn more from Introduction to Meetings.

Permission

Owner

Admin

Manager

Team Member

Observer

Coach

Start a meeting

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Join a meeting

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Schedule a meeting

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

View completed meetings

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Resend meeting recap emails of completed meetings

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Create custom agendas

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Edit existing agendas for a team

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Edit existing agendas for the whole company

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Delete an in-progress meeting

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Change settings

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Print agendas

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Download to a spreadsheet

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Headlines

Use the Headlines tool to create announcements to share with your team or any team in the organization. Learn more from Introduction to Headlines.

Permission

Owner

Admin

Manager

Team Member

Observer

Coach

Create Headlines and Cascading Messages

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Create a linked item from a Headline or Cascading Message

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Own a Headline or Cascading Message

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

Archive Headlines and Cascading Messages

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Archive all completed

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

View archive

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Delete Headlines and Cascading Messages

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Print to PDF

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Download to a spreadsheet

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

A note on Coaches: Coaches can create and manage Headlines but cannot be assigned as the owner of a Headline or Cascading Message.

Organizational tools

Our organizational tools document key aspects of your company's structure and much more.

Vision

Use the Vision tool to plan, organize, and document your organization's Vision. Learn more from Introduction to the Vision.

Permission

Owner

Admin

Manager

Team Member

Observer

Coach

Edit Leadership Team's Vision (user must also be assigned to the leadership team)

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

View and edit any team's Vision

✅

✅

✅
(As long as they're assigned to that team)

❌

❌

✅

View archived Visions

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Archive a Vision

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Edit settings for their teams

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Download quarterly report

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Print to PDF

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Customize the Vision layout for their teams

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

A note on Team Members and Observers: Both can view any of their teams' Visions, plus any parts of the Leadership Team's Vision that have been shared with them.

Org Chart

Use the Org Chart tool to structure your company's core functions and help you get the Right People in the Right Seats to achieve your Vision. Learn more from Introduction to the Org Chart.

Permission

Owner

Admin

Manager

Team Member

Observer

Coach

Add a Seat

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Delete a Seat

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Clone a Seat

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Edit a Seat's roles and responsibilities

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Edit their own Seat's roles and responsibilities

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Show or hide the Visionary Seat

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Move Seats

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Create and edit draft charts

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

A note on Team Members and Observers: Both can view the primary chart and any draft charts shared with them.

1-on-1

Team leaders use the 1-on-1 tool to coordinate Quarterly Conversations and Annual Reviews with their direct reports. Learn more from Introduction to the 1-on-1 Tool.

Permission

Owner

Admin

Manager

Team Member

Observer

Coach

Create 1-on-1 Conversations and Reviews

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Participate in 1-on-1 Conversations and Reviews

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Delete a Discussion where you are the direct manager (per the Org Chart)

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

View all company 1-on-1 Conversations and Reviews

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

View your completed 1-on-1 Conversations and Reviews

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Complete a Fit Check assessment

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

View completed Fit Check assessments

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Edit settings

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Create and edit commitments and questions

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Notes on Fit Check visibility:

  • Owners can view every completed Fit Check assessment.

  • Admins can view assessments completed by Managers and Admins, but not those completed by Owners.

  • Managers can view assessments they completed themselves.

  • Team Members can only view Fit Check assessments completed about them by their leader.

  • Coaches can view completed Fit Check assessments but cannot complete one.

  • Observers cannot view the 1-on-1 tool.

Directory

Use the Directory tool to manage your account's users. Read Introduction to the Directory for more information.

Permission

Owner

Admin

Manager

Team Member

Observer

Coach

View all teams

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Update any user's role

✅

❌

❌

❌

❌

✅

Add a user to any team

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Invite users to the company account

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Edit any user's information (except email)

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Edit your own information

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Delete a user

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Reinvite a user

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Notes on Directory scope:

  • Admins can view all teams except private teams.

  • Managers can add users only to teams they're already on, and can invite users with the same or lower permissions (Managers cannot invite an Owner, Admin, or Coach).

  • Observers can only view the teams they're assigned to.

OS Toolbox

Use the OS Toolbox tool to monitor and track your team's progress in mastering the components of your Business Operating System. See OS Toolbox: The Concepts, Tools, and Disciplines behind Ninety to learn more.

Permission

Owner

Admin

Manager

Team Member

Observer

Coach

Enable or disable the OS Toolbox tool

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Confirm mastery of a concept or tool

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Edit Toolbox layout

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Add new resources

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Edit resources

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Delete a resource

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Archive a resource

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

View resource archive

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Reset all resources to BOS default

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Create an Issue or To-Do from an OS Toolbox element

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Knowledge Portal

The Knowledge Portal hosts content to help your teams learn, grow, and thrive. This is also the tool you'll use to document Core Processes and ensure they're followed by all. Learn more from Introduction to the Knowledge Portal.

Permission

Owner

Admin

Manager

Team Member

Observer

Coach

Access edit mode

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Create new collections, topics, subtopics, and tasks

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Revise user-created collections, topics, subtopics, and tasks

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Replace collection thumbnails

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Review completion of materials by team

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Delete user-created content

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Restore user-deleted collections

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Create a To-Do, Issue, Rock, Headline, or Cascading Message from a subtopic or task

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Access and read published content

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

A note on Coaches: Coaches can use the Partner Hub tool to modify their clients' Knowledge Portals.

Assessments

The Assessments tool helps you track the progress teams are making toward improving how well your organization operates. Learn more from Introduction to the Assessments Tool.

Permission

Owner

Admin

Manager

Team Member

Observer

Coach

Launch an assessment

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Create an assessment

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

End an assessment

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Delete an assessment

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Take an assessment

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

View results

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Download report

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Receive assessment results via email

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Notes on Assessments scope:

  • Managers can only view results if the user who assigned the assessment shared them.

  • Team Members can only receive results via email if the user who assigned the assessment shared them.

  • Observers cannot view the Assessments tool.

Settings

Access your settings to customize your Ninety experience.

Permission

Owner

Admin

Manager

Team Member

Observer

Coach

Edit your individual user settings

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Change your password

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Edit preferences

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Enable notifications

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Explore integrations

✅

✅

✅

✅

❌

✅

Configure company settings (turn tool features on or off)

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Customize company branding (logo and colors)

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Require multi-factor authentication (MFA)

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Create teams

✅

✅

✅

❌

❌

✅

Customize tool and tool feature names

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Edit default meeting agendas for the whole company

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Edit billing information

✅

✅

❌

❌

❌

✅

Delete the company account

✅

❌

❌

❌

❌

❌

Related Articles
Introduction to the Data Tool
Scorecard Permissions Explained: Who Can Create, Edit, and View Your KPIs
Importing a Bulk Set of Users
Ninety's Observer Role Explained
Understanding Ninety's Pricing Plans
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