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Users, User Levels & Supervisors

This guide covers three fundamental concepts in IceHrm: the relationship between Users and Employees, the different User Levels available, and how Supervisors work.

Understanding Users vs Employees​

In IceHrm, Users and Employees are two separate entities that work together.

What is a User?​

A User is a login account that allows someone to access IceHrm. Users have:

  • Username and password
  • Email address
  • A user level (determines permissions)
Key Point

Admin users do not require an associated employee record. However, all non-admin users (Managers, Employees) must be linked to an employee record.

What is an Employee?​

An Employee is a personnel record containing HR information such as:

  • Personal details (name, date of birth, contact info)
  • Job information (title, department, salary)
  • Leave balances and attendance records
  • Qualifications and documents
Important

Simply adding an employee does not grant them system access. You must also create a corresponding user account for them to log in.

The Relationship​

  • Regular staff member: Requires both a user account (for login) and an employee record (for HR data)
  • System administrator: Requires a user account, employee record is optional
  • Historical employee (no system access): Only requires an employee record, no user account needed

User Levels​

IceHrm has six user levels that control what users can see and do in the system.

User Levels Overview

The Six User Levels​

  • Admin: Full access to all IceHrm features. Best for HR Directors and System Administrators.
  • Manager: Can view and manage subordinates, approve requests. Best for Department Heads and Team Leaders.
  • Employee: Standard access to personal information and requests. Best for regular staff members.
  • Restricted Admin: Admin access limited to specific modules/permissions. Best for HR Assistants and Payroll Staff.
  • Restricted Manager: Manager access limited to assigned employees only. Best for Shift Supervisors and Assistant Managers.
  • Restricted Employee: Minimal access with explicit permissions only. Best for Contractors and Temporary Staff.

Admin vs Manager: Key Differences​

Example — Leave Management:

  • Admin: Can view and manage leave requests for all employees across the organization
  • Manager: Can only view and approve leave requests for their subordinates

Restricted User Levels​

Restricted user levels work the same as their standard counterparts but require explicit permission grants. Users with restricted levels receive no access by default — permissions must be assigned individually.

Use Case

Use restricted levels for external users like temporary recruitment managers who need specific access without broad system permissions.

Changing User Levels​

To change a user's level:

  1. Go to System > Users
  2. Click on the user to edit
  3. Change the User Level dropdown
  4. Click Save

Modifying User Levels

Entity-Level Permissions​

For fine-grained control, IceHrm supports four types of entity permissions:

  • List: View collections of records
  • Get: View individual records
  • Add/Edit: Create or modify records
  • Delete: Remove records

These permissions can be configured per user or user level in System > Permissions.

Supervisors​

Supervisory relationships determine who can approve requests and view team data.

Direct Supervisors​

Any employee can be assigned as the supervisor of another employee. Supervisors can:

  • View their subordinates via the Employees menu
  • Approve leave requests, timesheets, and expenses
  • Access team reports and data
Requirement

To view subordinates in the Employees menu, the supervisor must have Admin or Manager user level.

Assigning a Supervisor​

  1. Go to Employees > Employees
  2. Click Edit on the employee record
  3. Select the supervisor in the Supervisor field
  4. Click Save

Indirect Supervisors​

An employee can have multiple Indirect Supervisors in addition to their direct supervisor.

Purpose: Indirect supervisors are used in approval workflows — for example, as secondary approvers for leave requests.

Setting Up Indirect Supervisors​

  1. Go to Employees > Employees
  2. Edit the employee record
  3. Add indirect supervisors in the Indirect Supervisors field
  4. Click Save

Configuring Leave Approval with Indirect Supervisors​

To enable indirect supervisor approval for leave requests:

  1. Go to System > Settings > Leave
  2. Configure the approval workflow to include indirect supervisors
  3. Save your settings

Quick Reference​

Creating a New User with Employee Access​

  1. Create the employee record at Employees > Employees
  2. Create the user account at System > Users
  3. Link them together by selecting the employee in the user form
  4. Set the user level to Employee (or Manager if they manage others)
  5. Save — login credentials are sent automatically via email

Checklist for Proper Setup​

  • Employee record created with unique Employee ID
  • User account created with valid email
  • User linked to the correct employee
  • Appropriate user level assigned
  • Supervisor assigned (if applicable)
  • Indirect supervisors configured (if needed for approvals)