Summary: This guide explains why a user might be able to post updates to a Network, Business Unit (BU), Local Department (LD), or Group where they supposedly should not have access. Posting abilities are controlled by a combination of Group Preferences and Network Roles, and a misconfiguration in either can unintentionally grant users broader posting rights.
Why did this happen?
If a user posted in an area they shouldn't have, it is generally not a system bug. Speakap works with a precise, multi-layered permissions system.
When an unauthorized post occurs, it means the user's account currently has a permission enabled at either the local level (Preferences) or the network level (Roles) that allows them to publish content there. To resolve the issue, audit both settings.
Step 1: Check local preferences (Group, BU, or Department level)
Every individual Group, Business Unit, and Department has its own timeline settings. If a user posts in a specific group, first check that group's local preferences.
- Navigate to the specific Group, BU, or Department where the post was made.
- Open the settings (gear icon) for that specific area.
- Go to the Preferences tab.
- Look under the Posting on timeline section.
- Check if the toggle for "Members of this group may post on its timeline" is turned on.
- Resolution: If this is enabled, any standard member of that group can post. Toggle this setting off to restrict posting to administrators only.
Step 2: Check Network Roles (platform level)
If the local group preferences are already restricted, the user is likely bypassing them because of their overarching Network Role. Network Roles apply globally and can grant users the power to post anywhere, overriding local restrictions.
- Navigate to your global Network settings.
- Select Roles from the left-hand menu.
- Identify the role assigned to the user in question (for example, "Member"). You can find this in the Users tab, then by clicking the user and opening the User Type tab.
- Click the gear icon next to that role to Edit role.
- Go to the Timeline tab.
- Look under Which actions are allowed? and check these specific permissions:
- "Post to network timeline": If enabled, the user can post directly to the main company-wide Feed.
- "Post updates to any group, division or team": If enabled, this grants the user "super-posting" rights, allowing them to publish updates to any BU, LD, or Group, regardless of that group's individual preferences.
- Resolution: Uncheck these permissions to revoke the user's global posting access and make them follow local group preferences.
Summary checklist
If you need to lock down a timeline, verify both layers:
- ☐ Local check: Is the group's Preference set to allow member posting?
- ☐ Global check: Does the user's assigned Network Role grant permission to post to the network timeline or to any group or division?
Still stuck?
Email us at support@speakap.com with your network name, the name of the user, and the group or area where the post appeared, and we'll help you out.