Team & Permissions
Structure your team's access. The right permissions ensure data security and productivity.
⏱️ TL;DR: Create roles adapted to each profile (Admin, Manager, Sales Rep). Use teams to structure by region or segment. Configure data visibility based on need: a sales rep doesn't need to see deals from the entire company.
Understanding Pipedrive's Structure
Pipedrive organizes access with three key concepts:
| Concept | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| User | An individual account with email/password | John Smith, sales rep |
| Team | A group of users | US Team, Enterprise Team |
| Role (Permission Set) | A set of access rights | Admin, Manager, Sales Rep |
Default Roles
Pipedrive offers predefined roles you can use or customize:
Admin
- ✅ Full access to all data
- ✅ Can modify account settings
- ✅ Can add/remove users
- ✅ Can create pipelines and fields
- ✅ Can see all statistics
For: Founders, Ops, RevOps
Manager
- ✅ Access to their team's data
- ✅ Can see team reports
- ✅ Can modify team deals
- ❌ Cannot modify global settings
- ❌ Cannot add users
For: Sales Managers, Team Leads
Regular User
- ✅ Access to their own data
- ✅ Can create and modify their deals
- ❌ Cannot see others' deals
- ❌ Limited report access
For: Sales reps, SDR, BDR
💡 Principle of Least Privilege
Give each user only the access they need. Fewer rights = less risk of errors or data leaks.
Adding a User
-
Access user management
Settings → Company settings → Manage users
-
Add the user
Click "+ Add user" → Enter email → Choose role
-
Assign to a team
Select the team (or create one)
-
Send invitation
User receives an email to create their password
📊 Billing
Each active user is billed separately. On the Professional plan at $49/month, a team of 5 costs $245/month.
Creating Teams
Teams let you group users and filter data by group.
When to Create Teams?
- By region: US Team, EMEA Team, APAC Team
- By segment: SMB Team, Enterprise Team
- By function: SDR Team, AE Team, CS Team
- By product: Product A Team, Product B Team
Creating a Team
Settings → Company settings → Manage teams → "+ Add team"
- Name the team
- Designate a manager
- Add members
Configuring Data Visibility
Visibility determines what each user can see. It's crucial for confidentiality and focus.
Visibility Options
| Level | User Sees | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Owner only | Only their own data | Independent sales reps |
| Team | Their data + their team's | Collaborative teams |
| Team + Sub-teams | Their team + teams they manage | Multi-team managers |
| All | All company data | Admins, Leadership |
Configuring Visibility
Settings → Company settings → Permission sets → Select a role → Visibility
⚠️ Caution
"All" visibility for everyone = no confidentiality. Sales reps can see colleagues' deals, which can create tension.
Creating Custom Roles
Default roles don't always fit your needs. Create custom roles.
Custom Role Examples
SDR (Sales Development Rep)
- ✅ Create deals and contacts
- ✅ Modify their own deals
- ❌ Delete data
- ❌ See others' deals
- ❌ Access global reports
Account Executive
- ✅ Everything SDR can do
- ✅ Mark deals as won/lost
- ✅ See team reports
- ❌ Modify settings
Sales Ops
- ✅ See all data
- ✅ Create reports and dashboards
- ✅ Modify custom fields
- ✅ Manage automations
- ❌ Delete users
Creating a Custom Role
- Settings → Company settings → Permission sets
- "+ Add permission set"
- Name the role
- Check permissions one by one
- Save
Managing Departures and Arrivals
New Sales Rep Arrives
- Create their user account
- Assign the right role
- Add to the right team
- Transfer existing deals if needed
- Train on team conventions
A Sales Rep Leaves
- Reassign their deals — Don't leave them orphaned
- Reassign their contacts — New owner must follow up
- Export their data if needed — For history
- Deactivate the account — Settings → Users → Deactivate
💡 Don't Delete, Deactivate
Deactivating a user preserves activity history. Deleting erases everything. Always deactivate.
Bulk Reassigning Data
When a sales rep leaves or changes territory, you need to reassign their data.
-
Filter data to reassign
Deals view → Filter by owner → Select former owner
-
Select deals
Check all deals to reassign (or use "Select all")
-
Bulk action
"..." → "Edit" → "Owner" → Select new owner
Training Your Team on Pipedrive
A CRM is only useful if the team uses it correctly. Invest in training.
Essential Training Points
- When to create a deal — Clear creation criteria
- How to advance a deal — Stage transition criteria
- Which fields to fill — Required fields and why
- How to log an activity — After each interaction
- When to mark a deal lost — Don't keep zombie deals
Training Best Practices
- 1-2 hour initial session at onboarding
- Written documentation accessible (Notion, Wiki)
- Short videos for key processes
- Weekly data review to correct errors
Team Health Indicators
Monitor these metrics to detect adoption issues:
- Deals without planned activity — Sign of neglect
- Empty fields on deals — Poor discipline
- Rotting deals — Pipeline not cleaned
- CRM login — If someone doesn't log in, they're not using it
Team Checklist
- ☑️ Each user has the right role
- ☑️ Teams created and users assigned
- ☑️ Visibility correctly configured
- ☑️ Departure/arrival process documented
- ☑️ Initial training delivered
- ☑️ Documentation accessible to all