How do I manage workspace privacy and team members?
Control who can access your workspace and collaborate on your team's projects
Zenhub workspace privacy and member management let you control who can access your specific workspace and how they collaborate on your team's projects. You can set privacy levels and manage team members to align with your project's security and collaboration needs.
Finding workspace settings
Navigate to your workspace and click "Edit Workspace" in the left sidebar. From here, you can access workspace settings to configure your workspace name, description, and privacy levels for both the workspace itself and file uploads. The Members section lets you add team members and manage who has access to collaborate on issues and projects.
TIP: Workspace privacy settings work alongside GitHub repository permissions, so team members need appropriate GitHub access to fully collaborate in Zenhub workspaces.
Understanding workspace access and privacy
Licensed users in your Zenhub organization can access all workspaces by default. You can only restrict access using private workspace settings - there's no way to grant access to only specific workspaces.
Workspace privacy options:
- Shared: Anyone in your Zenhub organization can join and see issues in this workspace
- Private: Only invited people can join and see issues in this workspace
File upload privacy options:
- Public: Files are public to all users and links can be shared on the public web
- Private: Files are restricted to users within your Zenhub organization, and previews in the extension will be limited
Important: Private workspaces are the only way to prevent licensed users from accessing specific workspaces. By default, all licensed users can join and view shared workspaces.
Adding and managing workspace members
Use the Members section to control who can collaborate in your workspace. Type email addresses or names in the "Add members to the workspace" field to invite new team members. Members you add will receive invitations to join the workspace and collaborate on issues and projects.
The interface shows all current workspace members with their email addresses and GitHub usernames. You can see member roles, with "Creator" indicating the workspace owner. Use the three-dot menu next to each member to manage their access or remove them from the workspace when team changes occur.
Remember that workspace members can view and interact with issues based on their GitHub repository permissions. Zenhub workspace access works in combination with underlying GitHub permissions, so both must be appropriate for full collaboration.
GitHub permissions
Zenhub workspace access works alongside GitHub repository permissions to determine what team members can actually do with issues:
Read permissions: Users can view issues, comments, and project boards but cannot make changes. They can see workspace content but have limited interaction capabilities.
Write permissions: Users can create, edit, move, and comment on issues. This is the typical permission level for active team members who need to update work and collaborate on projects.
Admin permissions: Users have full control over repository settings and can manage advanced features. Repository admins can configure integrations and modify repository-level settings that affect workspace behavior.
Permission requirements: Even with Zenhub workspace access, team members need appropriate GitHub repository permissions to interact with issues. Workspace membership doesn't override GitHub security - both permissions must align for full functionality.
Cross-repository considerations: When workspaces include multiple repositories, team members need appropriate permissions for each repository they want to interact with.
Troubleshooting workspace access issues
When team members can't access workspaces or experience "Workspace cannot be loaded" errors, this usually indicates GitHub permission issues. Verify that team members have appropriate GitHub access to the underlying repositories in the workspace.
If users can't see specific workspaces, check if they're licensed in your Zenhub organization and have the necessary GitHub repository permissions. Remember that workspace membership doesn't override GitHub repository access requirements - both must align for full functionality.
Team members who can't drag and drop issues between pipelines likely have only GitHub read permissions. Moving issues requires write permissions for the underlying repositories, regardless of Zenhub workspace access.
When file uploads are set to private, users may experience limited preview capabilities in browser extensions. This is expected behavior for security and doesn't indicate an access problem.
FAQ
Q: What's the difference between shared and private workspaces?
A: Shared workspaces allow anyone in your ZenHubHQ organization to join and see issues, while private workspaces restrict access to only invited members. Choose based on your project's confidentiality requirements.
Q: Why can't some team members see issues even though they have workspace access?
A: Zenhub workspace access works with GitHub repository permissions. Team members need appropriate GitHub access to the underlying repositories to view and interact with issues, even with workspace membership.
Q: How do I give someone permission to create workspaces in my organization?
A: Workspace creation permissions are tied to GitHub organization membership and Zenhub licenses. Ensure team members are GitHub organization members (not just collaborators) and have Zenhub licenses assigned.
Q: Can I have different permission levels for different workspace members?
A: Zenhub workspace permissions are currently binary (member or not), but actual capabilities depend on underlying GitHub repository permissions. Use GitHub teams and repository permissions to create different access levels.
Q: What happens to workspace access when someone leaves the GitHub organization?
A: If a user loses access to specific GitHub repositories, they will no longer be able to see those issues in Zenhub, even if they still have Zenhub workspace access. However, they can still access Zenhub-only issues and other workspace features. Their ability to see GitHub issues depends on their GitHub permissions for each individual repository in the workspace.
Q: How do file upload privacy settings affect team collaboration?
A: Public file uploads can be shared broadly and accessed from anywhere, while private uploads are restricted to your Zenhub organization and have limited preview capabilities in browser extensions. Choose based on your security requirements.