About permission settings for lists, document libraries, discussion boards, and surveys

When you create a list, document library, discussion board, or survey, you have control over the access to the information. You can control which items team members can read or edit, and whether or not they can change the design of the list, document library, discussion board, or survey.

Note  The following permission settings apply to team members who have explicit site-wide permission to read or edit content. If your web site can be accessed anonymously, these settings apply to anonymous users only if you grant them rights greater than the Browser role. Users with Administrator role can read and edit all content, regardless of the permission settings of a particular list, document library, or survey.  

Example of permission settings for a read-only list of events

If you are managing a schedule for a project, you might want to be the only one who can add or edit items, although you would want all team members to be able to view all the items. The security settings for such an events list would be:

• Read access: All items 

• Edit access: None 

• Design access: Only the creator of this list 

Example of permission settings for a list of contacts

In a list of contacts, you might want all team members to be able to read and update all the items. The security settings for such a list would be:

• Read access: All items 

• Edit access: All items 

• Design access: Only the creator of this list 

Example of permission settings for a discussion board

In a discussion board, you probably want all team members to be able to read all the comments, but you don't want them to be able to edit each other's comments. The security settings for such a discussion board would be:

• Read access: All items 

• Edit access: Only their own 

• Design access: Only the creator of this discussion board 

Example of permission settings for a document library

In a document library, you might want team members to be able to add their own custom properties so that they can store information that you hadn't anticipated when you created the document library. The security setting for such a document library would be:

• Design access: Everyone 

Note Team members must have the Advanced Author role or higher to modify the design of a list, document library, discussion board, or survey.

Permissions are hierarchical. That is, if you give team members permission to edit all items, you have also given them permission to read all items. Similarly, if you give all team members permission to modify columns and views, you have given them permission to read and edit all items.