User Roles & Permissions
Outlay ensures that financial data is securely siloed based on the user's role. Understanding these roles is critical to maintaining a secure workspace.
Standard Roles
1. The Owner
The user who created the workspace. The Owner has irrevocable Admin rights, handles the subscription billing, and can delete the workspace entirely.
2. Admins
Admins have full visibility into the workspace. They can invite users, issue virtual cards, approve or reject expenses, and export GST reports.
3. Employees (Members)
Employees can only see and manage their own expenses and virtual cards. They cannot view company-wide analytics, settings, or other employees' expenses.
The "Handler" System (Accountants)
If you work with an external accounting firm or a freelance CA, you don't want to make them an employee in every single client workspace. This is where the Handler System comes in.
What is a Handler?
A Handler is an external user (like an accountant) who can switch their session context to "act on behalf of" the Owner across multiple different workspaces without needing a separate login for each.
Inviting a Handler
- Go to Settings > Handlers.
- Click Invite Handler and enter your accountant's email.
- Configure their specific permissions (e.g., `can_export_tally`, `can_view_expenses`, `cannot_issue_cards`).
- The accountant will receive a verification email. Once they log in, they will see your workspace in their client dropdown.