Limiting Editor access to sections of forms
In workflow applications, use sections to restrict who can edit or sign parts of a document. If a document requires more than one approval signature, you create a section on the form for each signature or group. For example, you might create a section specifically for the Purchasing group.
Edit access lists and the access control list
To specify who can edit parts of a section, select the fields you want to restrict and create a section containing the fields. Then specify who can edit the fields in one of the following ways:
- Let the author of the document choose who can edit the section.
- Specify the users, groups, or roles who can edit the section.
For users who are not listed as editors of the section, the fields appear as read-only. The section editors list cannot add access -- only take away. Listing a user here will not let them edit the section contents unless they already have access to edit the document. Users who are not listed will be unable to edit the section regardless of their access level in the database access control list (ACL). Privilege names cannot be used in the Edit access list.
For more information about document access control, see Restricting who can access a section of a document and Using a Readers field to restrict access to specific documents .
Using a computed field to define section editors
To define a list of section editors, write a formula that populates the list of allowed editors, by including the current user's name, using @DbColumn to retrieve a list of names, using the value of an approver field, or using a group name or role from the ACL. Use a computed-when-composed field to create a permanent list of editors when a document is created.
You can use only formulas that result in a text list containing one or more names; you can then append the names to the section's edit access list. Enclose the names in quotation marks and concatenate them with a colon ( : ).
"Mary Sen":"Marketing Group"
Access role names must include brackets and be enclosed in quotation marks:
"[Scheduling Committee]"
Allowing the author to name section editors
To let authors decide who can edit fields in a section, make the section editable.
As a convenience to authors, write a default value formula to create an initial list of editors for the section; anyone editing the section can then update that list. If there are multiple authors, be sure to select "Allow multi-values" for the field.
An editable section allows the author of each document to create a customized list of editors by double-clicking the section title when the document is in Edit mode or choosing Section - Define Editors. Any users already authorized to edit the fields within the section are displayed, and the author can add other editors to the list.
Using a controlled-access section on multiple forms
To use a controlled-access section on more than one form, place the section on a subform and include the subform in the forms.