User Groups

This feature was previously called "Regions".

Overview

User Groups allow an admin to restrict a platform User's access to (one) subset of Contacts. This requires selecting a custom Contact field that will indicate which (one) group each Contact belongs to. Some potential use cases for this feature include:

• geographic regions for admissions territories
• students at different campuses
• managing employees at different offices/plants/warehouses
• dividing access by program
• partitioning team leads across departments

Note that you can also choose to not restrict a User's access, by selecting "All User Groups," in which case that User will not be restricted, and can still create content that is restricted to a particular User Group.

Effects

When a User is assigned to a specific User Group, they will only see Contacts in the corresponding group (that is, Contacts whose value for the selected field matches their User Group value). This restriction is in effect in the following tools:

Insights: This User will see Insights graphs reflecting the full institution, but when downloading an Insights report, they will only get Contacts for their assigned User Group(s).

Conversations: The User will only be able to see and communicate with Contacts in their assigned User Group(s).

Knowledge Maintenance: The User will only be able to see and resolve messages from Contacts in their assigned User Group(s).

Contacts: The User will only be able to see and edit Contacts in their assigned User Group(s).

Imports: The User must specify a User Group (or "All Contacts") when importing a CSV file. 

• If the User is assigned to one or more User Groups, they can only select from those.
• If a specific User Group is selected, then even if the import does not include a column for the contact field connected to User Groups, Mainstay will automatically assign all contacts in the import to that User Group.
• If the User attempts to create contacts outside of that User Group or edit existing contacts to move them outside of that User Group, this will result in a validation error.
• If the User attempts to update contacts outside of that User Group, including to bring them into that User Group, this will result in a validation error.
• When viewing Import History, a User will only see imports for their User Group(s).

Audiences: The User must specify a User Group (or "All Contacts") when creating an Audience.

• If the User is assigned to one or more User Groups, they can only select from those.
• This User will only see Audiences tied to their User Group(s) in the Audience Manager, when filtering Insights, when scheduling a Campaign, etc.
• The Audience will automatically filter so only Contacts with the equivalent custom field value for the User Group will be included.

Campaigns: The User must specify a User Group (or "All Contacts") when creating a Campaign.

• The User will only be able to select Audiences or Imports for this User Group.
• On the Calendar, this User will see Campaigns tied to their User Group(s) and Campaigns sent by non-restricted Users.
• However, the User will only be able to edit Campaigns tied to their User Group(s).
• When downloading a Campaign report, this User will only get Contacts in their assigned User Group(s).
• The behavior is the same for Web-chat Intro, SMS Intro, Data-triggered Campaign, and Hello Page reports - only contacts in the User's User Group(s) will be included.
• The behavior is the same for #Command reports - only contacts in the User's User Group(s) will be included.

Settings

Navigate to Settings > General Settings > User Groups.

• User Groups (toggle): Set whether the User Group restrictions are in effect.
  • When this is enabled, nothing will happen immediately. Users will need to be assigned to User Groups (see below) in order for restrictions to be in effect.
  • When this is disabled, User Group restrictions will no longer be in effect. That means that any Users who are assigned to a User Group will now have full access to all contacts.
• User Groups List: Define a list of User Groups. Each User can be assigned to one User Group, or no User Group. Configure each User's Group on the User Settings (see below).
• User Groups contact field: Set the corresponding custom contact field that is used to determine which (one) group a Contact belongs to. Best practice is to use a Multi-choice field, with options that exactly match the User Groups List above.

Note: If a User is assigned to a User Group, then it is not possible to delete that User Group:

Users

When Inviting a User, you can select their User Group and feature Permissions:

You can also edit an existing User's Group and Permissions:

If a User has access to multiple institutions accounts, they can be assigned different User Groups in each one.