Member Role in ActiveCollab
The Member role in ActiveCollab is designed for internal team members who actively collaborate on projects. Members have access to the tools and information they need to plan, track, and deliver work, but with limitations that protect sensitive data and administrative settings.
How to invite a user with the Member role in ActiveCollab?
To invite a new user to your ActiveCollab account:
- Step 1: Log in to your ActiveCollab account.
- Step 2: Click on the People page in the left-side menu.
- Step 3: Click on the ‘’+’’ icon in the top-right corner of the page.
- Step 4: From the dropdown menu, click on Invite People.
- Step 5: Choose the Member role.
- Step 6: Fill out Basic Details:
- Email Address*
- First and Last Name (Optional)
- Company - from the dropdown menu, select the company you wish to add your client to (Optional)
- Title - add a title for the user with the Member role (Optional)
- Invite to Projects - choose the projects you wish to add the Member to (Optional)
- Step 7: Click Proceed
- Step 8: In the Additional Details section:
- Select the Invitation Language from the drop-down menu
- Write a Welcome message (optional)
- Step 9: Click Invite
Tip: Fields marked with a * are mandatory. The invited user will receive an email with instructions to join the account.
How to know the price when adding users with the Member role?
ActiveCollab charges based on the number of seats (i.e., users who can log in, excluding clients). Here's how to check the price when adding users:
Visit the Billing section from the top-right menu under your avatar (as the Owner).
There you’ll find your current plan, and the number of active seats.
As the Member role counts as a billable seat, you can find detailed information about pricing based on your current plan by visiting our pricing page: https://activecollab.com/pricing.
What can a user with the Member role do in ActiveCollab?
Users assigned the Member role can:
- View and participate in projects they are invited to
- Add and manage tasks, discussions, files, notes, and time records within those projects
- Track their own time and workload
- Communicate and collaborate with team members across assigned projects
- Managing projects where they are assigned as the Project Leader — including editing project details, managing task lists, and overseeing progress
What can’t a user with the Member role do in ActiveCollab?
Members have limited access to ensure that only users with elevated roles (like Managers or Owners) can make administrative changes. Members cannot:
- Access the Billing section or change subscription details
- Modify global Account Settings
- Manage user roles or invite new users
- View or access projects that they are not explicitly invited to.
- See companies and people they are not on projects with.
- Permanently delete what's in the Trash.
- View the Time and Expenses of other users.
- Delete or edit their comments after a certain period has expired.
- Delete Files added by other users.
Which sections are visible to a user with the Member role in ActiveCollab?
Sections visible to a Member:
- Projects - only projects they’re invited to,
- My Work,
- Activity,
- Calendar
- Add-Ons - Desktop App,
- Stopwatch,
- Trash
Which sections are not visible to a user with the Member role in ActiveCollab?
Sections not visible to a Member:
- People,
- Estimates,
- Invoices,
- Reports.
How to downgrade the Member role in ActiveCollab?
In ActiveCollab, you can downgrade a user with the Member role to a more limited role like Client+ or Client if needed. Here's how to do it:
- Step 1: Go to the “People” section in your main menu.
- Step 2: Find the user with the Member role that you want to downgrade.
- Step 3: Click the three-dot menu (⋯) next to their name.
- Step 4: Select “Change Permissions”
- Step 5: Choose the desired new role, such as Client+ or Client.
- Step 6: Click Save to confirm the change.
How to delete a user with the Member role in ActiveCollab?
- Step 1: Go to the People section from the main menu.
- Step 2: Find the user with the Member role you want to delete.
- Step 3: Click the three-dot menu (⋯) next to their name.
- Step 4: Select “Delete”
- Step 5: Confirm the action when prompted.
How to archive a user with a Member role?
- Step 1: Go to the People section from the main menu.
- Step 2: Find the user with the Member role you want to delete.
- Step 3: Click the three-dot menu (⋯) next to their name.
- Step 4: Select “Archive”
- Step 5: Confirm the action when prompted.
How to change a Member to a Member + Role?
- Step 1: Log in to your ActiveCollab account
- Step 2: Click on the People page in the left-side menu
- Step 3: Locate the Member whose role you wish to change
- Step 4: Click on the three dots (...) located on the far right side
- Step 5: From the dropdown menu, click on Change Permissions
- Step 6: You can assign one or both of the following Additional Permissions:
- Start projects, manage people, and access reports
- Manage time tracking and financials
- Step 7: Click Save
Only Owners or users with the right permissions can change user roles.
Project permissions in Strict Mode for Members (that aren’t Project Leaders)
When project permissions are set to Strict mode, available options are limited for users with the Member role who are not assigned as Project Leaders. This mode is designed to prevent unauthorized changes while still allowing users to contribute to project work.
How to set up a Project to Strict Mode in ActiveCollab?
- Step 1: From the main navigation, go to Projects.
- Step 2: Click on the project you want to manage.
- Step 3: In the top-right corner of the project view, click the three-dot menu (⋯).
- Step 4: From the dropdown menu, select Edit.
- Step 5: Once inside the Project Settings page, scroll to the Member Permissions and choose one of the following:
- Collaborative - Allow members to create tasks and modify task properties, such as due dates, assignees, and estimates.
- Strict - Restrict members from creating tasks and modifying task properties, such as due dates, assignees, or estimates.
- Step 6: Click Update Project.
What the users with the Member role can’t do on Strict projects?
Members who are not Project Leaders will not be able to:
- Move tasks from the current project to another project,
- Duplicate tasks,
- Create tasks from comments,
- Create tasks from subtasks,
- Move tasks to Trash,
- Manually create a new task from a recurring task,
- Edit task details (the Edit menu and all options in the sidebar will be disabled),
- Modify the list of subscribers on a task (except for adding or removing themselves),
- Access the three-dot menu on task lists or within task cards in columns,
- Manage task dependencies,
- Duplicate or modify task lists in any way,
- Add or edit recurring tasks (via the + menu or from within a task).
What the users with the Member role can do on Strict projects?
Despite the restrictions, these users will still be able to:
- Move tasks between task lists within the same project using drag-and-drop
- Open and close (complete/reopen) tasks
- Manage subtasks within tasks
- Comment on tasks
- Log time and expenses
- Add reminders (for themselves or for others)
- Use Batch Edit to:
- Close multiple tasks
- Move multiple tasks to another task list
This setup helps maintain control over the structure and flow of the project while still enabling collaboration and task progress. If additional flexibility is needed, consider adjusting the user’s role or project-level permissions.