How User Roles and Permissions Impact the Scorecard

Not every user can create or manage Measurables in Ninety. Permissions are determined by each user's role in the Directory, and those role boundaries are enforced in real time throughout the Scorecard tool. This article clarifies exactly what each role can and cannot do, so you can set up the right permissions for your team and troubleshoot access issues when they come up.

Quick Reference: Who Can Do What?

*Team Members and Managers can delete Measurables they own from the My 90 Scorecard widget. Owners, Admins, and Implementers can archive or permanently delete any Measurable from the Measurable Manager.

Observers and the Scorecard

Observers have read-only access to the tools and teams they are explicitly assigned to. In the Scorecard tool, an Observer can view Scorecard data for their assigned teams, see historical trends and weekly performance, and participate in meetings where Scorecards are reviewed.

Observers cannot:

• Enter data for any Measurable.
• Create, edit, or delete Measurables.
• Own or be assigned to a Measurable.
• Access the Measurable Manager.
• Make any changes to a Scorecard's structure or groups.

The Observer role is intended for stakeholders, board members, or anyone who needs visibility into team performance without accountability for updating or managing the metrics. Observers do not count toward your paid license seats.

Common use case: A board member reviews the Leadership Team's weekly Scorecard during quarterly meetings to track company progress, without needing to input data or own any Measurables.

Managees (Team Members) and the Scorecard

Team Members (also called Managees) can enter data for Measurables assigned to them and view Scorecard data for their assigned teams. They can see whether their metrics are on or off track and add notes or details within a Measurable's details panel.

Team Members cannot:

• Create new Measurables.
• Edit Measurable settings such as title, goal, owner, or frequency.
• Archive or delete Measurables owned by others.
• View Scorecards for teams they are not assigned to.
• Reorganize or restructure Scorecards.

Common use case: A sales team member updates their "Number of Sales Calls" Measurable every Friday. They can enter their number and see whether they hit their goal, but they cannot create a new Measurable when the team decides to add a metric during the weekly Level 10 Meeting.

Managers and the Scorecard

Managers have full Scorecard editing access for the specific teams they are assigned to. They can create Measurables, edit settings, add existing Measurables from other teams, organize groups, and assign Measurable ownership to Team Members.

Managers cannot:

• Access Scorecards for teams they are not assigned to or managing.
• Archive or delete Measurables they do not own.
• Make company-wide changes to Measurable settings.
• Access the Measurable Manager.

Common use case: A department head realizes the team needs to track "Customer Onboarding Time" to predict service quality. As a Manager, they can create the Measurable, set the goal, assign an owner, and add it to the team's Scorecard immediately — without involving an Admin.

Admins/Owners and the Scorecard

Owners, Admins, and Implementers have unrestricted Scorecard access across the entire company. They can view, edit, and manage every Scorecard, every Measurable, and every piece of data. In addition to everything Managers can do, these roles can:

• Access the Measurable Manager to view and act on Measurables from any team across the organization.
• Archive Measurables to remove them from active Scorecards while preserving historical data.
• Permanently delete Measurables.
• Make structural changes to the Scorecard tool organization-wide.

Common use cases:

• The company Owner creates a "Weekly Revenue" Measurable that appears on both the Leadership Team Scorecard and the Finance Department Scorecard.
• An Implementer reviews all departmental Scorecards to identify where teams need support with goal-setting or metric design.

How to change a user's role

Role changes are made in the Directory. Only Owners and Admins can change roles; you can only change roles for users at your level or below.

1. Click Directory from the left navigation.
2. Find the user whose role you want to change.
3. Click the Role dropdown in the user's row.
4. Select the new role from the dropdown.

Changes save automatically.

What happens when you change a user to Observer

When you downgrade a user to Observer, any Measurables they own are not removed from the Scorecard. The Measurable stays visible on the team's Scorecard with the Owner field marked as "unassigned." No data is lost. A Manager, Admin, Owner, or Implementer can then open the Measurable's details panel and reassign it to another team member.

Rocks are different. Unlike Measurables, Rocks must be reassigned before changing a user's role to Observer. Observers cannot own Rocks, so the system will block the Rock from being assigned after the role change. Reassign any Rocks first, then update the role.

Creating vs. entering data for Measurables

Creating a Measurable means building one from scratch — defining what you will track, setting the goal, choosing an owner, and determining the frequency. Creating a Measurable requires Manager, Admin, Owner, or Implementer permissions.

Entering data for a Measurable means typing a number into an existing Measurable each week. Any licensed user (Team Member and above) can enter data for Measurables assigned to them.

The distinction matters because you want stability in what you are measuring, which is why only Managers and above can create Measurables, while you need flexibility in who can report data, which is why Team Members can enter data.

Sharing Measurables across teams

Managers, Admins, Owners, and Implementers can add an existing Measurable to additional teams' Scorecards. When a Measurable is shared, all teams see the same data. Updating the Measurable on one team's Scorecard immediately updates it on every other Scorecard where it appears.

To share a Measurable:

1. Navigate to the target team's Scorecard.
2. Click New Measurable and select Add Existing Measurable.
3. Search for the Measurable by name.
4. Click Add.

For a full guide to sharing and duplicating, see How to Share and Duplicate Measurables Across Team Scorecards.

The Measurable Manager

The Measurable Manager is a centralized view for managing every Measurable in your company. It is accessible only to Owners, Admins, and Implementers.

From the Measurable Manager, you can:

• View Measurables by owner, team, and status (active or archived).
• Archive Measurables that are no longer relevant.
• Permanently delete Measurables.
• Reassign ownership when roles change.
• Find orphaned Measurables that are not currently on any Scorecard.
• Review all Measurables owned by a specific user.

For full instructions, see The Measurable Manager.

Common scenarios and solutions

"I can't create a Measurable for my team."

Your role may be set to Team Member or Observer, which do not include the ability to create Measurables. Creating a Measurable requires Manager, Admin, Owner, or Implementer permissions. Contact your company Admin or Owner to either upgrade your role or have them create the Measurable on your behalf.

If you are not sure what role you have, go to Directory and look at your own entry in the user list.

"My manager told me I should be able to add Measurables, but I don't see the button."

This usually means your role is set to Team Member (Managee), which allows you to enter data but not create Measurables. The New Measurable button is only visible to Managers and above. Ask your Admin or Owner to check your role in the Directory — your manager may have intended to give you Manager-level access, or they may be unaware of the role distinction.

"I want to hide old Measurables without losing historical data."

Use the Archive function instead of deleting. Archiving removes a Measurable from the active Scorecard but preserves all historical data for reporting and comparison. Archiving requires Owner, Admin, or Implementer access via the Measurable Manager.

To archive a Measurable:

1. Go to the Measurable Manager.
2. Find the Measurable you want to archive.
3. Click the three-dot menu (⋯) next to it.
4. Select Archive.

"I need to give someone access to another team's Scorecard."

Access to a team's Scorecard is controlled by team membership, not role alone. To give someone view or edit access to a team's Scorecard, an Admin or Owner must add them to that team in the Directory. Once added, their role determines what they can do on that team's Scorecard.

Best practices for managing Scorecard permissions

Start with Team Members; promote to Manager when needed. Don't grant Manager permissions to everyone by default. Most users need only enough access to enter their own data. Promote individuals to Manager when they genuinely need to create or restructure Scorecards.

Use Observers for stakeholders who need visibility but not accountability. If someone needs to see the data (for example, board members, external advisors, or Implementers observing a team), assign them the Observer role. They stay informed without the ability to alter the Scorecard.

Assign clear Measurable ownership. Every Measurable should have one, and only one, owner. That person drives the number and reports on it during the weekly Level 10 Meeting. Clear ownership prevents confusion about who is responsible for which metrics.

Review permissions quarterly. As your team grows and roles evolve, review user permissions at least once per quarter. Someone promoted to a leadership role may need Manager access. Someone who left a team may still have unnecessary access to that team's Scorecard.

Archive, don't delete. When a Measurable is no longer relevant, archive it rather than deleting it. Archiving preserves historical data for year-over-year comparisons. Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone.

Subscription plans and Scorecard access

Access to the Scorecard tool depends on your subscription plan:

• Free plan: No access to the Scorecard tool.
• Essentials plan and above: Full access to the Scorecard tool, subject to user role permissions.

If you are on the Free plan and want to use Scorecards, you will need to upgrade. Visit ninety.io/ninety-pricing to compare current plans.

Frequently asked questions

Can Observers see all Scorecards in the company?

No. Observers can only see Scorecards for teams to which they are explicitly assigned. Owners, Admins, and Implementers can view all Measurables across the organization via the Measurable Manager.

What happens if I permanently delete a Measurable instead of archiving it?

Permanently deleting a Measurable removes it and all its historical data. This action cannot be undone. Always archive Measurables unless they were created by mistake and have no data worth keeping. Permanent deletion is only available in the Measurable Manager.

Can I change who owns a Measurable?

Yes. Any Manager, Admin, Owner, or Implementer can reassign Measurable ownership from the Measurable's details panel. Open the Measurable, click the owner field, and select a new owner.

Do I need to reassign Measurables before changing a user's role to Observer?

No. When a user is downgraded to Observer, their Measurables remain on the Scorecard with the Owner field marked as "unassigned." No data is lost. A Manager or higher can then reassign them at any time. However, Rocks must be reassigned before the role change, because Observers cannot own Rocks.