If you've ever watched a team trip over itself because someone couldn't access a lead—or worse, deleted half the pipeline by mistake—this one's for you. Getting user permissions and collaboration right in your B2B workflows is the difference between a smooth operation and a support-ticket bonanza. This guide is for sales ops, B2B managers, or anyone trying to wrangle a team inside Zeliq without getting a headache.
No fluff. Just clear, grounded steps for setting up Zeliq so your team actually works together, instead of getting in each other's way.
Why Permissions and Collaboration Matter in B2B
B2B workflows aren’t like solo freelancing. You’ve got sales reps, account managers, maybe even legal and finance dipping their toes in. If everyone’s got the same access, things get messy—fast:
- Deals get stepped on.
- Sensitive info leaks.
- Folks waste time asking for access they shouldn’t need.
Bottom line: Good permission management keeps everyone focused and protects your business. Zeliq gives you tools to do this, but they’re only as good as your setup.
Step 1: Get to Know Zeliq’s User Roles
First, know your options. Zeliq comes with a handful of built-in roles. As of mid-2024, here’s how they generally break down:
- Admin: Full control. Can invite/remove users, change settings, and see everything.
- Manager: Can view and manage teams, pipelines, and reports, but can’t nuke the whole account.
- User/Rep: Handles their own deals and tasks. Limited access to team-wide stuff.
- Custom Roles: If you’re on a higher-tier plan, you might be able to tweak permissions more granularly.
Pro tip: Don’t hand out admin rights like Halloween candy. Only give them to people who actually need the keys.
Step 2: Map Out Your Team’s Real Needs
Before you start clicking around, take five minutes to sketch your actual workflow. Ask:
- Who needs to see what? (E.g., should sales reps see each other’s pipelines?)
- Who needs to edit or delete deals?
- Are there outside collaborators (like contractors) who need limited access?
Get this down on paper or a doc. You’ll refer back to it.
Step 3: Set Up Your Team in Zeliq
All right, time to put it in action.
3.1. Invite Users
- Head to Settings > Team Management (or whatever Zeliq calls it—UI labels can change).
- Click “Invite User” and enter their email.
- Assign a role based on your mapping from Step 2.
Don’t rush invites. Add people in small batches if you’re nervous about mistakes.
3.2. Use Teams or Groups (If Available)
If your plan allows, set up Teams/Groups for easier management:
- Group people by function: Sales, Marketing, Support, etc.
- Assign permissions to the group instead of each user.
- Makes onboarding/offboarding way less painful.
What works: Teams are great for scaling. One change applies to everyone.
What to ignore: Don’t bother with Teams if you’re under 5 people or your org is flat. It’ll just add clicks.
Step 4: Fine-Tune Permissions
Here’s where most folks mess up: they set everyone as admin, or lock things down so tight nobody can work.
4.1. Default Permissions
- Check what each role can/can’t do. Zeliq should show a matrix or list.
- Double-check access to sensitive data (contacts, deals, reports).
4.2. Custom Permissions (If Supported)
- Some Zeliq tiers let you set custom permissions—think “can view but not edit,” etc.
- Use these for oddball roles: interns, finance folks, outside partners.
Honest take: Most teams only need 2-3 permission levels. Don’t over-engineer it unless you’ve got real compliance needs.
Step 5: Set Up Collaboration Features
Permissions are half the battle. The other half is making sure people can actually work together.
5.1. Shared Pipelines and Deals
- Decide if pipelines should be team-wide or private.
- For B2B, shared pipelines usually make sense—sales teams often tag-team big deals.
Downside: Too much sharing can lead to accidental edits. Make sure edit rights are clear.
5.2. Notes, Comments, and Mentions
- Use @mentions in notes or comments to loop in teammates without spamming everyone.
- Keep deal notes focused; don’t turn them into a chatroom.
Pro tip: Document deal handoff procedures. Who’s responsible for what? Make that explicit in Zeliq or an SOP doc.
5.3. Task Assignment
- Assign tasks to individuals, not “the team.” Clear owners prevent things from falling through the cracks.
- Set deadlines, but don’t micromanage—trust people to check their own tasks.
Step 6: Monitor, Audit, and Adjust
You’ll never get it perfect on the first try. That’s normal.
6.1. Use Audit Logs
- Check Zeliq’s audit log (if available) to see who changed what.
- Spot patterns: Are people requesting access a lot? Maybe your permissions are too tight.
6.2. Regular Permission Reviews
- Once a quarter, review everyone’s access.
- Remove folks who’ve left or changed roles.
- Ask the team: “Anything you can’t do that you should? Anything you can access that you shouldn’t?”
What works: A 10-minute monthly check-in beats a big, painful overhaul later.
Common Pitfalls to Dodge
- Too many admins: Recipe for chaos. Limit admin rights.
- Ignoring onboarding/offboarding: Remove access as soon as someone leaves. Don’t trust “they won’t log in.”
- Overcomplicating roles: Complexity breeds confusion. Start simple.
- Not documenting decisions: When you change permissions, jot down why. Future-you will thank you.
What Zeliq Does Well (and Where It’s Flaky)
Zeliq’s role-based permissions are straightforward for small-to-mid teams. The Teams/Groups feature (if you’ve got it) is handy for scaling, and audit logs are decent.
But: Custom permissions cost more, and you might hit limits on what you can tweak. Some integrations (like with email or Slack) don’t always respect fine-grained permissions—test before rolling out. And like every SaaS, UI terms and settings change, so double-check the docs if you’re lost.
Keep It Simple, Iterate as You Go
Don’t get bogged down chasing “perfect” permission structures. Start with the basics, adjust as your team grows, and keep lines of communication open. B2B workflows are never static—your Zeliq setup shouldn’t be either.
Set it up, keep it lean, and tweak as you learn. That’s how you avoid both chaos and red tape.