> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/budgets-and-forecasts/workforce-planning/overview-of-workforce-planning/workforce-planning-access-and-database-permissions.md). # Workforce Planning access and database permissions Understand how database permissions and restrictions protect sensitive information in a workforce plan. Because workforce plans contain sensitive employee information, such as salaries and bonuses, it's important to understand how access is controlled at each stage: within the workforce plan, in the Workforce database, and in Budgets & Forecasts. ### Workforce plan Access to a workforce plan is set in the [plan setup](/budgets-and-forecasts/workforce-planning/create-a-workforce-plan.md), where you add administrators. This is an all-or-nothing permission. Every administrator can view and edit all employee information in the plan.

Plan configuration tab of the plan setup, where you can add and remove administrators

Workforce plan where all employee information is available to view

{% hint style="info" %} Currently, there is no way to restrict an administrator to a subset of employees, dimensions, or fields Currently, you can't restrict an administrator's access to specific employees, dimensions, or fields within the plan, or provide view-only access. We expect this capability to be available in a future release. {% endhint %} ### Workforce database in Flex Modes When you [publish a workforce plan](/budgets-and-forecasts/workforce-planning/create-a-workforce-plan/publish-a-workforce-plan.md), Phocas creates or updates a stream in the Workforce database. Access to this database, which opens in Flex Modes, is managed using the standard Phocas database access and restriction settings. See [Manage a user's database access and restrictions](/administration/users/manage-a-users-database-access-and-restrictions.md). {% hint style="warning" %} The Workforce database doesn't exist until the first workforce plan is published. Therefore, you need to publish a plan before you can give users access to the database. Database access and restrictions can currently be managed only from **Administration** > **Users**, not from **Administration** > **Databases**. {% endhint %} ### Planning tab in a Budgets & Forecasts workbook If you bring workforce data into a budget via a Planning tab, access to that tab is controlled the same way as any other worksheet tab in Budgets & Forecasts: the budget owner or administrator can restrict a tab to selected users, and only those users will see it listed in their workbook. Regardless of the tab-level permissions, the data will only be visible to users who have access to the Flex Modes database. ### Protecting employee salary data The most effective way to protect salary and benefit information is to limit who is an administrator in the Workforce Planning module. Because administration is all-or-nothing, every administrator has read and write access to every employee's full record. Keep this group as small as possible, limited to the people who genuinely need to set up and maintain the plan. If someone needs to see salary data for a specific employee, department, or other dimension entity, but shouldn't have full administration access to the plan, give them access via Flex Modes instead, using the detailed database restrictions described above. The Budgets & Forecasts module uses this same restriction model for workforce data as it does for any other database and tab type. If a user has access to the workforce database and to the Employee unique ID or Name field, they'll be able to bring that data into a budget workbook using a Planning tab or Reference tab. If they don't have access to the database or those fields, they won't be able to see the data. {% hint style="warning" %} **Care is still required, even when these restrictions are in place.** Sensitive information can still be exposed indirectly. For example, assigning workflow rows in certain ways or combining dimensions and attributes might allow users to infer information such as an employee's salary. {% endhint %} --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://docs.phocassoftware.com/budgets-and-forecasts/workforce-planning/overview-of-workforce-planning/workforce-planning-access-and-database-permissions.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.