VUMC PEER Help Desk

PEER permissions can be complex. In this article, we will attempt to demystify permissions and explain the options.

There are multiple permissions "schemes" in PEER, which apply to each module differently.  For example, with regard to contracts, we can grant view access to an individual contract, all contracts of a certain type, contracts belonging to certain departments, or a combination of these schemes.

To request permissions, use this ticket form: https://vumcpeer.freshdesk.com/support/tickets/new

Getting Permission help in PEER

Aside from the link above, there are two different ways to submit a ticket requesting permissions. The easiest way is to click on "Submit a PEER Help Ticket" in the Help portion of the Home page. 

The other option is to click on the Help button (shown below) at the top of the screen. A pop-up window will pull up for you, and you will select "Submit a Help Ticket" from this window.

Submitting the Ticket

Once you click on "Submit a Help Ticket" you will be brought to the Help Desk page where you will fill out the information needed, select the appropriate Type (Modify User Permissions) from the drop-down, include all of the necessary information such as the department number or name needed, contract types, if you're mirroring someone else's permissions or need access to a certain contract. Once you have filled this information out, click Submit. 

Different Types of Permissions

It is very important when submitting a ticket for permissions that you include what is needed so that our team gets you the appropriate access needed. Here are a few different types of permissions and what is needed when submitting:

• Department: No special permissions are required prior to creating a PEER account.  All that is required is an active VUMC ID.  By default this account is limited to accessing contracts that are coded to the user’s home department as defined by HR. 
  Upon request, PEER team can grant the user permission to additional departments.  Use cases are when user has responsibilities over multiple departments or divisions.  PEER team can also organize departments in parent-child relationships, in which case if the user has permission to the parent, they automatically get access to contracts for all child units (examples: Department of Medicine, Pediatrics, Health IT, VUMC IT). 
  
  Requesting Access: This access can be granted by request to the PEER support team, with justification included.  PEER team may require additional justification (from a manager/supervisor/director) if the business case is not clear or if the requested departments are not closely related.
  
• By Contract Type: Upon request, PEER team can grant access to contracts in either module (Supply Chain Contracts or Office Of Contracts Management) by contract type.  For example, we can grant a user permissions to all OCM contracts under the Education>Externship category or the Supply Chain Purchased Services>Marketing type.  This is best used when the user’s business role requires them to look up or monitor specific categories of agreements regardless of the originating department.
  
  Requesting Access: All requests for by contract type access must be approved by the Director, Supply Chain contracts, or Director, Office of Contracts Management, as applicable. 
  
  
• Per Individual Agreement: Each contract has designated slots for department contacts (Sourcing: Dept Head, Primary Contact, Secondary Contact; OCM: PI/Resp Party, Primary Contact, Secondary Contact).  By default, a user has permissions to view any contract in which they are named in one of these three slots.  
  
  

  In addition, users can be attached to individual agreements via an “Additional Viewers” tool, visible in the Contract Contacts tab, and editable by the contract analyst/sourcing officer.  This is best used for one-off situations and not scenarios where there are large swaths of agreements the user needs access to.   

  
  

  Requesting Access: This access should be requested directly from the Contract Analyst/Sourcing Officer for that specific agreement as they are in the best position to determine the appropriateness of the request for the circumstances of that contract record. 
  

• View All Access: Certain business areas require access to view all contracts in one or both of the contract modules.  This use case is limited to centralized business functions such as Office of Legal Affairs, Internal Audit, IRB/HRPP, etc. 
    
  

  Requesting Access: All requests for view-all access must be approved by the Director, Supply Chain contracts, or Director, Office of Contracts Management, as applicable. 

• Executive Signature Requests (ESR): Access to submit requests directly to D3300 for executive signatures requires a special permission.  ESR permission will NOT be granted as method to bypass the contract offices.  To get ESR access, contact Amanda Lowe [Program Director Operations Improvement]. All such requests must come to the PEER team through her. CLICK HERE to view the ESR user guide.