A Guide to Permissions in Hapax

In banking, access to information must be secure, organized, and controlled. That’s why permissions exist in Hapax. They help banks manage who can see, edit, and move documents and folders—keeping customer data and internal policies safe.

If you’re new to permissions, don’t worry! This guide will walk you through everything you need to know.

What Are Permissions For?

Permissions in Hapax determine who can do what with documents and folders.

Permissions for Both Documents and Folders:

View – Can open and read the document/folder.
Edit – Can modify the content.
Delete – Can remove the document or folder.
Download – Can save a copy to their device.
Comment – Can leave notes or feedback.
View History – Can see past versions and changes.
Move Document – Can relocate a document to another folder.
Change Permissions – Can adjust who has access.

Permissions Unique to Folders:

Create – Can add new documents inside the folder.
Move Folder – Can relocate the entire folder.

Each permission helps ensure documents and folders stay secure while allowing the right people to collaborate effectively.

What Do Each of These Permissions Do?

Here’s a simple breakdown of what each permission means:

View – You can open and read a file/folder, but you can’t make changes.
Edit – You can change a file or folder’s contents.
Delete – You can remove the file or folder permanently.
Download – You can save a local copy of a file/folder.
Comment – You can add notes or ask questions in the document.
View History – You can see previous versions of a file and track edits.
Move Document – You can relocate a document to a different folder.
Change Permissions – You can adjust who has access and their permission levels.

For folders only, these two permissions apply:

Create – You can add new files inside the folder.
Move Folder – You can relocate the entire folder.

Simplified vs. Granular Permissions

Hapax allows you to set permissions in two ways: Simplified and Granular.

1. Simplified Permissions:

Best for quick setup.
Assigns broad access levels (e.g., "View Only" or "Can Edit").
Faster but less detailed control.

2. Granular Permissions:

Gives detailed control over access.
Lets you assign specific permissions to users.
Best for high-security documents or when working with multiple teams.

Why This Matters

Faster Setup – If you just need to share a document quickly, Simplified works best.
More Control – For high-risk files, Granular ensures security.
Improved Security – Different access levels prevent unauthorized changes.
Better User Experience – Easy-to-understand interface.

How Does Setting Up Permissions Work?

Instead of assigning permissions to individual users (which becomes hard to manage), Hapax uses Departments, Teams, and Groups.

1. How Users Get Permissions

Each user in Hapax belongs to:

A Department (Required)
Teams and Groups (Optional)

When a new employee is added, they inherit the permissions of their department, team, and groups. This makes it easier to manage access across the bank.

2. Groups

While Departments and Teams are meant to mimic your bank’s internal structure. Groups can be used to model permissions that are specific to Hapax or are cross Department. Groups are super useful in that a user can belong to more than one.

For example, when Hapax is first being set up customers often create a “Validation Group” and add the folks in charge of getting Hapax rolled out. Doc uploads can give full permission to the Validation Group during the initial rollout then the group can be decommissioned later in the project.

3. Why This is Important

No need to manually update each user when roles change.
Scales with the bank as employees join or leave.
Easier compliance management for auditors and regulators.

Why Do Permissions Work This Way?

Banks need a secure, scalable, and flexible way to manage access. This model provides:

Security & Confidentiality – Prevents a “super user” from having unnecessary access to everything.
Scalability – As teams grow, permissions update automatically without manual changes.
Flexibility – Allows different access levels (view, edit, delete, etc.).
Alignment with the Bank’s Structure – Permissions match how the bank is organized (departments, teams).
Auditability – Clear access trails help with compliance and security reviews.

In short, this permissions model prevents unauthorized access, reduces risk, and ensures smooth compliance with financial regulations.

What Are the Implications of Permissions for Bank Employees?

For you as a bank employee, permissions affect how you interact with documents in Hapax.

You might not be able to edit or move certain documents – If you can’t change a file, you probably don’t have Edit permission.
Approval workflows ensure compliance – Some files require manager approval before changes go live.
Permissions help protect customer data – Not everyone can see or download sensitive information.
You inherit permissions from your team – Instead of requesting access manually, you get the right permissions automatically when assigned to a department or team.

What You Can Do

If you can’t access a document, check with your team’s administrator.
If you need different permissions, request an update through your department.
If you manage permissions, ensure teams have the right access levels to maintain security and efficiency.