Session permissions allow administrators and educators to grant access to individual recording sessions without providing broader access to an entire course. This makes session-level permissions ideal when specific users need access to a single recording, evaluation, or debrief rather than ongoing access to all course content.

Unlike Course Permissions, which apply across an entire course, Session Contributors and Session Viewers are managed independently for each session. They also operate separately from Organization-Based Location Access, which controls which locations users can access.

Understanding Session Access

Session access controls who can view, manage, and collaborate within a specific session.

Depending on a user's role, they may be assigned as a Session Owner, Session Contributor, or Session Viewer.

Session Owners

Session Owners have the highest level of session-specific access and are responsible for managing the session and its associated content.

Session Owners typically manage:

• Session settings
• Contributors and viewers
• Participants
• Session information
• Recordings and related content

Because Session Owners have broad management capabilities, this role is generally reserved for the primary educator, facilitator, or administrator responsible for the session.

Session Contributors

Session Contributors are users who need access to a specific session and may require the ability to perform selected actions within that session.

Unlike Course Contributors, whose permissions apply across an entire course, Session Contributors only receive access to the individual session where they have been added.

Session Contributors are commonly used for:

• Evaluators
• Faculty reviewers
• Debrief facilitators
• Technical support staff
• Subject matter experts

The permissions assigned to each Session Contributor can be customized based on their responsibilities.

Session Viewers

Session Viewers provide a more limited level of access.

Session Viewers are generally added when users need to review session content but do not need permission to make changes or manage session activities.

Examples include:

• Observers
• Guest reviewers
• Program leadership
• Accreditation reviewers
• Administrative staff who need viewing access only

Using Session Viewers helps organizations provide appropriate access while maintaining tighter control over session management functions.

Managing Session Contributors

Session Contributors and Session Viewers are managed from the session's People tab.

This area allows administrators and educators to review who has access to the session and assign additional users as needed.

Where Session Contributors Appear

Within the People tab, you may see several categories of users:

• Course Contributors who inherited access from the course
• Session Contributors added specifically to that session
• Session Viewers added specifically to that session

Recommended Screenshot

Include a screenshot of the People tab with callouts identifying:

• Course Contributors
• Session Contributors
• Session Viewers
• Add Person button
• Permission dropdown

This visual helps users understand how course-level and session-level permissions can coexist within the same session.

Session Contributor Permissions

Session Contributors can be assigned permissions that allow them to perform specific actions within a session.

Depending on your SimCapture configuration, available permissions may include:

• View recordings
• View session details
• Create annotations
• Edit annotations
• Add participants
• Add contributors
• Manage session information

These permissions allow administrators to provide each user with the level of access appropriate for their role.

For example, an evaluator may only need permission to view recordings and create annotations, while a lead facilitator may need additional permissions to manage participants and session details.

Customizing Permissions for Individual Users

One of the key benefits of Session Contributors is the ability to customize permissions on a user-by-user basis.

Session Contributors do not need to share identical permission sets.

For example:

This flexibility allows administrators to support different workflows without granting unnecessary access.

Common Use Cases

Session Contributors and Session Viewers are especially useful when access is required for a specific session rather than an entire course.

Guest Evaluator

An evaluator may need to review learner performance for a single recorded event.

Instead of providing course-wide access, the evaluator can be added as a Session Contributor and granted only the permissions needed to review and annotate that session.

Debrief Facilitator

A facilitator participating in one debrief session may need access to recordings and annotations but may not need access to the broader course.

Adding the facilitator as a Session Contributor limits access to the relevant session while supporting the debrief process.

Technical Support Staff

Simulation operations or IT staff may occasionally require access to troubleshoot a recording, review session settings, or investigate technical issues.

Session Contributor access provides the required visibility without granting ongoing course access.

External Reviewer

An accreditation reviewer, consultant, or subject matter expert may need to review content associated with a specific session.

Session Viewer access can provide read-only visibility while protecting the integrity of course and session data.

Course Contributors vs. Session Contributors

Because both contributor types can appear within the same session, it is important to understand the difference.

How They Work Together

When a session is associated with a course:

• Course Contributors may automatically appear in the session because of course-level permissions.
• Session Contributors can be added separately to provide additional access to specific users.
• Session Viewers can be added when read-only access is required.

This layered approach allows organizations to maintain consistent access for recurring course staff while still supporting temporary contributors and reviewers.

Example

A course may include several faculty members who are assigned as Course Contributors.

For a particular simulation session, an external subject matter expert needs to review learner performance.

In this situation:

• Faculty members continue to access the session through their Course Contributor permissions.
• The external reviewer is added as a Session Viewer or Session Contributor.
• No changes are required to the course permission structure.

Best Practices

Use Session Contributors for One-Off Access

When users only require access to a specific session, Session Contributors are generally preferable to assigning broader course permissions.

Grant the Minimum Permissions Needed

Assign only the permissions required for a user's responsibilities.

This simplifies management and helps reduce unintended access.

Review Session Access Periodically

For long-running courses or frequently reused recordings, periodically review Session Contributors and Session Viewers to ensure access remains appropriate.

Use Course Contributors for Ongoing Participation

If a user consistently works within a course and its sessions, Course Contributor access is usually more efficient than manually assigning access to individual sessions.

For more information, see Course Permissions and Course Contributors.

Common Questions

Does adding someone as a Session Contributor give them access to the entire course?

No.

Session Contributors only receive access to the specific session where they have been added.

Can Session Contributors have different permissions?

Yes.

Permissions can be customized individually for each Session Contributor.

Can someone be both a Course Contributor and a Session Contributor?

Yes.

A user may inherit access through the course while also receiving additional session-specific permissions.

Does Session Viewer access allow users to manage the session?

Session Viewers are intended for limited-access scenarios and generally provide less access than Session Contributors.

Related Articles

To learn more about how permissions work throughout SimCapture, see:

• Course Permissions and Course Contributors
• Sharing Defaults and Default Contributor Permissions
• Organization-Based Location Access in SimCapture
• Understanding SimCapture Permissions
• Troubleshooting Permission Issues in SimCapture