The complete guide to TaskWave’s roles & permissions

Permissions are where most tools get either too loose (everyone sees everything) or too fiddly (a matrix no one understands). TaskWave uses five practical roles plus database-level enforcement. Here’s exactly what each one does.

The five roles

• Super admin — system-level oversight; can enter and manage any organization. Reserved for platform owners.
• Org admin — full control of one organization: people, departments, projects, settings, and all its data.
• Project manager — owns assigned projects: their tasks, stakeholders, and delivery.
• Team lead — runs a department: manages its members and sees and assigns its work.
• Member — focuses on the work assigned to them and their department.

Who sees what

Org admins see the whole organization. PMs see their projects. Team leads see their department. Members see their assigned and departmental work. Stakeholders aren’t users at all — they’re recorded as “assigned-by” for context and never need a login.

Row-level security

Crucially, these rules are enforced in the database with row-level security, not just hidden in the interface. That means a user can’t reach data they’re not entitled to even via the API — visibility is guaranteed at the data layer.

PM-only vs. full mode

Smaller teams can run in PM-only mode, where project managers handle everything and members focus on their tasks. As you add departments and team leads, switch to the full model — your data carries over.

Practical tips

• Give each person the lowest role that lets them do their job
• Use departments to scope visibility cleanly
• Record clients/sponsors as stakeholders, not users
• Review roles whenever someone joins, moves, or leaves

Done right, permissions are invisible: everyone has exactly what they need, nothing they don’t, and your data stays safe as you scale.