How to give access to user specific data without allowing people to have access to the full data?

Jacques Frein

Hello all,

I have created a data sheet with KPI's for our team members (non-licensed users).

I have created a dashboard so they could see their personal KPI's but I don't want them to have access to the full table, for confidentiality reason. I use report to create diagrams but they don't have access to the data. How can I solve this situation?

Thanks a lot for your help

Debbie Sawyer

Hi Jacques

Have you tried publishing the reports and putting the published URL on the dashboard. (Globe button on the vertical toolbar on the RHS of the screen). You can use the Web Content widget to display the published Report.

This was people have visibility of the report data without needing to be shared to the underlying sheet.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards

​Debbie Sawyer Consultant & Training Manager

Jacques Frein

Thank you for your quick reply Debbie.

Basically, I use the Advanced Option "Dashboard Viewer" in the widget to only allow the current user to see his/her numbers. If I publish the dashboard, I get the message

So, it seems this solution does not work.

Any other idea?

Thanks

Debbie Sawyer

Hi

Sorry to cause confusion - I meant publish the Report then put the URL from the published report onto the Dashboard: - However, I have tested this again and this doesn't work the way I thought it should. So, ...

Another solution (a little clunky) that I have used in the past is to add a column called "You do not need to see this sheet" to the source sheet. Hide all other columns and then share the source sheet as Viewer with everyone. If they click on it to see it - they won't see anything other than an empty column saying "You do not need to see this sheet" and as they are viewer only they can't unhide any other columns. (so they give up trying to look!) But it does given them the access to the data in the sheet that you allow them to see using the report through the dashboard

This method would get the dashboard viewer in the dashboard widget working as required; but it means the underlying source sheet is a bit of a pain for Admins to use!

Good luck

Debbie

Paul Newcome

A quick note on sharing as "Viewer"... Users can still access the data. They just won't be able to save any changes they make to un-hiding columns. They can also use "Save as New" and have access to their own copy of the sheet.

Jacques Frein

Thank you both for your suggestions. I am going to try what you propose and I will come back to you

Best regards

Jacques

Debbie Sawyer

If you share to a collaborator (un-licensed user) as "Viewer" then they are unable to unhide the columns (unless they upgrade their license type) They are also unable to Save As New without incurring an upgrade to their account.

So it depends if you are sharing to unlicensed collaborators or licensed users. This still might be a way of reaching what you need.

Paul Newcome

Ah. Ok. Good to know. What about exporting?

Debbie Sawyer

Yes, Paul you are right - exporting does send everything even for an unlicensed collaborator... grrr!

But interestingly a licensed user being shared as a Viewer cannot unhide the columns (but they can Save as New)...

A good way to get around all of this though @Jacques Frein is to use Dynamic View! Have you explored that option!? I use this - it is brilliant! Once you go down that route you won't want to look back!

Good luck!

Debbie

Paul Newcome

I must have been accessing a PUBLISHED sheet that was published as read only. I just remember having access to a sheet where I could un-hide and hide columns, but I was unable to edit anything. Thanks for clearing that up!

Jacques Frein

We have the Dynamic Views in our Enterprise plan but I have to admit that I did not try and do not have experience. I will look at it.

What I did so far is to apply what Debbie suggested (leaving only 1 column visible). Basically, the source of data is a kind of a "Pivot Table" where I count or sum data for each user coming from a Row data grid. I have hidden all columns, turned it to "Viewer" for all the non-licensed users. Then, a report takes this "Pivot table" as a source file and the "Who" = "Current User" so they can only have access to the informations on their own row. Finally, I have created a dashboard using the report to show graphically their KPI's.

Thanks again for your support.

Best regards

Jacques

Debbie Sawyer

Oh - if you have dynamic view I would really recommend having a play - there are some really good help articles linked to it, I am looking to develop some remote workshops for it shortly. We use it at SBP for our timesheet portal and it is brilliant.

Have fun with it ;)

Kind regards

Debbie

Debbie Sawyer

@Paul Newcome

Permissions are such a minefield! Thank you for adding your input here as I am now needing to flag a loophole with a client - hopefully they'll get access to Dynamic view and I can redo their solution with that instead!

Kind regards

Debbie

Jacques Frein

Oops, I spoke too quickly: we don't have anymore the Dynamic view in our entreprise plan.