Managing All Contacts System List Visibility

This article describes how to manage visibility for the “All Contacts” system list in the FORTH CRM. It is organized into the following sections:

• Overview
• Prerequisites
• How to Access
• How it Works
• Troubleshooting / FAQ
• Assistance

Overview

FORTH developed controls that allow you to hide the "All Contacts" system list from specific users or teams within your organization. Restricting this list prevents bulk data exposure and unapproved browsing. 

Prerequisites

Admin role permissions within the FORTH CRM.

How to Access

Contacts Tab > New List > System List Visibility

1. Log in to the FORTH CRM and click on the Contacts tab.
2. Click on New List found in the navigation bar.
   
3. Near the top left of the page, click the System List Visibility dropdown menu (see image below).
   
4. The dropdown will display the available users and teams who should NOT see the All Contacts system list.

How it Works

1. Highlight the desired users or teams that you wish to restrict in the System List Visibility dropdown menu (shown in the image above). 
2. For multiple individual selections, hold down the CTRL key while clicking. 
3. Click Save to apply the restrictions.
4. Once you save your changes, the FORTH system updates those users within five (5) minutes. 
5. The FORTH CRM confirms the submission and then records the following in the system logs:
   • action taken, 
   • timestamp, 
   • users and teams impacted, 
   • the list modified,
   • and the admin who made the change.

6. If a restricted user attempts to bypass the UI using a bookmarked URL or a direct API link, the system blocks the attempt and displays an Access Denied message.

   

IMPORTANT: When you restrict the "All Contacts" list for a user, the FORTH CRM simply removes the list from view. Hiding a list view does not revoke a user's permission to view individual contact records.

Best Practices

• To minimize the workload, use the Team selection feature rather than individual user selections whenever possible. When you hire a new employee and add them to a "Front Line" team, they will automatically inherit the visibility restrictions you have set for that team.
• To grant temporary access to the "All Contacts" list-for example, during a specialized data cleanup project- simply remove the user from the restriction list. This takes effect almost immediately.

Troubleshooting/FAQ

Why can a restricted user still see the All Contacts list?

Check the user's role permissions. Admin-level roles and profiles with System List Visibility act as a master key. These permissions override any team or individual exclusions you apply.

Can restricted users still find individual contacts?

Yes. Restricting the system list does not alter data permissions or contact ownership. Users can still find and view their assigned contacts using global search, running reports, or viewing custom lists.

Is there an audit log of who changed the list visibility?

Yes. The platform records all changes in the system logs. Logs track who made the change, when they made it, and which users or teams were added or removed from the restriction list.

Assistance

If you have any questions about this feature, please contact our support team at support@setforth.com.

Article Revision History