Overview
Tropic assigns user access based on their roles, which determine how they interact with the platform. This guide outlines the key differences between portal users and platform users, helping you understand each role's capabilities and how they align with your organization’s purchasing processes.
Portal users
Portal users can only access the Purchasing Portal. They can:
- Access the portal using only their work email address (no password)
- Create, track, and manage their own requests in the portal
- Only access information related to their requests or contracts
Portal Users are typically used for employees who only need access to the Purchasing Portal.
For most users who need access to the Tropic platform, Standard User is the recommended default role.
Portal users do not have access to intelligence features such as Supplier Intelligence or Price Benchmarks.
Platform Users
Platform users can access the Tropic platform and the Purchasing Portal. They can view or manage requests, contracts, suppliers, and intelligence features depending on their assigned role.
Platform users must have one of the following roles:
- Owner
- Platform Manager
- Department Admin
- Department Member
- Standard User
- View-Only
Typically, these roles are reserved for:
- Your procurement team
- Users involved in implementing Tropic
- Users involved in connecting Tropic integrations
- Department heads and approvers
- Auditors or stakeholders who need visibility into the platform
Visibility and permissions vary by role. For example, Standard Users can access intelligence features while only seeing their own requests and contracts they own or follow, whereas Department Members can see all requests and contracts within their department.