Team & User Management
Add your team members, control who can log in to SmartChef, and manage what each person can access. From simple name lists to full user accounts with different permission levels.
Overview
SmartChef has a flexible team management system that lets you work the way that suits your business. There are two levels of team members:
Team Members
Everyone on your team appears in dropdown lists when completing forms. They select their name when signing off tasks—no login required.
Best for: Kitchen staff who complete daily checks but don't need their own login.
Team Members with Their Own Login
Some team members have their own SmartChef account. They log in with email and password and have access based on their role.
Best for: Managers, supervisors, and anyone who needs to access reports or settings.
How It Works
- Add team members — Add their name, role, and optionally their email
- Choose who gets a login — During setup, say "Yes" to give them an account immediately
- Account created instantly — They receive a welcome email with their temporary password
You can give someone a login during initial setup, or add employees first and give them a login later from the Employees page.
Adding Employees
Employees are the people who work in your kitchen. Adding them to SmartChef means they'll appear in dropdown menus when completing forms—for example, when signing off temperature checks or cleaning tasks.
Why Add Employees?
- Audit trail: Track who completed each task
- Accountability: Records show the name of the person responsible
- Compliance: HACCP records require named sign-offs
Adding an Employee
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Go to Setup Hub or Employees
Navigate to Setup Hub → Team, or go directly to the Employees page from the menu.
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Click "Add Employee"
Enter the employee's name. This is the only required field.
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Select a Role
Choose Staff, Manager, or Admin. This determines their permissions when they're given a login.
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Add Details (Optional)
You can add their job title/position and email address. The email is required to give them a login.
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Save
The employee now appears in form dropdowns throughout the app.
Keep It Simple
For most kitchen staff, you just need to add their name. They don't need email addresses or a login—they just select their name from the dropdown when completing tasks. You can always add more details or give them a login later.
How Employees Use the App
Employees without their own login don't sign in to SmartChef. Instead:
- A manager or admin opens SmartChef on a shared device (tablet, phone, or computer)
- Staff complete their daily checks (temperature, cleaning, etc.)
- When signing off, they select their name from the dropdown
- They provide a signature on the screen
This is quick and practical for busy kitchens where staff don't need individual accounts.
Giving Team Members a Login
When someone needs their own SmartChef login—to access reports, manage settings, or work from their own device—you can give them a login.
Who Might Want a Login?
Logins are always optional. You decide who needs one based on how your team works. Here are some examples of when a login is useful:
- Managers who want to review records or run reports on their own device
- Supervisors who prefer to access SmartChef from their own phone
- Head chefs who manage their section independently
- Owners who want access to billing and account settings
Many businesses run SmartChef on a shared tablet in the kitchen—staff just select their name from a dropdown when completing tasks. No logins needed.
Two Ways to Give a Login
Option 1: During Setup Hub Recommended
The Setup Hub guides you through adding team members step by step. When adding a new team member in Setup Hub → Team:
- Enter their name and select their role
- When asked "Should they have their own SmartChef login?", choose Yes, give them a login
- Enter their email address
- Save — the login is created immediately and you'll see their temporary password
Why we recommend this: It's the easiest way to add team members and give them a login in one step.
Option 2: From Employees Page
For existing employees who don't have a login yet, or if you prefer to add employees first and give them a login later:
- Go to Employees from the menu
- Find the employee (they must have an email address on their record)
- Click the Give Login button
- Select their role and confirm
- The login is created and you'll see their temporary password
In both cases, SmartChef sends a welcome email with the temporary password. You'll also see the password on screen so you can share it directly if needed. The employee must change their password on first login.
Email Required
To give someone a login, the employee must have an email address on their record. This becomes their username.
What Happens After Getting a Login
- The employee can log in with their email and password
- They can also use "Sign in with Google" if their email is a Google account
- Their access level is determined by their role
- They still appear in form dropdowns like before
Removing a Login
If someone leaves or no longer needs a login:
- Go to Employees and find their record
- Click "Remove Login"
- Confirm the action
Their login is disabled, but their employee record and historical data remain intact. They'll still appear in past records for audit purposes.
Admin Protection
You cannot revoke access from Admin users. This prevents accidentally locking everyone out of the account.
User Roles
When you give someone a login, you assign them a role. The role determines what they can see and do in SmartChef.
The Three Roles
Admin
Full access to everything. Admins can manage users, access billing, change settings, and see all data.
- Manage all employees and their access
- Access billing and subscription settings
- Configure all business settings
- View and manage all records
- Run all reports
Best for: Business owners, operations managers
Manager
Full operational access. Managers can do almost everything except access billing.
- Add and manage employees
- Give logins to others (except Admin role)
- View and manage all records
- Run reports
- Configure settings (except billing)
- Manage master data (suppliers, equipment, etc.)
Best for: Kitchen managers, head chefs, supervisors
Staff
Data entry only. Staff can complete daily forms but can't access settings or reports.
- Complete daily forms (temperatures, cleaning, deliveries, etc.)
- View their own profile
- Change their password
Best for: Kitchen staff who need their own login to complete checks on their own device
Need Read-Only Access?
For auditors, EHOs, and consultants who need to view records but not change anything, use the External Users feature.
Choosing the Right Role
| Scenario | Recommended Role |
|---|---|
| Business owner who handles billing | Admin |
| Kitchen manager who oversees the team | Manager |
| Supervisor who runs reports | Manager |
| Chef who completes checks on their own phone | Staff |
| Head office, auditors, or consultants | External User |
Permissions by Role
Here's a detailed breakdown of what each role can access:
| Feature | Admin | Manager | Staff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dashboard | Full | Full | Records only |
| Complete Forms | |||
| View Records | |||
| Run Reports | |||
| Manage Employees | |||
| Grant/Revoke Access | Not Admins | ||
| Master Data | |||
| Settings | Not billing | ||
| Billing & Subscription |
External Users
Sometimes you need to give access to people outside your organisation—auditors, consultants, EHOs, or head office staff. External users get read-only access to view your records without being able to change anything.
Adding an External User
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Go to Settings → External Access
Or find the External Users section in your settings.
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Add External User
Enter their email address.
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Send Invitation
They receive an email invitation to access your SmartChef account.
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They Set Up Their Account
The external user creates a password and can then log in to view your records.
Read-Only Access
External users have read-only access. They can see records, reports, and data, but cannot create, edit, or delete anything. They also cannot access settings or billing.
Use Cases for External Users
- EHO Inspections: Give your Environmental Health Officer temporary access to review records
- Auditors: Let auditors check your HACCP compliance remotely
- Consultants: Give food safety consultants access to review your processes
- Head Office: Let head office or regional managers monitor multiple sites
Removing External Access
When an external user no longer needs access:
- Go to Settings → External Access
- Find the user and click "Remove"
- Their access is immediately revoked
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Most kitchen staff just need to be added as employees (names only). They select their name from a dropdown when completing forms—no login required. Only give a login to people who need to access reports, settings, or work from their own device.
Yes. Go to Employees, find their record, and you can change their role. The new permissions take effect immediately.
Records are preserved. If you remove their login or set them as inactive, all historical records still show their name. This maintains your audit trail. You can set them as inactive so they no longer appear in dropdown menus for new records.
No. Staff users have limited access—they can only complete forms and view their own profile. They cannot access the records list, reports, or other staff members' data. Only Managers and Admins can see all records.
Yes. You can have as many Admins as you need. Having at least two is a good idea so you don't get locked out if one person leaves or forgets their password.
This is a safety feature to prevent accidentally locking everyone out. To remove an Admin's access, you need to first change their role to Manager or Staff, then revoke access. At least one Admin must always have access to the account.
Yes, if their email address is a Google account (Gmail or Google Workspace). After the initial setup, they can use "Sign in with Google" instead of entering their password each time.
Go to Employees. Team members with a login show a role badge (Admin, Manager, Staff) and their status (Active or Pending). Employees without a login show "No login" or a "Give Login" button if they have an email address on file.