User Roles & Permissions
Sterling uses a two-tier permission system to control access to client data. Firm-wide roles determine what a user can do across your organization, while household-level permissions control access to specific clients.
Firm-Wide Roles
Every user in your firm has one of two primary roles:
| Role | Capabilities |
|---|---|
| Firm Admin | Manage all users, access all households, assign permissions, update AI policies |
| Standard User | Access only assigned households, cannot manage other users or firm settings |
Multiple Admins Recommended
Consider having at least two Firm Admins to ensure someone can always manage permissions if one admin is unavailable.
Household-Level Access
Standard Users must be granted access to each household individually. There are two access levels:
- Full Access: Can view and modify all household data, documents, advice, and settings
- No Access: Cannot see the household at all
Firm Admins automatically have Full Access to all households in the firm.
Team-Based Access
For firms with many users, teams provide an efficient way to manage permissions. When a user joins a team, they automatically gain access to all households assigned to that team.
This is useful for organizing advisors by specialty, region, or client segment without manually assigning each household.
Managing Permissions
- Navigate to Settings in the main menu
- Select Manage Users to see all firm members
- Click Household Permissions next to a user's name
- Toggle access on or off for each household
Why This Matters for Compliance
Granular permissions help you maintain the principle of least privilege. Team members only see the client data they need for their work. This reduces risk and supports regulatory requirements around data access controls.