Composing Permission Sets

Article
09/30/2022

Permissions define a specific level of access to data and objects in the application, like read, insert, modify, and delete permission on table data. Permission sets combine these permissions in logical groups that can then be assigned to users. Permission sets in AL are created using the permissionset object, and existing permission sets are extended using the permissionset extension object. In the client, administrators can't modify these AL-based permission sets, but they can copy them and modify the copies (see Assign Permissions to Users and Groups).

Design concepts

There are different approaches to creating permission sets.

Fundamental permission sets

One approach is to create a kind of self-contained permission set that includes all the permissions you want to grant to specific data and objects. These permissions are defined explicitly in the Permissions property of the permission set or permission set extension object. This approach creates a structure considered to be flat structure.

Shows a flat-structured permission set.

The disadvantage with this approach by itself is that if you have to change a permission, like C and D in the figure, you have to make the change in every permission set that uses the permission.

Composite permission sets

Another approach is to use the IncludedPermissionSets property and ExludedPermissionSets property to create permission sets that are composed of the other permission sets. Any changes made to the included or excluded permission sets are automatically propagated to the permission sets that use them. In this manner, you create permission sets that have hierarchical structure, as illustrated in the following figure. Looking at the figure, permission set 5 is composed from all permission sets, minus the permissions in permission set 3.

Shows the hierarchy of a permission set that includes several other permission sets.

Composite permission sets are easier to maintain and keep up-to-date compared to fundamental permission sets—especially when building off Microsoft permission sets. This approach enables you to create concise, reusable permission sets that control access to specific features, which act as building blocks for expanding other permission sets.

Bringing approaches together

Ultimately, you'll use a combination of these approaches to meet your permission requirements. Many of the default permission sets from Microsoft follow this approach. The following figure illustrates how different permission sets (in this case, standard Dynamics 365 permission sets) can be used to compose two custom permission sets (EMPLOYEE and HR). The permission sets have been simplified for illustration purposes.

Shows an example of two custom permission sets based on standard D365 permission sets.

Include permission sets

You use the IncludedPermissionSets property to create a permission set that includes permissions from other permission sets. The property is available on permission set and permission set extension objects.

The following code example illustrates a permission set Sales Person that includes permissions that grant access, at various levels, to data in different tables. The Assignable property is set to true, which allows the permission set to be assigned to a user. The Permissions property is set to the list of objects to give permissions to. The RIMD access assigned to data in the Customer table provides full access, whereas, for example, access is limited for data in the Currency table only allowing full read and modify permission.

permissionset 50134 "Sales Person"
{
    Assignable = true;
    Caption = 'Sales Person';

    Permissions = 
        tabledata Customer = RIMD,
        tabledata "Payment Terms" = RMD,
        tabledata Currency = RM,
        tabledata "Sales Header" = RIM,
        tabledata "Sales Line" = RIMD;
}

With the IncludedPermissionSets property, you can specify that the permission set Sales Person is also included in MyPermissionSet.

permissionset 50135 MyPermissionSet 
{ 
    Assignable = true;
    Caption = 'My PermissionSet';
    IncludedPermissionSets = "Sales Person"; 

    Permissions = 
        tabledata Vendor = RIm,
        codeunit SomeCode = x, 
        codeunit AccSchedManagement= X; 
}

The resultant permissions for the MyPermissionSet permission set are then:

tabledata Customer = RIMD,
tabledata "Payment Terms" = RMD,
tabledata Currency = RM,
tabledata "Sales Header" = RIM,
tabledata "Sales Line" = RIMD;
tabledata Vendor = RIm,
codeunit SomeCode = x, 
codeunit AccSchedManagement= X;

Exclude permission sets

With the ExludedPermissionSets property, you can remove permissions that are defined in other permission sets from your permission set. The ExcludePermissionSets property isn't supported on permission set extension objects.

The following code example illustrates how to use the ExcludePermissionSets property.

permissionset 50136 MyPermissionSet2 
{ 
    Assignable = true;
    Caption = 'My PermissionSet 2';
    IncludedPermissionSets = "MyPermissionSet";
    ExcludedPermissionSets = "Sales Person";

    Permissions = 
        tabledata MyTable  =RIMD,
}

The resultant permissions defined by the MyPermissionSet2 permission set are then:

tabledata MyTable  = RIMD,
tabledata Vendor = RIm,
codeunit SomeCode = x, 
codeunit AccSchedManagement= X;

Rules, guidelines, and tips

This section explains points that can help you get the resultant permissions that you want.

Permissions are determined by working up the hierarchy, adding or removing permissions at each level.
Exclude permissions take precedence over included permissions when applied on the same level. If an excluded permission set and included permission set define the same permissions, the excluded permission set permissions will be used, overriding the included permission set permissions.
Direct permissions will override indirect permissions.

The following table shows how the permissions are determined on a single object when included and excluded permission sets are used:

Permission Set A	Permission Set B	Result
Permissions = tabledata Customer = RI IncludedPermissionSets = B	Permissions = tabledata Customer = iMD	tabledata Customer = RIMD
Permissions = tabledata Customer = Ri IncludedPermissionSets = B	Permissions = tabledata Customer = IMD	tabledata Customer = RIMD
Permissions = tabledata Customer = RIMD ExcludedPermissionSets = B	Permissions = tabledata Customer = iMD	tabledata Customer = RI
Permissions = tabledata Customer = RiMD ExcludedPermissionSets = B	Permissions = tabledata Customer = IMD	tabledata Customer = R

Tip

When including and excluding multiple permission sets, it can be difficult to get an overview of what the resultant permissions will be. To help, use the View all permissions action from the the permission set in the client.