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Macro uses an intuitive permission model where permissions inherit from channels. Send a document to someone and they automatically get access - no complex sharing dialogs needed.

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Core Principles

Channel Inheritance

Permissions automatically inherit from the channel where content is shared. If you can see the channel, you can see what’s in it.

Automatic Access

Send a document to someone via email or channel and they immediately get access. No separate sharing step required.

Bidirectional Links

When you @mention a doc or task, recipients can access it through the reference, maintaining permission context.

Explicit Overrides

You can always set explicit permissions on individual items when needed for sensitive content.

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Permission Types

Macro has two main permission mechanisms that work together:

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Access Levels

Direct permissions assigned to specific entities:
Full control over the item
  • Edit content and metadata
  • Delete the item
  • Manage permissions
  • Transfer ownership
Automatically assigned to the creator.

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Channel Roles

Permissions inherited from channel membership:
Created the channel or was transferred ownership.Can:
  • Edit channel settings and description
  • Add/remove members
  • Delete the channel
  • Post messages and share files
  • All content shared in channel is accessible to owners
Added to the channel by owner or admin.Can:
  • View all channel history
  • Post messages and replies
  • Share files and links
  • Access all documents shared in channel
  • @mention channel members
Cannot:
  • Add/remove members
  • Change channel settings
  • Delete the channel
Limited access to specific threads or content.Can:
  • View threads they’re invited to
  • Reply in those threads
  • Access files shared directly with them
Cannot:
  • See full channel history
  • Browse all channel content
  • Add other members

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How Inheritance Works

1

Document Created

When you create a document, you’re automatically the Owner with full permissions.
2

Shared in Channel

You share the document in a team channel by:
  • Posting a link: Check out this proposal @doc-link
  • Uploading directly to channel
  • @mentioning it in a message
3

Permissions Inherit

Everyone in the channel automatically gets access based on their channel role:
  • Channel Owners → Editor access to document
  • Channel Members → Viewer access to document
  • Channel Guests → No access (unless explicitly granted)
4

Updates Sync

If you add someone to the channel later, they immediately get access to all documents previously shared there.
You can override inherited permissions on any document. For example, make a specific doc “View Only” even for channel owners, or give a guest Editor access to one file.

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Sharing Documents

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Quick Share (Cmd+S)

The fastest way to share any document: 
1. Open document
2. Press Cmd+S (Ctrl+S on Windows/Linux)
3. Type recipient name or channel
4. Press Enter
What happens:
  • Document is posted to the channel or sent via email
  • Recipients automatically get access based on context
  • You can add a message: @john Here's the Q4 proposal

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Email Sharing

When you attach a document to an email:
Recipients in your workspace get:
  • Viewer access by default
  • Can open document in Macro
  • Real-time collaboration if upgraded to Editor
  • Attachment updates if doc changes

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@Mention Sharing

When you @mention a document in a message: 
# Example in channel:
"Updated the roadmap @product-roadmap to include Q2 features"

# Example in email:
"See the attached proposal @sales-proposal for details"
Permission behavior:
  • If channel members don’t have access → automatically granted Viewer access
  • If recipient already has access → no change
  • @mention creates bidirectional link you can trace back

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Managing Permissions

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View Current Permissions

  1. Open document
  2. Click share icon (top-right) or press Cmd+Shift+S
  3. See list of who has access and their permission level
  4. View inherited permissions from channels (in gray)

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Change Permissions

1

Open Share Dialog

Press Cmd+Shift+S or click the share icon on any document, email, or file.
2

Find User or Channel

Search for the person or channel whose access you want to change.
3

Set Permission Level

Click the dropdown next to their name:
  • Owner - Full control
  • Editor - Can edit
  • Viewer - Read only
  • Remove - Revoke access
4

Save Changes

Changes apply immediately. Users see updated access in real-time.
If someone has access via channel inheritance, removing their direct permission doesn’t revoke access - they still have it through the channel. You must remove them from the channel or override channel permissions.

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Permission Resolution

When multiple permissions apply, Macro uses the most permissive access: 
Channel permission: Viewer (inherited)
Direct permission:  Editor (explicit)
Final access:       Editor ✓

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Special Cases

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Files from Emails

When you receive an email with attachments:
  1. Attachments auto-import to your file storage
  2. You’re the Owner of the imported file
  3. Original sender does NOT get access (it’s now your file)
  4. If you share the file back to them, you grant explicit access
This prevents accidental permission leakage from external emails.

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PDF and Media Files

PDFs and media files follow the same permission model:
  • Full-text search only surfaces files you have access to
  • Embedded in documents - viewers can see preview if they have file access
  • Viewer access allows downloading the file
  • Editor access allows replacing file (keeps same file ID)

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Best Practices

Use Channels for Teams

Create channels for teams or projects. Share documents there once - everyone gets access automatically.

Default to Viewer

When in doubt, grant Viewer access. It’s easy to upgrade to Editor later if needed.

Review Channel Members

Periodically review channel membership. Removing someone from a channel revokes inherited access to all channel content.

Explicit for Sensitive Content

For sensitive documents, set explicit permissions instead of relying on channel inheritance.

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Security Tips

Before sharing sensitive content:
  1. Check current permissions: Cmd+Shift+S
  2. Review channel members if sharing via channel
  3. Consider explicit “Viewer” lock for read-only access
  4. Use expiring guest links for external sharing
Good permission hygiene:
  • Remove people from channels when they leave projects
  • Audit owner/editor access on sensitive docs monthly
  • Use guest access for external collaborators (auto-expires)
  • Set channel defaults: public vs private, member vs guest default

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Troubleshooting

Check:
  1. Are they in the channel? (Check channel members)
  2. Do they have explicit “No Access” set? (Overrides channel permission)
  3. Is the document shared in a private channel they’re not in?
  4. Did you share via @mention or just send the link? (@mention grants access, plain link doesn’t)
Fix: Open share dialog (Cmd+Shift+S) and explicitly grant them Viewer or Editor access.
Likely cause: They have access through multiple paths:
  • Direct permission + channel permission
  • Member of multiple channels with the content
  • Owner/Editor on parent workspace
Fix: Check all permission sources in the share dialog and remove each one.
Cause: Channel membership grants Viewer access by default, not Editor.Fix: Either:
  • Grant explicit Editor access to specific people
  • Change channel settings to grant Editor by default
  • Make them channel Owners (if appropriate)

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API and Integrations

When using Macro’s API or integrations, permissions work the same way:
  • API calls respect user permissions (calls are made as authenticated user)
  • Bots and integrations can be granted service account access
  • Webhooks only fire for events the user has access to
  • Export/import preserves permission metadata
See the API Documentation for details on permission checking and service accounts.

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