Most access and permission issues in SimCapture can be traced to one of four areas:

• Location access
• Course access
• Session access
• Contributor permissions

Because multiple permission models work together, a user may have access at one level but still be unable to perform a specific action. This article provides a step-by-step approach to identifying and resolving common permission-related issues.

Understanding the Permission Layers

SimCapture permissions are evaluated at multiple levels:

1. Location Access determines which locations a user can see and use.
2. Course Permissions determine which courses a user can access and manage.
3. Session Permissions determine which individual sessions a user can access.
4. Contributor Permissions determine which actions a user can perform.

A user generally needs appropriate access at each applicable level to successfully complete a task.

For example:

• A user may have permission to manage sessions but cannot use a room they cannot see.
• A user may have access to a course but cannot access a specific session.
• A user may have access to a session but lack permission to perform a specific action.

User Cannot See a Location

If a user cannot find a location on their dashboard or when creating a session, the issue is usually related to Organization-Based Location Access.

Check Organization Membership

Verify that the user belongs to the organization associated with the location.

If the user's organization does not match the organization assigned to the location, the location may not be visible.

Questions to Ask

• Is the user assigned to the correct organization?
• Has the user's organization recently changed?
• Are multiple organizations being used to manage locations?

Check Location Assignment

Verify that the correct organization is associated with the location.

Administrators should confirm:

• The location is assigned to the intended organization.
• The organization assignment has not been modified unintentionally.

Check User Role

Some actions may require additional permissions or privileges beyond organization membership.

Verify that the user has the appropriate role and permissions for the task they are attempting to perform.

Common Symptoms

• Location does not appear in dropdown lists.
• User cannot select the location when creating a session.
• Recording spaces appear unavailable.

User Can See the Location but Cannot Access the Session

If a user can access the location but cannot open or manage a session, the issue is typically related to course or session permissions.

Check Course Permissions

Determine whether the user has been added as a:

• Course Owner
• Course Contributor

If the session is associated with a course, course-level permissions may control access.

Questions to Ask

• Is the user assigned to the course?
• Does the user have the required course permissions?
• Was the session created within a course where the user has access?

Check Session Contributor Status

If the user is not receiving access through the course, verify whether they have been added as a Session Contributor.

Session Contributors receive access to individual sessions and may be granted permissions that differ from course permissions.

Questions to Ask

• Has the user been added to the session?
• Were they added as a Session Contributor?
• Was the correct user account selected?

Check Session Viewer Access

Some users may only require viewing access.

Verify that the user has been added as a Session Viewer if read-only access is appropriate.

Common Symptoms

• Session does not appear in searches.
• User receives an access error when opening the session.
• Session recordings are unavailable.

User Can Access the Session but Cannot Perform an Action

If a user can access the session but cannot complete a specific task, the issue is often related to permission settings rather than access.

Check Session Permissions

Review the permissions assigned to the user within the session.

Depending on your configuration, permissions may control actions such as:

• Viewing recordings
• Creating annotations
• Editing annotations
• Adding participants
• Adding contributors
• Managing session information

A user may have session access while still lacking permission to perform specific actions.

Check Contributor Permissions

Contributor permissions can vary between users.

For example:

• An evaluator may be allowed to create annotations.
• A reviewer may only be allowed to view recordings.
• A facilitator may have broader management permissions.

Verify that the specific permission required for the task has been granted.

Check Sharing Defaults

If the user is receiving access through Course Contributor permissions, review the Sharing Defaults configuration.

Sharing Defaults determine the initial permissions assigned to Course Contributors and may influence what actions users can perform.

Common Symptoms

• User can view a session but cannot edit content.
• User can access recordings but cannot run reports.
• User can participate in a course but cannot manage session details.

User Cannot View a Recording

Recording access is one of the most common permission-related issues.

Check Recording Permissions

Verify that the user's assigned permissions include recording access.

Depending on their role, access may be inherited from:

• Course permissions
• Session permissions
• Contributor permissions

Check Course Access

If the recording is associated with a course, verify that the user has appropriate course access.

Questions to consider:

• Is the user a Course Contributor?
• Is the user a Course Owner?
• Were course permissions recently modified?

Check Session Access

If course permissions are not providing access, verify that the user has access to the specific session containing the recording.

Users may require:

• Session Contributor access
• Session Viewer access
• Additional session-level permissions

Common Symptoms

• Recording tile is unavailable.
• User receives a permission error when opening recordings.
• Session is visible but recording content is unavailable.

User Cannot Add Participants or Contributors

Adding participants or contributors requires appropriate permissions.

Check Contributor-Level Permissions

Verify that the user has permission to manage participants or contributors.

A user may have access to the session while lacking the ability to modify membership.

Questions to Ask

• Does the user's role include participant management?
• Does the user's role include contributor management?
• Was access customized for the individual user?

Check Course Owner Privileges

Some management actions may require Course Owner privileges or broader administrative permissions.

Verify whether the user should be assigned a different role based on their responsibilities.

Common Symptoms

• Add Participant button unavailable.
• Add Contributor option unavailable.
• Changes cannot be saved.

Permission Troubleshooting Checklist

Use the following checklist when investigating permission-related issues.

Location access verified

• User belongs to the correct organization
• Organization is associated with the correct location

Course access verified

• Course Owner or Course Contributor access confirmed
• Appropriate course permissions assigned

Session access verified

• Session Contributor or Session Viewer access confirmed
• Session is visible and accessible

Individual permissions verified

• Required permissions granted
• Access customized appropriately
• Sharing Defaults reviewed if applicable

Common Permission Scenarios

A User Cannot See a Room

Most likely causes:

• Incorrect organization membership
• Incorrect location assignment

Start with Organization-Based Location Access.

A User Can See a Room but Cannot Access a Session

Most likely causes:

• Missing Course Permissions
• Missing Session Contributor access
• Missing Session Viewer access

Review course and session assignments.

A User Can Access a Session but Cannot Annotate

Most likely causes:

• Annotation permissions not assigned
• Contributor permissions customized incorrectly

Review Session Contributor permissions.

A User Can Access a Course but Not a Recording

Most likely causes:

• Recording permissions not assigned
• Session-level access missing
• Course permissions insufficient

Review both course and session access settings.

Related Articles

For additional information about SimCapture permissions, see:

• Understanding SimCapture Permissions
• Organization-Based Location Access in SimCapture
• Course Permissions and Course Contributors
• Session Contributors and Session Viewers
• Sharing Defaults and Default Contributor Permissions