Step 2: Set up user groups and permissions

Previous step

On a construction project, not everyone should be able to see or touch every document. A painter does not need mechanical drawings. A design team should lack the authority to publish files without approval.

Administrators typically handle this through structured access controls. Instead of granting file access to "Maria from the architecture firm", grant it to the "Architect" user group. When a new architect starts mid-project, update the group once, and access continues without interruption.

Once your user groups and permissions are in place:

• Every project participant sees only what their role demands
• Folder access remains consistent and predictable across the project
• Personnel changes require no restructuring of permissions or workflows

Defining your user groups

Review your contracts, org chart, and folder structure from Step 1. Any role with its own folder needs its own user group. Ask yourself:

• Who uploads documents vs. who only reviews them?
• Who needs access across all folders vs. just their own?
• Are any folders, like contract administration, restricted?

Use your answers to build a user group list that reflects how your team actually works, not just how it's formally structured.

Best practice for user groups 

User groups represent roles and responsibilities in the project, not individuals. A group can represent the architect, the structural engineer, the main contractor, or a specific subcontractor trade. Each group has its own set of permissions defining what members can see, upload, edit, and manage across Dalux Box.

The folder structure defines what exists. User groups define who can interact with it and how.

Name groups to match the folder structure

Use a numbering or classification system for group names. Name each group to match its folder counterpart using the same numbering prefix, for example, 01.Architect or 02.Foundation contractor. This keeps the list sorted consistently and makes it immediately clear where each group belongs in the project hierarchy.

Create one group per company or contract

Groups should primarily contain users from the same company or contract package. This makes it straightforward to match a group to its responsibilities and to reach all users from a given company without hunting across multiple groups.

Subdivide by discipline or trade when a company covers multiple areas

If one engineering firm handles both mechanical and electrical work, create separate groups for each discipline while keeping them within the same numbering sequence. This lets you target information and permissions precisely, rather than sending everything to the entire company.

Start simple

As with the folder structure, start with the core roles: client, design team, construction management, and key subcontractors. Add groups only when a genuine access distinction requires it. A simple, consistent structure maintained over time is more effective than a comprehensive one that no one keeps up to date.

Resist the urge to create groups for every minor role early in the project. The strongest projects keep their group count lean, adding structure only when real project needs demand it.

How to set up user groups

Set up user groups in the user settings of your project:

Name the group and set permissions.

Once your initial project setup is complete, add users by email. For large teams, use the bulk import template to avoid entering addresses one by one.

With a folder structure in place, every project participant has a single, predictable place to find and upload files. Navigation becomes intuitive, the risk of working from an outdated file drops significantly, and access can be controlled folder by folder as the project scales.

The next step is defining who has access to what.

Step 3: File areas and publishing designs for construction