If you’re juggling several client projects in Dock, you know permissions can get messy fast. Maybe you’ve got a small agency, a consulting shop, or you’re just the unofficial “Dock admin” for your team. Either way, you want a setup that’s secure, not confusing, and doesn’t require a PhD in permissions theory. This guide will show you how to wrangle security permissions for multiple clients in Dock so your team stays productive, your clients see only what they should, and you don’t lose your mind.
1. Get Clear On How Dock Handles Permissions
Before you click anything, it pays to understand how Dock’s permissions actually work. There’s no point setting rules you can’t explain. Here’s what matters:
- User roles: Dock organizes permissions around roles—think “Admin,” “Member,” or “Client.”
- Spaces or Projects: Each client usually gets their own workspace (called a “Space” in Dock lingo).
- Granularity: Permissions are mostly set at the Space level, not for every single file or doc.
Pro Tip: Dock’s permission system is solid but not magic. If you need extremely granular, item-by-item controls, Dock isn’t built for that. If you’re managing access for several clients in parallel—good news, that’s what Dock is actually good at.
2. Map Out Your Client Structure First
Don’t just add users and hope for the best. Take 10 minutes to sketch out:
- How many clients you have now (and expect to add in the next year)
- Which team members need access to each client’s docs
- What, if anything, should be visible to all clients or all staff
You can use a napkin, spreadsheet, or whiteboard—whatever. The point is to avoid a permission tangle later.
What works: Keeping one Space per client. This keeps things tidy and makes permissions much easier to manage.
What doesn’t: Mixing multiple clients in a single Space. You’ll regret it the first time you need to restrict access.
3. Set Up Spaces for Each Client
Now, let’s get practical:
- Create a new Space for each client.
- In Dock, go to your dashboard and click “New Space.”
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Name it clearly, e.g., “Acme Corp - 2024 Project.”
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Add only the relevant team members and client contacts.
- Don’t just invite your whole team “to be safe.” Only add people who genuinely need to work on that client’s stuff.
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For clients, invite them with a “Client” or “Guest” role. Dock keeps these roles limited by default.
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Set role-based permissions.
- Give internal team members “Admin” or “Member” roles depending on their needs.
- Clients should never have admin access. Stick to “Client” or “Viewer” unless there’s a good reason.
Pro Tip: If Dock lets you, set default permissions when creating Spaces, so you don’t have to tweak every time.
4. Fine-Tune What Each Role Can Do
Dock’s default roles are usually enough, but if you need more control:
- Admins: Full access—can add/remove users, edit settings, upload or delete anything.
- Members: Can collaborate and edit, but not manage users or settings.
- Clients/Guests: Can view, comment, maybe upload docs (depending on your settings), but can’t see anything outside their Space.
If Dock’s built-in roles don’t fit, check if you can create custom roles or tweak what each can do. But don’t overcomplicate it—more roles usually means more headaches.
What to ignore: Don’t bother creating a unique role for every single client unless you have a legal or compliance reason.
5. Use Groups for Faster Management (If Dock Supports It)
If you have a bunch of team members who always work together (say, a “Client Success” team), see if Dock lets you create Groups. Then you can:
- Add an entire group to a client Space, instead of picking people one by one.
- Update group membership in one place, and have it sync everywhere.
This isn’t always available, but if it is, it’ll save you a ton of clicking.
6. Double-Check What Clients Can See
It’s easy to assume permissions are set right—until a client emails you about a file they shouldn’t see.
- Log in as a test user (or use Dock’s “View as” feature, if it has one).
- Click through the Space as if you’re a client. Can you see only what you expect?
- Pay special attention to shared folders and links—sometimes things get shared more widely than you meant.
Pro Tip: Every time you add a new client or team member, do a quick sanity check. It’s faster than dealing with a permissions mistake later.
7. Set Up Templates to Speed Things Up
If you’re onboarding similar clients regularly:
- Set up a template Space with default folders, docs, and permissions.
- Duplicate this template when bringing in a new client. Adjust as needed.
This avoids reinventing the wheel and reduces the chances of missing a critical permission.
8. Handle Offboarding and Access Reviews
Clients and team members come and go. Don’t wait for someone to leave to find out they still have access.
- Offboard promptly: As soon as a project ends, remove client access from their Space. Same goes for team members who change roles or leave.
- Regular reviews: Once a quarter (or whatever cadence makes sense), review who has access to each client Space.
What works: Set a recurring calendar reminder. It’s not glamorous, but it’s effective.
What doesn’t: Assuming everyone is following protocol. People forget, and old access lingers.
9. Be Smart About Sharing Links
Dock, like most platforms, lets you share links to docs or folders. This is handy, but:
- Double-check the link settings. “Anyone with link” might mean anyone, period.
- Use “invite-only” or “restricted” links for sensitive stuff.
- When in doubt, share from within the client’s Space, not via email attachments.
If a client leaves, make sure to kill any active links they might still have.
10. Keep It Simple and Don’t Overthink It
The best permission setup is the one you can actually remember and explain. Here’s what really matters:
- One Space per client.
- Least privilege: Only give people the access they need.
- Regularly review and clean up old access.
- Avoid creating tons of custom roles unless you have a clear reason.
If you’re not sure, err on the side of tighter permissions. You can always loosen them later.
Keep it simple, and don’t let the “perfect” permission scheme slow you down. Most problems come from overcomplicating things or forgetting to review access. Start basic, tighten things up as you go, and you’ll avoid most of the common pitfalls. Dock makes it easy to manage multiple clients—just don’t forget the basics.