Why it matters
Channel permissions determine which team members can view, reply to, and manage conversations in a specific channel. Proper permission management keeps communication organised, ensures only the right users have access, and helps maintain data security across your organisation.
Key Concepts
Channel Permissions: The access rights individual users have for a channel. These can include viewing, responding, administering channel settings, or configuring automations.
Channel Users: The list of team members who currently have access to a channel.
Invite vs Add User:
Add User: Gives access to someone already in your Whippy workspace.
Invite User: Brings a new user into your organisation and assigns them to one or more channels simultaneously.
Roles: Users can have different roles depending on your organisation settings. Admins have higher-level privileges and can update channel permissions.
Step-by-Step: Manage channel permissions and users
Open the Channels settings.
Go to Organisation Settings → Channels.
Select the channel you want to manage.
Find the channel in the list and click the three vertical dots in the Actions column.
Click “Edit channel.”
This opens the channel’s configuration area.
Go to the Users tab.
The Users tab displays:
All users with access to the channel
Their role (User or Admin)
Options to adjust permissions or remove access
Adding an Existing User to a Channel
In the Users tab, click Add user.
Search for the user by name or scroll through the list.
Select the user you want to add.
Click Add to grant them access to the channel.
Once added, the user appears in the list with their assigned role and can begin using the channel immediately.
Inviting a New User and Assigning Channel Access
In the Users tab, click Invite user.
Enter the email address of the person you want to invite.
Under Channels, select the channels you want them to access.
The channel you're currently editing is preselected.
You can add more channels using the dropdown.
Click Invite user to send the invitation.
The user will receive an email with instructions to join and will be automatically assigned to the selected channels once they accept.
Editing a User’s Channel Permissions
In the Users list, find the user whose permissions you want to edit.
Click the three vertical dots in the Actions column next to that user.
Select Permissions.
This opens the broader Users & Permissions settings where you can adjust their role or capabilities within Whippy.
Make the necessary updates and save your changes.
Note: Channel specific permissions depend on your workspace configuration. Admins typically have broader access than standard users.
Changing a User’s Role in a Channel
In the Actions menu next to a user, click Make Admin to promote them.
Admin users cannot be downgraded to standard users from the channel screen; this must be updated from the organisation’s Users & Permissions area.
Removing a User from a Channel
In the Users tab, open the Actions menu next to the user you want to remove.
Click Remove from channel.
The user loses access immediately and will no longer see or manage conversations in that channel.
Disabling a User Entirely
If a user should no longer access Whippy at all:
In the Actions menu, click Disable user.
This removes all permissions across the organisation.
Tips and Best Practices
Assign users only to the channels they need to reduce clutter and maintain privacy.
Use clear naming conventions for channels so role assignments are easy to understand.
Review channel access regularly, especially when roles or team structures change.
Keep at least two admins per channel to ensure uninterrupted access to settings.
When inviting a new user, assign all relevant channels at once to avoid manual follow up.
Troubleshooting
Issue | Possible Cause | Fix |
User cannot see a channel | They are not added to the channel | Add the user through the Users tab or invite them if they are not yet in the organisation. |
Cannot change someone from admin to user | Admin demotion not supported in channel view | Update the user’s role from Organisation Settings → Users & Permissions. |
User cannot update channel configuration | Insufficient permissions | Ensure the user has admin access to the channel or higher organisation level permissions. |
Newly invited user did not appear in the channel | Invitation not accepted | Ask the user to accept the email invitation; access is granted only after acceptance. |