A Practical Access Review for Shared Business Records
Published 14 September 2026 · Smart Solutions Framework
An access review asks whether the people using a record still need the permissions they have. It is useful when staff roles change, an external collaboration ends or a team adopts new software. Begin with the business purpose of the record and the person responsible for it.
Identify the record owner and roles
For each workspace or record group, identify who decides access. List the roles that need to view, edit, approve or administer the information. Avoid treating all team members as though they need the same level of control.
Check shared links and external collaborators as well as named internal users. A workspace’s member list may not describe every route through which its contents can be accessed.
Review actual permissions
- Does each person still have a current business reason for access?
- Does the permission level match the task they perform?
- Are temporary collaborators still needed?
- Who can create new shares or change access settings?
- Is there a documented process when a person leaves or changes role?
Record proposed changes and have the responsible owner approve them through the organisation’s normal process. Avoid removing access blindly where it could interrupt an essential workflow.
Retain a decision record
Keep the review date, scope, decisions and outstanding questions. Test the resulting workflow with appropriate accounts so that permitted users can still complete their work. Confirm platform-specific behaviour, such as inherited permissions or link access, before relying on assumptions.
This is a workflow review framework, not a certification of security or a legal retention policy. Requirements vary with the organisation and the information involved. Discuss the actual roles and record types when assessing a software solution, and seek specialist advice where the business needs it.