Managing User Accounts

What You'll Learn

You'll discover how to effectively manage user accounts in your Knack app, including setting up user records, handling permissions, and maintaining account security—essential skills for creating a secure, well-organized user management system.

Understanding User Accounts

What Are User Accounts?

When you activate users on your app, a unique Accounts table is automatically created. This table serves as a storage space for each user who can log in to your app using their email and password.

These users are recorded as account records, allowing for efficient management of user accounts and logins.

User accounts are similar to records in regular tables, however contain special user fields that help manage user accounts and logins. These user fields are indicated by a user icon to the right of the field name:

• Name: The name of the user logging in.
• Email: The email address used to login.
• Password: The password used to login. Passwords are immediately encrypted so cannot be added to an element to display.
• User Status: The status of the account determines if the user's login will allow them access or not.
• User Roles: Any user roles assigned to this user. User roles can be used to define permissions.

Each user's user role record counts as an additional record toward your record limit, in addition to their record in the Accounts table. For example, a user in the Employees user role counts as two records: one for the record in the Accounts table and one for the record in the Employees table.

If the user is also has the HR user role, they count as three records: one for the Accounts table, one for the Employees table, and one for the HR table.

Note: The special user fields can be edited but not deleted.

Managing Records

Creating User Records

Add users in several ways:

• Manually through the Builder
• Import from spreadsheets
• Through registration forms
• Via forms in your Live App

Editing and Deleting

• Edit records using the pen icon or inline editing
• Delete by selecting records and using the delete button
• Deleting from a role table only removes that role assignment

Note: Deleting from a role table doesn't remove the main account. To fully delete a user, remove them from the Accounts table.

User Roles and Permissions

Setting User Status

Control access with three status options:

1. Active - Full access allowed
2. Inactive - No access
3. Pending Approval - Awaiting admin approval

Managing Multiple Roles

• Users can have multiple role assignments
• Each role creates a separate record
• Changes to core user fields sync across all roles
• Adding/removing roles updates related records automatically

Account Communication

Sending Account Info

• Email login details to new users
• Useful for imported or manually added accounts
• Customize email templates for different roles

Password Management

• Reset passwords for selected users
• Send reset instructions via email
• Passwords are always encrypted

Email Templates

Customizing Messages

Access templates through role settings to customize:

• Approval notifications
• Account information
• Password set-up instructions

Available Variables

Use these in your templates:

• {{first_name}} - Displays user's first name
• {{email}} - Shows user's email address

Important: For security, users are sent a link to set up their own password

Remember to verify user role assignments if access issues occur, and note that each email address can only be used for one account.