Enhanced RAM Workflow Permissions and PBS Controls

Feature Request: Enhanced RAM Workflow Permissions and PBS Controls

Summary:
Introduce new configuration options in the workflow and RAM views to manage read-only access, direct child PBS creation, and user assignment more effectively. These enhancements include a read-only workflow step setting, an “Allow Direct Children” toggle, a “View Child PBSs” toggle, and the ability to assign users to workflow steps when creating PBSs and even when estimates are disabled.

Problem Statement:
Current controls around workflow permissions and PBS structure are limited and can lead to over-permissioning or inconsistent access. Users may inadvertently gain edit rights where only read-only access is appropriate, and any user can create direct child PBSs unless closely monitored. Additionally, when “Allow Estimates” is turned off for a PBS, it restricts workflow step assignments in RAM, making it difficult to define responsibilities without granting edit rights. Finally, assigning users to workflow steps only after PBS creation is inefficient and can delay accurate ownership and visibility.

Proposed Solution:

• Add an inline dropdown (Yes/No) on the workflow step creation screen to mark a step as “Read-only”.

  • Users assigned to a read-only step have read-only access to the BOE for that PBS.

  • If a user is assigned to any read-only workflow step for a PBS, they see that PBS as read-only in BOE view, even if they hold other non–read-only step assignments on the same PBS.

  • When assigning multiple workflow steps to the same user on the same PBS where at least one step is read-only, display a confirmation popup that must be acknowledged:

    • “You have assigned one or more read-only workflow steps. Users will have read-only access to this BOE if they are assigned multiple steps.”

• Add an “Allow Direct Children” toggle for each PBS on the RAM view, similar to the existing “Allow Estimates” control.

  • Default state: ON (direct children allowed).

  • When toggled OFF, users (except RAM admins for the proposal) are prevented from creating direct child PBSs under that PBS.

  • RAM admins retain the ability to create direct child PBSs regardless of the toggle state.

• Allow assignment of people to workflow steps on the RAM even when “Allow Estimates” is OFF for the PBS.

  • This enables defining workflow responsibilities (e.g., review/approval roles) without granting estimation/edit rights.

• Add a “View Child PBSs” toggle in the workflow settings.

  • When ON, anyone assigned to a workflow step at a parent PBS level can see all child PBSs under that parent in BOE view as read-only.

  • When OFF, parent-level assignments affect only the parent PBS and do not extend read-only visibility to children.

• At the time of PBS creation, allow the creator to select and assign the user for each workflow step.

  • Provide a user-selection interface as part of the PBS creation flow so that workflow ownership is established immediately, rather than requiring a separate configuration step.

Benefits:

• Enforces clear separation between read-only and edit permissions, reducing the risk of unintended BOE changes.

• Protects PBS structure by limiting direct child PBS creation to RAM admins when desired.

• Enables flexible responsibility assignment even when estimates are disabled, improving governance without over-permissioning.

• Improves visibility by allowing parent-level assignees to see child PBSs in read-only mode when configured.

• Streamlines setup by enabling user assignment to workflow steps at PBS creation time, reducing administrative overhead and delays.

• Enhances overall data integrity, access control, and usability for teams managing complex workflows and PBS hierarchies.