Short answer
Managers have full control over files and folders. Contributors can create and edit files but cannot delete them. Viewers can only read files and download them if the project settings allow it.
Full explanation
Each project role has different permissions for working with files and folders. These permissions control who can upload, organize, edit, or delete content in the project. File actions are project specific, so a user’s permissions apply only to the project where they have been assigned that role.
Here is how each role works with files and folders:
Manager
Managers have complete authority over all files and folders. They can upload new files, edit file metadata, move files, create folders, and download files. Managers are the only role that can delete files and folders. This gives them full control over organizing and maintaining project content.Contributor
Contributors can upload files, edit file metadata, move files, create folders, and download files if the project settings allow it. Contributors cannot delete files or folders. They can participate in daily updates and content creation but without the ability to remove items.Viewer
Viewers can read all files and browse folder structures. They can download files only if the project settings permit it. Viewers cannot upload, edit, move, or delete any files or folders.
Project level settings may affect these abilities. If file downloading is disabled at the project level, none of the roles can download files, including Managers. Organization Admins may still override these restrictions depending on their permissions.
Tips
Use Manager when someone needs complete control over file structure and content cleanup.
Assign Contributor to active team members who upload and update content but do not need deletion rights.
Viewer is ideal for users who only need to read files and not participate in file management.
Examples
A construction firm uses Managers to maintain the full file structure for building plans and uses Contributors to upload new project documents. Viewers from accounting only read documents.
A healthcare provider assigns Contributors to administrative staff who upload patient forms and update folder structures, while Managers handle critical file deletions.
A financial services firm assigns Viewers to compliance staff who review documents without making any changes. Managers and Contributors handle file uploads and organization.
An educational organization uses Managers to manage the entire course material library while teachers are Contributors who upload new lesson files and Viewers are students who read the content.