Purpose of this article
This article explains how admins manage users and permissions in Scaler, including how to invite users, assign access, and maintain appropriate controls as teams and portfolios evolve.
Inviting a new user
Only users with Admin permission level can invite new users, remove users, assign or change permission levels, and control access to portfolios, assets, and financial data.
When inviting a user, admins must:
- Enter the user's email address
- Assign a permission level
- Assign a role (descriptive only)
- Grant access to one or more portfolios, or specific assets within a portfolio
Important
Users will not see any data until portfolio or asset access is granted.
Assigning permission levels
Permission levels determine what actions a user can take.
Admin
Admins have full access across the platform, including user and permission management, company-level settings, data editing and configuration, report generation, and analytics at all levels.
Member
Members are full users without administrative control.
They can access assigned portfolios or assets, view analytics, and edit data or generate reports if given edit access. They cannot invite or manage users or change company-level settings.
Data request contributor
Data request contributors are typically external stakeholders or internal teams providing specific data on request. Unlike admins or members, they can be created as part of the data request workflow rather than set up in advance.
When a data request is created, admins or members with edit access can:
- Add email addresses directly to the data request
- Assign those recipients as data request contributors
- Specify exactly which fields each contributor is asked to complete
Data request contributors receive a secure link to submit requested data, see only the specific fields included in the request, and do not log in to Scaler or have full platform access.
This permission level is designed for targeted, time-bound data collection, not ongoing platform use.
Assigning portfolio and asset access
Admins control where a user can work by assigning access at either portfolio level or asset level (within a portfolio).
For each assignment, admins choose the access type:
- View-only access: Analytics only, no data editing or report generation
- Edit access: Data Collection Portal access, data editing and configuration, report generation
Note
Reports are always accessed through the Data Collection Portal and require edit access.
Managing financial data access
Admins can separately control whether a user can view cost and financial fields, access financial metrics in analytics, or include financial data in reports.
This allows organizations to grant operational access without exposing sensitive data or to separate ESG workflows from financial governance.
Updating or removing user access
Admins can update user access at any time to add or remove portfolio access, change access from view-only to edit, update permission levels or roles, or remove users entirely.
Changes take effect immediately and do not affect historical data.
Best practices for managing access
To keep access manageable and secure:
- Grant the minimum access required initially
- Use view-only access where possible
- Define the user’s Role to support effective collaboration and platform use
- Restrict financial data access based on internal governance
- Review user access periodically
- Remove access promptly when roles change
- Use data request contributors for one-off or external data collection
Common permission scenarios
- External property managers: Member with edit access to specific assets only, typically restricted financial data access
- Asset managers: Member with view-only access at portfolio level, financial data access depends on internal governance
- Consultants: Member with portfolio-level access (view or edit, as required), financial data access case by case
Additional resources
To continue setup, read:
- Portfolio settings overview
If you are onboarding users by responsibility:
- Getting started in Scaler by role