# Add a user

<div class="ng-access" markdown>
**Who can do this:** <span class="ng-badge ng-badge--superuser">Superuser</span> <span class="ng-badge ng-badge--admin">Admin</span> &nbsp;·&nbsp; **Where:** Dashboard → Quick Actions → **Add User**, or the Admin menu
</div>

Create an account for a new team member and send them a welcome email with a secure link to set their own password. You never choose or see the new user's password — they set it themselves.

<!-- SCREENSHOT: add-user-form.png — full Add User form with the "How it works" panel visible -->

## Before you begin

- Decide which role the person needs (see [Roles at a glance](#roles-at-a-glance) below).
- Have their **email address** ready and double-check it — the password setup link is sent there, and nowhere else.
- If email delivery hasn't been set up for your tenant yet, configure and test it first under **SMTP Settings** so the welcome email can actually go out.

## Roles at a glance

| Role | Client access | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| <span class="ng-badge ng-badge--admin">Admin</span> | All clients | Runs the tenant: users, settings, reports, approvals |
| <span class="ng-badge ng-badge--fieldtech">Field Tech</span> | All clients | Day-to-day equipment and site work in the field |
| <span class="ng-badge ng-badge--viewer">Viewer</span> | One client, read-only | Gives a customer a window into *their own* equipment |

Client access follows the role automatically:

- **Admin** and **Field Tech** accounts always have access to **all clients**. When you pick either role, the Client Access selector switches to *All clients* for you.
- **Viewer** accounts are limited to **a single client** — NorthGrid will not let you save a Viewer with all-client access.
- **No access** is also available: the account is created but stays locked out until a client is assigned later. Use this when you want to stage an account ahead of time.

## Steps

1. Open **Add User** (Dashboard → Quick Actions → *Add User*).
2. Enter the person's **Full Name**.
3. Enter a **Username**. The recommended format is `firstname.lastname`.
4. Enter their **Email**. The welcome email and password setup link are sent to this address.
5. Choose a **Role**: *Admin*, *Field Tech*, or *Viewer (single client, read-only)*.
6. Confirm **Client Access**:
    - For an Admin or Field Tech, leave it on **All clients**.
    - For a Viewer, pick **one client** from the list — or **No access** to keep the account locked until you assign one.
7. Review the entries — especially the email address — and select **Add User & Send Welcome Email**.

The same form is also available inline on the [Manage users](manage-users.md) page, under its collapsible **Add User** bar.

A green confirmation appears when the account is created and the welcome email has been sent.

## What happens next

- The account is created **immediately** and is active, but it has **no usable password** yet.
- The new user receives a welcome email containing a secure **password setup link**.
- **The link expires after 24 hours.** If it expires before they use it, resend a fresh link from **Manage Users** → *Resend Link* on their row.
- Once they set a password, they can sign in normally.

!!! tip "Point new users at the right article"
    Send them [Setting your password](../getting-started/set-your-password.md) along with a heads-up that the email is coming — it also covers what to do if the link has expired.

## Troubleshooting

**"Please fill in all required fields."**
:   Full Name, Username, and Email are all required. Fill in the missing field and submit again.

**"Please enter a valid email address."**
:   The email doesn't look like a real address (for example, a missing `@` or domain). Correct it and resubmit.

**"That email address is already registered to another user in this tenant."**
:   Each active user in your tenant must have a unique email. Check **Manage Users** — the person may already have an account. If so, use *Resend Link* on their row instead of creating a duplicate.

**"Viewer accounts cannot be assigned to all clients."**
:   Viewers are single-client by design. Pick one client, or choose *No access* to assign a client later.

**"Account created but welcome email could not be sent."**
:   The user account exists — don't create it again. Fix email delivery under **SMTP Settings** (use *Send Test Email* to verify), then go to **Manage Users** and use *Resend Link* on the user's row to send a fresh setup link.

**The email never arrived.**
:   Ask the user to check their spam or junk folder first. If it's not there, verify your tenant's SMTP Settings with a test email, then resend the link from **Manage Users**. Each resend issues a new link with a fresh 24-hour window.

## Related articles

- [Setting your password](../getting-started/set-your-password.md) — the same flow from the new user's side
- [Manage users](manage-users.md) — edit users, resend setup links, and deactivate accounts
- [Configure SMTP settings](smtp-settings.md) — configure and test outbound email