With custom client permission sets, you decide exactly what clients can do in Productive, from editing tasks and docs to which budgets they can open.
If the default Client Collaborator and Client Lead sets don't fit, create a custom set and assign it to specific clients. Client permission sets don't use paid seats.
š For the default client sets, see Assigning and Understanding User Permission Sets.
Custom permission sets are available on the Ultimate subscription plan.
Creating a Custom Client Permission Set
To build your custom client permission set, navigate to Settings > Permission sets.
Click + New Permission Set and choose Client Collaborator as your base permission set.
If your organization was created before mid-August 2026, this base set is named Client Staff instead of Client Collaborator.
š See Why Your Permission Set List May Look Different for the full breakdown.
āFrom there, you can fine-tune permissions to a detailed level. For example, you can prevent clients from altering tasks or accessing docs unless explicitly allowed.
ā
Click Save changes. After saving, the set shows a Free seat badge. Client sets have fewer permissions available than paid sets.
Controlling Which Budgets Clients Can See
Two permissions in the Budgets group decide which budgets a client can open:
View all client budgets: every budget of their company that has Client access turned on
View client budgets where user is a member: only budgets shared with them, directly or through the Project members group
The default Client Lead set (Client Manager in organizations created before mid-August 2026) includes View all client budgets. Client Collaborator includes neither.
Example: Limiting a Client to Their Own Budgets
Use this when one client company has several teams that shouldn't see each other's budgets.
Create a custom client permission set based on Client Collaborator.
In the Budgets group, turn on View client budgets where user is a member and keep View all client budgets off.
Save the set and assign it to the relevant clients.
Share the budgets each client needs.
Testing the Permission Set
To preview the app as a user with this set, click Try it out in the upper-right corner. This option appears only after you save the set.
ā
ā
Assigning the Client Permission Set
Open the client's profile from CRM > Contacts.
Open their Info tab and click into the Permission set field.
Select the new permission set.
Giving Clients Access to Projects and Budgets
A permission set controls what a client can do. To see any work, the client also needs to be added to projects and budgets.
For budgets, turn on Client access in the budget sidebar as well. Clients only see budgets with this option on.
š See Sharing Options for Projects, Sharing Options for Budgets, and Giving Clients Access to Budgets and Timesheets.
