Overview

These settings control who can create, access, and manage curriculum content such as courses, scenarios, evaluations, and shared resources. Permissions help ensure users have the appropriate level of access while protecting content from unauthorized changes.

Contributor permissions are customizable, allowing administrators to grant only the access needed for a user's responsibilities. For example, one Contributor may be allowed to manage sessions and view results, while another may be allowed to edit curriculum content and manage participants.

In addition to individual permissions, Sharing Defaults, found in System Settings, can be configured for Contributors, Viewers, and Organizations. These defaults automatically apply to newly created content and newly added users, helping maintain consistent access across courses and scenarios. Changes to Sharing Defaults do not affect existing content or users.

Use the sections below to learn about each permission level, configure Contributor permissions, understand Sharing Defaults, and troubleshoot common permission-related issues.

Permission Levels with Example Tasks

Owner – Full Control

Owners can manage all aspects of the course, scenario, or shared content.

Example tasks:

• Create a new course or scenario.
• Add or remove Contributors and Viewers.
• Configure permissions and sharing settings.
• Add evaluations and learning content.
• Archive or delete the course or scenario.
• Transfer ownership to another user. 

Example:    
A program director creates a course, assigns faculty members as Contributors, and manages who has access to reports and recordings.   

Contributor permissions: Use the toggles to control whether a Contributor can edit course content, manage participants, debrief sessions, manage sessions, or view results.

Contributor – Edit and Manage Content

Contributors can perform tasks based on the permissions granted to them. Unlike Owners, Contributors do not automatically receive every permission. Select only the permissions needed for the Contributor’s responsibilities.

Example tasks:

• Edit course content and evaluations.
• Add or remove participants.
• Create and manage sessions.
• Join live sessions.
• Complete evaluations during debrief.
• View session recordings for debriefing.
• Access participant results and run reports (if granted).

Example:    
An instructor updates evaluation forms, schedules a session, facilitates the simulation, and reviews learner performance reports afterward.   

Example customized permission set

Contributor permissions can be combined based on the user’s responsibilities. In the following example, the Contributor can debrief completed sessions, manage course sessions, and view results. The Contributor cannot edit course content or manage participants. 

Example: A Contributor has access to Debrief Course sessions, Start, join, and manage course sessions, and View Results. The Contributor does not have access to Edit course contents or Manage Participants.

Example use case:
An instructor can facilitate sessions, review completed recordings, complete evaluations, and run reports but cannot modify the curriculum or change course enrollment.

Viewer – View-Only Access

Viewers can see information that has been shared with them but cannot make changes.

Example tasks:

• View course or scenario details.
• Review shared content.
• Reference information for planning or oversight purposes.

Viewers cannot:

• Edit content.
• Manage participants.
• Create or manage sessions.
• Debrief recordings.
• Run reports.

Example:    
A department administrator is given Viewer access to review course information and curriculum details without being able to modify anything.   

What Each Permission Level Cannot Do

Sharing Defaults

Sharing Defaults, found in System Settings,  determine the permissions automatically assigned to Contributors, Viewers, and Organizations when new content is created. Use Sharing Defaults to establish consistent access rules across your courses and scenarios and reduce the need for manual permission updates. Changes to Sharing Defaults apply only to future content and users and do not affect existing permissions.

These settings control who can create, access, and manage curriculum content such as courses, scenarios, evaluations, and shared resources. Permissions help ensure users have the appropriate level of access while protecting content from unauthorized changes.

Content can be shared with three permission levels:

• Owner – Full control over content, permissions, and sharing settings.
• Contributor – Can perform tasks based on the permissions assigned to them, such as editing content, managing participants, facilitating sessions, debriefing recordings, and viewing results.
• Viewer – Has read-only access to shared content and cannot make changes.

Contributor permissions are customizable, allowing administrators to grant only the access needed for a user's responsibilities. For example, one Contributor may be allowed to manage sessions and view results, while another may be allowed to edit curriculum content and manage participants.

In addition to individual permissions, Sharing Defaults can be configured for Contributors, Viewers, and Organizations. These defaults automatically apply to newly created content and newly added users, helping maintain consistent access across courses and scenarios. Changes to Sharing Defaults do not affect existing content or users.

Benefits of Sharing Defaults

Sharing Defaults help standardize access for new content by automatically applying predefined permissions when contributors or administrators are added.

Key benefits include:

• Saves time by eliminating the need to manually configure permissions for every new item.
• Promotes consistency by ensuring contributors receive the same access levels across scenarios, courses, or content.
• Reduces errors by preventing incorrect or missing permissions.
• Simplifies administration by applying organization-wide sharing preferences automatically.
• Improves collaboration by ensuring the right people have access from the start.

Set Sharing Defaults

Sharing Defaults allow administrators to define the permissions that are automatically assigned when new contributors are added. This helps ensure consistent access and reduces the need to configure permissions individually for each user.

To set Sharing Defaults:

1. Go to System Settings and select Courses if using SimCapture Enterprise or Scenarios if using SimCapture Pro
2. Locate the Sharing Defaults section.
3. Select the default permissions you want new Contributors to receive.
4. Choose whether all administrators in the organization should automatically have viewing access (if applicable).
5. Save your changes.

After Sharing Defaults are configured, newly added Contributors will receive the predefined permissions automatically. Individual permissions can still be adjusted later if a user requires more or less access.

Common Permission Conflicts and Resolutions

Scenario: A Contributor cannot run reports

Issue: 
The user can edit course content and manage sessions but cannot access the Results tab or run reports.

Cause: 
The Contributor was not granted the View Results permission.

Resolution: 
Edit the Contributor's permissions and enable View Results to allow access to participant results, debrief evaluations, and course reports.

Scenario: A Contributor can view a course but cannot edit it

Issue: 
The user can open the course but cannot modify content, evaluations, or agenda items.

Cause: 
The Contributor was not granted the Edit Course Content permission.

Resolution: 
Enable Edit Course Content in the Contributor's permissions.

Scenario: A Contributor cannot add participants

Issue: 
The user is helping administer a course but cannot enroll learners.

Cause: 
The Manage Participants permission has not been assigned.

Resolution: 
Grant Manage Participants to allow the Contributor to add and remove participants from the course.

Scenario: A Contributor cannot start or join a session

Issue: 
The user is expected to facilitate a session but does not see options to start or manage sessions.

Cause: 
The Start, Join, and Manage Course Sessions permission is not enabled.

Resolution: 
Assign the Start, Join, and Manage Course Sessions permission.

Scenario: A Contributor cannot access recordings for debriefing

Issue: 
The user needs to review completed sessions but cannot access debrief videos.

Cause: 
The Debrief Course Sessions permission is not enabled.

Resolution: 
Grant Debrief Course Sessions access.

Scenario: A Viewer wants to make changes

Issue: 
A Viewer can see course information but cannot edit content or manage sessions.

Cause: 
Viewer permissions are intentionally read-only. Viewers can view shared content but cannot edit, manage sessions, debrief recordings, or run reports. 

Resolution: 
Change the user's role to Contributor and assign the permissions needed for their responsibilities.

Scenario: A user has the correct course permissions but still lacks access

Issue: 
The user has been granted a course-level permission but still cannot perform the expected action.

Cause: 
System-level permissions may override course-level permissions. If a required global permission is disabled, access may be restricted even when course permissions are assigned.

Resolution: 
Review both the user's system-level permissions and course-level permissions to ensure they are aligned.