How to Manage user Permissions and Access in Google Tag Manager

Managing user permissions and access in Google Tag Manager (GTM) is essential to maintain security and ensure that only authorized personnel can make changes to your tags, triggers, and variables. GTM offers a robust permission system that allows you to control access at both the account and container levels. Here’s a detailed tutorial on how to manage user permissions and access in Google Tag Manager:

 1. Understanding GTM User Roles and Permissions

Google Tag Manager provides two levels of permissions:

1. Account-Level Permissions:

   • User: Can view all containers in the account but cannot make changes.
   • Admin: Can manage all aspects of the account, including adding/removing users and changing account settings.

2. Container-Level Permissions:

   • No Access: Cannot view or interact with the container.
   • Read: Can view tags, triggers, variables, and container settings but cannot make changes.
   • Edit: Can create, edit, and delete tags, triggers, and variables but cannot publish changes.
   • Approve: Can create, edit, delete, and approve changes but cannot publish.
   • Publish: Can create, edit, delete, approve, and publish changes.

 2. Adding Users to Your GTM Account

1. Log in to GTM:

   • Go to Google Tag Manager and log in with your Google account.

2. Navigate to User Management:

   • Click on Admin in the sidebar.
   • Under the Account column, click on User Management.

3. Add a New User:

   • Click on the + button to add a new user.
   • Enter the user’s email address.
   • Select the desired Account Permissions (User or Admin).

4. Assign Container Permissions:

   • After setting account permissions, you can specify container permissions.
   • Select the containers the user should have access to and assign the appropriate permission levels (No Access, Read, Edit, Approve, Publish).
   • Click Invite to send the invitation.

 3. Managing User Permissions

3.1 Updating User Permissions

1. Navigate to User Management:

   • In the GTM Admin section, click User Management under the Account column.

2. Edit User Permissions:

   • Find the user whose permissions you want to update.
   • Click on the three dots next to their email address and select Edit Permissions.
   • Adjust the account-level and container-level permissions as needed.
   • Click Save to apply changes.

3.2 Removing Users

1. Navigate to User Management:

   • Go to User Management under the Account column in the Admin section.

2. Remove a User:

   • Find the user you want to remove.
   • Click on the three dots next to their email address and select Remove.
   • Confirm the removal.

 4. Best Practices for Managing User Permissions

4.1 Principle of Least Privilege

• Assign Minimum Necessary Permissions:
  • Only grant users the permissions they need to perform their tasks.
  • Avoid giving publish permissions unless absolutely necessary.

4.2 Regular Audits

• Review Permissions Periodically:
  • Regularly audit user permissions to ensure they are up-to-date.
  • Remove access for users who no longer need it or are no longer with the organization.

4.3 Use of Approval Workflows

• Leverage Edit and Approve Roles:
  • Implement an approval workflow by assigning edit permissions to users who create tags and approve permissions to users who review and approve changes.
  • This ensures a second set of eyes reviews changes before they are published.

 5. Advanced Permission Management

5.1 Using Google Groups

• Manage Permissions via Google Groups:
  • Instead of adding individual users, you can use Google Groups to manage permissions.
  • Add a Google Group as a user and assign permissions to the group. Any changes to the group membership will automatically update GTM access.

5.2 Integrating with Identity and Access Management (IAM)

• Advanced Control with IAM:
  • For organizations using Google Cloud Platform, integrate GTM with IAM for more granular access control.
  • Use IAM policies to enforce access rules and manage permissions centrally.

Step 6: Troubleshooting Common Issues

6.1 Permission Denied Errors

• Verify User Email:
  • Ensure the email address added is correct and associated with a Google account.
• Check Permission Levels:
  • Confirm that the user has the necessary permissions for the actions they are trying to perform.
• Sync Issues:
  • Occasionally, permission changes might take a few minutes to propagate. If issues persist, try reassigning the permissions.

6.2 Unable to Edit or Publish

• Edit vs. Publish Permissions:
  • Ensure the user has the correct combination of edit and publish permissions.
• Browser Cache:
  • Clear the browser cache and reload GTM to ensure the latest permissions are applied.

Managing user permissions and access in Google Tag Manager is crucial for maintaining the security and integrity of your tagging setup. By following these steps, you can effectively control who has access to your GTM account and containers, ensuring that only authorized personnel can make changes. Regular audits and adherence to best practices will help you maintain a secure and efficient GTM environment.