SignageStudio user management gives every person their own login and a role: Owner, Administrator, Content Manager, Editor, Operator or Viewer, each with a fixed set of permissions over users, content, screens, settings and reports. Scopes limit a user to specific screens, groups or content so a store manager sees one location and a regional manager sees a region; teams group users with shared access; changes are logged; and larger accounts can use SSO. This is how multi-user digital signage networks avoid shared passwords and accidental publishing.
Control Access Securely
SignageStudio provides comprehensive user management with role-based access control. Define who can view, create, or manage content, and control access to specific screens, groups, or features across your organization.
User Management Overview
Access Control Model
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ACCESS CONTROL HIERARCHY │
│ │
│ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ ORGANIZATION │ │
│ │ (Account-wide settings) │ │
│ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌────────────────┼────────────────┐ │
│ ▼ ▼ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ TEAMS │ │ TEAMS │ │ TEAMS │ │
│ │ Marketing │ │ Retail │ │ Corporate │ │
│ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ ▼ ▼ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ USERS │ │ USERS │ │ USERS │ │
│ │ + Roles │ │ + Roles │ │ + Roles │ │
│ │ + Screens │ │ + Screens │ │ + Screens │ │
│ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Key Concepts
| Concept | Description |
|---|
| User | Individual account with login credentials |
| Role | Set of permissions (Admin, Editor, Viewer) |
| Team | Group of users with shared access |
| Scope | Resources user can access (screens, content) |
| Permission | Specific action user can perform |
User Roles
Built-in Roles
| Role | Description | Typical User |
|---|
| Owner | Full account control | Account holder |
| Administrator | Full management access | IT, managers |
| Content Manager | Create and publish content | Marketing, comms |
| Editor | Create content, limited publish | Designers |
| Operator | Monitor screens, limited edit | Store managers |
| Viewer | View-only access | Stakeholders |
Role Permissions Matrix
| Permission | Owner | Admin | Manager | Editor | Operator | Viewer |
|---|
| Users | | | | | | |
| Create users | ✓ | ✓ | ○ | | | |
| Edit users | ✓ | ✓ | ○ | | | |
| Delete users | ✓ | ✓ | | | | |
| Content | | | | | | |
| Create scenes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | |
| Edit scenes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | |
| Delete scenes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | | |
| Publish content | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ○ | | |
| Screens | | | | | | |
| Add screens | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | | |
| Edit screens | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | ✓ | |
| Delete screens | ✓ | ✓ | | | | |
| Remote control | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | ✓ | |
| View status | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Settings | | | | | | |
| Account settings | ✓ | ✓ | | | | |
| Billing | ✓ | ○ | | | | |
| API keys | ✓ | ✓ | | | | |
| Reports | | | | | | |
| View reports | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Export reports | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | | |
✓ = Full access | ○ = Limited access | (blank) = No access
Custom Roles
Create custom roles with specific permissions:
- Go to Settings → Roles → Create Role
- Name the role
- Select permissions
- Set scope restrictions
- Save and assign to users
Managing Users
Adding Users
- Navigate to Settings → Users → Add User
- Enter user details:
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|
| Email | Yes | Login email address |
| Name | Yes | Display name |
| Role | Yes | Permission level |
| Teams | No | Team membership |
| Screens | No | Specific screen access |
- User receives invitation email
- User sets password and logs in
Bulk User Import
Import multiple users via CSV:
email,name,role,teams
john@company.com,John Smith,Content Manager,"Marketing,Retail"
jane@company.com,Jane Doe,Editor,Marketing
bob@company.com,Bob Wilson,Operator,Retail
User Status
| Status | Description |
|---|
| Active | Can log in and use system |
| Pending | Invited, hasn't accepted |
| Suspended | Temporarily disabled |
| Deactivated | Permanently disabled |
Teams and Groups
Creating Teams
Organize users into teams for easier management:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TEAM CONFIGURATION │
│ │
│ Team Name: Marketing │
│ │
│ Members: │
│ ├── Sarah Johnson (Manager) │
│ ├── Mike Chen (Editor) │
│ └── Lisa Brown (Editor) │
│ │
│ Screen Access: │
│ ├── Lobby Displays (View, Edit, Publish) │
│ ├── Window Displays (View, Edit, Publish) │
│ └── Conference Rooms (View only) │
│ │
│ Content Folders: │
│ ├── /Marketing (Full access) │
│ └── /Brand Assets (Read only) │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Team Permissions
| Setting | Options |
|---|
| Screen groups | Which screens team can access |
| Content folders | Which folders team can use |
| Campaign types | What campaigns team can create |
| Reports | Which reports team can view |
Content Access Control
Folder Permissions
Control access to content folders:
| Permission | Description |
|---|
| View | See folder contents |
| Upload | Add new content |
| Edit | Modify existing content |
| Delete | Remove content |
| Share | Grant access to others |
Content Approval Workflow
Enable approval for content publishing:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ CONTENT APPROVAL WORKFLOW │
│ │
│ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ Create │ ─► │ Submit │ ─► │ Review │ ─► │ Publish │ │
│ │ │ │ for │ │ by │ │ to │ │
│ │ (Editor) │ │ Approval │ │ (Manager)│ │ Screens │ │
│ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ Reject │ │
│ │ with │ │
│ │ comments │ │
│ └──────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Approval Settings
| Setting | Options |
|---|
| Require approval | All content, or by content type |
| Approvers | Specific users or role |
| Notification | Email when pending approval |
| Auto-approve | Certain users exempt |
| Expiration | Auto-reject after X days |
Single Sign-On (SSO)
Supported Protocols
| Protocol | Description |
|---|
| SAML 2.0 | Enterprise standard |
| OAuth 2.0 | Modern authorization |
| OpenID Connect | Identity layer on OAuth |
| Active Directory | Windows AD integration |
| LDAP | Directory services |
SAML Configuration
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SAML SSO CONFIGURATION │
│ │
│ Identity Provider: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Entity ID: https://idp.company.com/saml2 │ │
│ │ SSO URL: https://idp.company.com/saml2/sso │ │
│ │ Certificate: [Upload IdP Certificate] │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Service Provider (SignageStudio): │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Entity ID: https://signage.me/saml/your-company │ │
│ │ ACS URL: https://signage.me/saml/your-company/acs │ │
│ │ Metadata: [Download SP Metadata] │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Attribute Mapping: │
│ ├── email → user.email │
│ ├── firstName → user.firstName │
│ ├── lastName → user.lastName │
│ └── groups → user.groups │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
SSO Providers
| Provider | Integration |
|---|
| Okta | Full support, app in catalog |
| Azure AD | Full support |
| Google Workspace | Full support |
| OneLogin | Full support |
| Ping Identity | Full support |
| Custom SAML | Manual configuration |
Just-in-Time Provisioning
Automatically create users on first SSO login:
| Setting | Description |
|---|
| Enable JIT | Create users automatically |
| Default role | Role for new users |
| Default team | Team assignment |
| Attribute mapping | Map IdP attributes |
Security Settings
Password Policy
| Setting | Options |
|---|
| Minimum length | 8-32 characters |
| Complexity | Require uppercase, numbers, symbols |
| Expiration | 30, 60, 90, never |
| History | Prevent reuse of last N passwords |
| Lockout | After N failed attempts |
Multi-Factor Authentication
| MFA Method | Support |
|---|
| Authenticator app | Google, Microsoft, Authy |
| SMS | Text message codes |
| Email | Email verification |
| Hardware key | YubiKey, FIDO2 |
Session Management
| Setting | Description |
|---|
| Session timeout | Auto-logout after inactivity |
| Concurrent sessions | Allow multiple logins |
| Remember device | Skip MFA on trusted devices |
| Force re-auth | For sensitive actions |
Audit Logging
Logged Activities
| Category | Events Logged |
|---|
| Authentication | Login, logout, failed attempts |
| User management | Create, edit, delete users |
| Content | Create, edit, delete, publish |
| Screens | Add, remove, control commands |
| Settings | Configuration changes |
Audit Log Example
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ AUDIT LOG │
│ │
│ Time User Action Details │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ 10:45:23 john@co.com Login success IP: 192.168.1.1 │
│ 10:47:12 john@co.com Scene created "New Promo" │
│ 10:52:08 john@co.com Campaign published "March Sales" │
│ 11:03:45 jane@co.com Login failed Bad password │
│ 11:04:02 jane@co.com Login failed Bad password │
│ 11:04:15 jane@co.com Account locked 3 failures │
│ 11:15:00 admin@co.com User unlocked jane@co.com │
│ 11:16:22 jane@co.com Login success IP: 192.168.1.2 │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Log Retention
| Plan | Retention |
|---|
| Free | 7 days |
| Pro | 90 days |
| Enterprise | 1 year + export |
Best Practices
Security Recommendations
| Practice | Benefit |
|---|
| Use SSO | Centralized authentication |
| Enable MFA | Additional security layer |
| Least privilege | Minimal required permissions |
| Regular review | Audit user access quarterly |
| Offboarding process | Remove access promptly |
Organization Tips
| Tip | Implementation |
|---|
| Name conventions | Consistent user/team naming |
| Document roles | Clear role definitions |
| Team structure | Mirror org chart |
| Access requests | Formal request process |
| Training | Onboard new users properly |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do user permissions and access control work in a digital signage CMS?
A CMS with access control has named users, roles that bundle permissions (view, create, edit, publish, manage screens, manage users, view reports), and scopes that restrict a role to certain screens, groups or content folders. An editor in one region cannot publish to another region's screens; a viewer can check what is playing but change nothing; an administrator manages users without needing the owner's login. An audit log records who changed what and when. SignageStudio implements this with six roles and screen or group scopes.
Can multiple users manage the same digital signage network with different permissions?
Yes. Create one account per person, assign each a role and a scope: for example a marketing team as Content Managers over all screens, store managers as Operators over their own store, and an executive as Viewer. Everyone works from a browser at the same time; the CMS keeps the audit trail and prevents a scoped user from touching screens outside their scope.
What multi-user permissions and remote access features should a digital signage CMS have?
Role-based access with at least owner, administrator, editor and viewer roles; scoping by screen, group or location; an approval or preview step before publishing; an audit log; secure remote access from any browser with two-factor authentication or SSO; and the ability to revoke a user instantly. For franchises, sub-accounts per location with a master template pushed from head office.
Try it on your own screens, free
DigitalSignage.com, which publishes this guide, runs a permanent free plan: the first 3 screens are free forever (no credit card, no ads, no time limit), then from $3 per screen per month with volume pricing via a public calculator. The free SignPlayer runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and Android TV, Chrome OS, Raspberry Pi, iPad or any browser. Start free · 2026 pricing
Next Steps
User Management documentation maintained by MediaSignage. For enterprise features, contact sales@digitalsignage.com