Access conflicts in preeco | datenschutz: causes and solutions

When opening a document in preeco | datenschutz, the red notice "Editing not possible due to access conflicts" may appear at the top of the page. While this notice is shown, the Edit, Delete, Archive and Release actions are hidden. Reading the document remains possible at all times – only writing is blocked.

What is an access conflict?

An access conflict is not a lock caused by simultaneous editing but a protective mechanism: preeco | datenschutz prevents a document from being changed when the editing person cannot fully see its scope. If a document uses text modules, technical and organisational measures or assigned users you have no read permission for, a change would also affect those – for you invisible – elements. That is exactly what the access conflict prevents. The notice can appear on all document types, for example processing activities, TOMs, deletion policies, data processing agreements, regulations, audits or tasks.

The three main causes

1. The document's affiliation does not match the selected organisation.
You have selected a specific organisation in the top right, but the document is assigned to a different organisational unit – for example because the document was moved, your organisation selection changed, or your affiliations were modified.

2. A linked record is not readable for you.
Messages follow the pattern: "This document uses at least one text module you have no read permission for." This affects tags, text modules, technical and organisational measures, follow-ups, audit catalogues, training templates, data processing systems, linked documents, processing activities and assigned users, among others. Three possible reasons lie behind it:

• Your role lacks the read permission for the area the linked element belongs to.
• The linked element belongs to an organisation you are not a member of.
• The linked element has a higher confidentiality level than your role allows.

3. A linked record is filtered out by your organisation selection.
You are generally allowed to see the element, but your currently selected organisation hides it – typical when a document links elements from several organisational units.

Everyday triggers are usually subsequent changes: a role was adjusted, a linked object was moved to another organisational unit, a tag or text module was restricted to an organisational unit, or the confidentiality classification of an element was raised.

How to resolve the conflict yourself

• Switch to the organization: If the document's affiliation does not match your selection, the notice offers a button to switch directly to the matching organisation.
• Switch to all my organizations: If linked elements are filtered out by your organisation selection, use this button to switch to the "All my organizations" mode. Note the warning: in this mode you see the data of all organisations you have access to – handle cross-organisation links and assignments with care.
• Check again: If the conflict has been resolved in the meantime (for example by an administrator), this button refreshes the check. On success, the message "The access conflict was successfully resolved." appears.

Request conflict resolution (administrator required)

If you lack read permissions on linked elements, you cannot resolve the conflict yourself. In this case click Request conflict resolution in the notice and select an administrator. They automatically receive a task titled "Access conflict: [document name]" listing and linking every affected element by name. This function is available to every user – regardless of their own permissions.

Administrators then resolve the conflict depending on the cause:

• Align affiliations: Adjust the organisation assignment of the document or the linked elements in the Affiliation section while editing – or for many records at once via the bulk action for changing affiliations.
• Extend user affiliations: Under Settings > User, open the affected person's detail page and add the required organisations or activate "All organizations".
• Check role permissions: Grant the affected person's role the missing read permission for the respective area.
• Check the confidentiality level: Raise the role's clearance level or adjust the classification of the linked element.

Afterwards a single click on Check again in the document is enough.

Practical examples

Example 1 – processing activity with a foreign text module: A processing activity of the "Sales" organisation uses a text module assigned to the "Head office" organisation. A user who only belongs to "Sales" can read the processing activity but not edit it. Solution: an administrator aligns the text module's affiliation or extends the user's affiliation.

Example 2 – task assigned, but no access: A task is assigned to a user whose affiliation does not include the organisation of the related document. The user cannot see or edit the task. Solution: add the affiliation under Settings > User or reassign the task to a suitable person.

Example 3 – confidentiality level too low: A deletion policy references a document with a high confidentiality classification. The editor's role only clears a lower level – the deletion policy cannot be edited. Solution: have an administrator adjust the role's clearance level or the document's classification.

Example 4 – organisation filter hides links: A data processing agreement links data processing systems from two business units. A user has access to both units but is currently working with one unit selected. Solution: switch to the "All my organizations" mode via the button in the notice – the conflict disappears immediately.

Keywords: access conflict, affiliation conflict, permission conflict, editing not possible, affiliation, organisations, read permission, confidentiality level, request conflict resolution, all my organizations, preeco | datenschutz

Summary: The notice "Editing not possible due to access conflicts" protects documents from being changed by users who cannot fully see all linked elements. Causes are a mismatched document affiliation, missing read permissions on linked elements (role, organisation membership or confidentiality level), or an organisation selection that filters linked records out. Resolve the conflict by switching the organisation or to "All my organizations", by using "Request conflict resolution" to notify an administrator – who receives a task listing every affected element – and finally via "Check again".