How to set up team based permissions in Endgame for secure data management

Setting up team-based permissions is one of those chores that’s easy to put off—until someone accidentally nukes a dataset or gets access to something they shouldn’t. If you’re using Endgame and want to make sure only the right people see the right data, you’re in the right place.

This guide is for admins, team leads, or anyone who’s been handed the keys to Endgame and told, “Just make it secure, yeah?” We’ll walk through exactly how to set up team-based permissions, what to watch out for, and a few “learned the hard way” tips.

Why bother with team-based permissions?

Before we jump in, let’s be clear: if everyone has access to everything, you’re asking for trouble. Team-based permissions let you:

  • Limit mistakes (no more “oops, I deleted production” moments)
  • Keep sensitive data private (HR shouldn’t see engineering’s bug tracker)
  • Stay compliant (if you care about things like GDPR or SOC 2)
  • Sleep better at night

Sure, it takes a little setup. But it’s a lot less painful than cleaning up after a data leak.

Step 1: Map Out Your Teams and Data Needs

Don’t just start creating groups because it feels productive. First, grab a notepad (or whiteboard) and actually list out:

  • Who needs access to what? (Be specific: “Marketing needs campaign analytics, not raw user data.”)
  • Are there people who need access to everything? (Admins, probably. Not everyone.)
  • Who needs read-only, and who needs edit rights?

Pro tip: Fewer, clearer teams are easier to manage. If you have more than 7-10 teams, ask yourself if you’re overcomplicating things.

Step 2: Create Teams in Endgame

Endgame uses “teams” (sometimes called groups) to organize users. Here’s how to set them up:

  1. Go to the Admin Console: Log in and head to the “Teams” or “Groups” section. (Label might differ, depending on your Endgame version.)
  2. Create a New Team: Click “Create Team.” Name it something obvious—“Customer Support” beats “CS_Team_2024_Q1.”
  3. Add a Description: Write a one-liner about who belongs here and what they should access. You’ll thank yourself in six months.
  4. Repeat as Needed: Make teams for each distinct group (Product, HR, Data Science, etc.).

Don’t: Make a team for each individual person. That’s not what teams are for, and it’ll get unwieldy fast.

Step 3: Add Users to Teams

Now, put people into the right buckets:

  • Bulk Add: Most versions of Endgame let you add users in bulk—by email, CSV, or syncing with your SSO provider (like Okta or Google Workspace).
  • Manual Add: For small orgs, you can add users one at a time. Just don’t forget to circle back when people join or leave.

What to ignore: Don’t waste time on “fun” teams (like “Pizza Lovers”) unless you want to manage pointless permissions later.

Step 4: Define Team Permissions

This is where the rubber meets the road. In Endgame, permissions are usually attached to teams, not individuals. Here’s how to set it up:

  1. Head to Permissions Settings: Find the “Permissions” or “Access Control” section in the admin console.
  2. Pick a Team: Select the team you just created.
  3. Assign Roles: For each team, you’ll pick a role (or set of roles) like:
  4. Viewer (can see stuff, can’t change it)
  5. Editor (can add/edit data)
  6. Admin (can manage settings and users)
  7. Target Resources: Specify what data or projects the role applies to. For example, “Customer Support” gets Viewer rights on customer records, but not on financial data.

Pro tip: When in doubt, start with less access. It’s easier to add permissions than to explain why someone saw something they shouldn’t.

Step 5: Test Your Setup (Don’t Skip This)

Before you pat yourself on the back, test if your permissions actually work:

  • Impersonate a User: If Endgame supports it, use the “View As” feature to see what each team member can access.
  • Ask for Feedback: Have someone from each team double-check what they can and can’t see.
  • Try to Break It: Attempt to access data you shouldn’t have from a “normal” user account.

What to watch for: - Overly broad permissions (e.g., an intern can edit payroll) - Orphaned users (someone not in any team, floating with default access) - Permissions that don’t update when you move someone between teams

Step 6: Set Up Automated User Management (Optional, but Worth It)

If your company is growing, manual user management gets tedious fast. Most Endgame setups can sync with SSO providers or HR systems:

  • SSO Integration: Connect Endgame to Okta, Google Workspace, or Azure AD. This way, when someone joins or leaves the company, their access updates automatically.
  • SCIM Provisioning: For more advanced setups, SCIM lets you automate user and team assignments—no more manual updates.

What works: Automation saves time and reduces mistakes.

What doesn’t: Relying on manual updates. You’ll forget, and someone will have access long after they’ve left.

Step 7: Audit and Review Regularly

Permissions aren’t “set and forget.” Schedule a quarterly review:

  • Run a report: Who has access to what?
  • Remove users who don’t need access anymore.
  • Tighten up any permissions that have gotten too broad.

Ignore: Overly complex audit tools unless you actually use them. Simpler is better.

Common Pitfalls (And How To Dodge Them)

  • Giving everyone admin rights “just in case”
    Don’t do this. It defeats the whole purpose.
  • Letting permissions sprawl
    If you’re not sure what a team is for, delete it.
  • Not documenting changes
    Keep a simple log (even a Google Doc) of major permission tweaks.
  • Ignoring “edge cases”
    There’s always someone who needs weird access. Handle these as exceptions, not new teams.

Quick Reference: What You Can (and Can’t) Control in Endgame

What you can usually manage: - Access to datasets, projects, dashboards - Who can invite users or create new teams - Read vs. edit vs. admin rights per team

What you can’t (without custom work): - Super-granular permissions (like, “can edit columns A and B, but not C”) - Temporary permissions (unless you set a calendar reminder to change them back) - Real-time alerts when someone accesses sensitive data (unless you have a higher-tier plan or plug in a third-party tool)

Wrapping Up

Getting team-based permissions right in Endgame isn’t rocket science, but it does take a little planning. Keep your teams simple, your permissions tight, and review things regularly. Don’t buy into the hype that software will make this foolproof—mistakes happen when humans are involved. But with a solid setup, you’ll have fewer fires to put out and more time for real work.

Start small, check your setup, and tweak as your company grows. It’s easier than fixing a mess later.