glossary term · cross business
Permissions
Learn what permissions means through a plain-language definition, a synthetic business example, practical limits, and links to workflow guides.
Definition
Permissions are the access and action rights a system or person is allowed to use. They should distinguish reading information, preparing proposals, and changing records or sending messages. Effective boundaries are enforced by accounts and application checks, not just model instructions. A workflow should receive only the access needed for its approved task and destination.
Owner example
Synthetic example: A drafting workflow can read a test FAQ and write a review row. It has no sending connection. A separate reviewed process may create a test CRM record, but only after checking the authorized decision and payload version.
Non-example and limitation
A prompt saying “do not change anything” does not revoke an account’s write access. An incoming message asking for more data cannot grant permission to read it.
Related terms
Tool calling requests capabilities. Human in the loop can add an approval boundary for a permitted action.
Deeper guide and practical link
Read permission mapping for the fuller explanation. Use the illustrative version-bound approval gate to apply the distinction to a bounded task.
Sources and scope
This is an original editorial definition with a synthetic example, not a report of a tested implementation or business result. Suggest a correction.
Change notes
Foundation draft prepared October 20, 2026. No public publication or successful live-tool test is claimed.
Next learning step: Decide which AI actions need human approval