MainBoss Newswire: Security Roles

Security roles determine what operations a MainBoss user can perform with the software. For example, the Coding Definitions security role lets you create, read and edit all information in the Coding Definitions section of the MainBoss control panel. This security role is important for whoever is setting up MainBoss in the first place, but is unnecessary for most day-to-day MainBoss users.

A single user may have multiple security roles—one person may wear many hats, especially in smaller maintenance departments. For example, the manager of your department may have a set of security roles that allow the use of all MainBoss operations. On the other hand, a worker who only needs access to a small subset of MainBoss operations may have only one security role.

Each security role is designed to allow someone to do a particular job. For example, the Work Orders security role is intended to let someone create work orders. This means that it allows read-and-write access to data in the Work Orders section but also read-only access to many other tables. For example, the security role gives you read-only access to some sections of unit records, since unit information can be important when creating work orders. However, the security role doesn't provide access to unit information that is irrelevant to work orders.

Different organizations will make different decisions about which roles should be granted to which people. Nevertheless, we have drawn up a few suggestions about appropriate security roles for various maintenance workers:

Administrator:
Records license keys for the database and makes sure that the Configuration Specialist (described next) is in the Users table. Recommended security roles: Administration]
Configuration Specialist:
Creates the initial MainBoss set-up. This person should be very familiar with all aspects of MainBoss, and with the policies of your maintenance department. Once the initial configuration is finished, this person's job is done (except for occasional tweaks to the system). [Recommended security roles: CodingDefinitions plus any others related to the data you will be entering. For example, if you are recording information on inventory items, you will also need Item and if you are recording information about accounting information, you will need Accounting.]
Technical Advisor for Configuration:
Advises the Configuration Specialist on technical matters, particularly on planned maintenance tasks. This person should have extensive expertise in maintenance so that the task descriptions properly describe what's required for your existing units. [Recommended security roles: Unit and UnitMaintenancePlans, plus ItemSummary.]

Note: Configuration requires knowledge of MainBoss and knowledge of maintenance. We've split these into two separate roles because they're two different types of expertise.
Equipment Specialist:
Records information about units, or advises someone who actually types in the information. This person will be significantly involved in the configuration process, deciding what information should be recorded about each unit and gathering that information—specifications, spare part lists, warranty information, and so on. Someone must continue to fill this role after configuration, as new equipment is purchased and old equipment is retired. In particular, the equipment specialist should record planned maintenance procedures for new equipment and put those procedures into the schedule. [Recommended security roles: CodingDefinitions, Unit, UnitMaintenancePlans, and ItemSummary.]
Inventory Specialist:
Records information about inventory items, or advises someone who actually types in the information. [Recommended security roles: CodingDefinitionsView and Item. If the person will enter item costs too, Accounting is needed.]
Help-desk:
Receives problem reports and creates requests based on the information. Help-desk personnel don't need much expertise in maintenance or MainBoss use—just enough to ask relevant questions about the problem and to write an understandable description of what's gone wrong. [Recommended security roles: Request, UnitSummary, WorkOrderSummary, possibly Contact.]
Dispatcher:
Creates work orders from requests. This may require obtaining more information about the problem, assigning personnel, reserving materials, and so on. The dispatcher generally needs a good knowledge of maintenance and of MainBoss. [Recommended security roles: WorkOrder, AccountingWorkOrder, UnitSummary, ItemSummary, RequestView, RequestFulfillment, CodingDefinitionsView, UnitMaintenancePlansView. If the Dispatcher will be linking work orders to purchase orders, PurchaseOrderSummary is also needed. If the Dispatcher will be recording the transfer of materials to some temporary location near the work site, ItemFulfillment is also needed. Finally, if the Dispatcher will be generating preventive work orders, UnitMaintenancePlansFulfillment is needed.]
Workers:
Report back information from the job site; either they enter the information into MainBoss themselves, or they write out the information by hand for someone else to transcribe. Workers must know what information they're expected to record (e.g. time spent, materials used, closing codes, etc.). If they're asked to use MainBoss directly, they must have a basic familiarity with the software. [Recommended security roles: WorkOrderFulfillment, UnitSummary, ItemSummary.]
Chargeback Administrator:
Writes up chargebacks after a job is finished. This person must be familiar with contract agreements between your maintenance department and the chargeback customer—what the customer should and shouldn't be charged for, as well as the applicable rates. [Recommended security roles: AccountingView, AccountingWorkOrder, WorkOrder, RequestView, CodingDefinitionsView.]
Storeroom Personnel:
Record the use of materials, take physical inventory, and ensure that supplies are restocked as required. [Recommended security roles: ItemView, ItemFulfillment, WorkOrderView.]
Purchaser:
Determines what goods and services need to be purchased and prepares appropriate purchase orders. [Recommended security roles: PurchaseOrder, ItemSummary, WorkOrderSummary.]
Receiver:
Records the receipt of materials and arranges for them to be delivered to the correct storerooms. [Recommended security roles: PurchaseOrderReceive, ItemView.]
Analyst:
Prepares reports on various aspects of your maintenance operations. This person is usually a manager or a manager's assistant. [Recommended security roles: View versions of all relevant sections. For example, if the analyst is only concerned with work orders, then WorkOrderView is sufficient.]
Scrutineer:
Maintains the consistency of the database and advises all other MainBoss users on use of the software. [Recommended security roles: AccountingView, AdministrationView, CodingDefinitionsView, ItemView, PurchaseOrderView, UnitView, UnitMaintenancePlansView, WorkOrderView.]

Note: It is also possible to have special security roles designed for your own organization, but creating these will require the help of MainBoss support staff to set them up. Please email support@thinkage.ca if you are in the need of a specialized security role.