The Trade Desk Update Access & Roles | OpsBlu Docs

The Trade Desk Update Access & Roles

How to change Trade Desk roles and advertiser scopes while keeping governance intact.

Update Access & Roles

Use this guide to modify The Trade Desk permissions when user responsibilities change. Properly updating access maintains security, ensures compliance, and prevents disruption to programmatic campaigns or billing.

Understanding The Trade Desk Access Model

Seat-Based Access Structure

  • Seat-level access: User can access all advertisers within the seat
    • Changes affect access to all current and future advertisers
    • Best for internal teams managing multiple advertisers
    • Higher security risk - limit to essential personnel
  • Advertiser-specific access: User limited to specific advertisers you select
    • Changes only affect selected advertisers
    • Must edit advertiser list individually to expand or reduce scope
    • Better for agencies, contractors, or role-specific access
    • Recommended for most users per principle of least privilege

Available Roles

Seat Admin (Administrator):

  • Full access to user management, billing, API tokens, and seat configuration
  • Can create and manage other users
  • Required for pixel ownership, audience management, and API credential generation
  • Highest privilege level - reserve for essential personnel only
  • Manages data integrations and third-party connections

Trader/Full Access:

  • Can create and manage campaigns, ad groups, creatives, and targeting
  • Can view reporting and performance data
  • Most common role for campaign managers and programmatic traders
  • Cannot access user management, billing, or API credentials
  • Ideal for day-to-day campaign operations

Analyst/View Only:

  • Can view campaigns, reports, and performance data
  • Cannot edit campaigns or configurations
  • Perfect for analysts, stakeholders, and oversight roles
  • Can generate reports and export data
  • No risk of accidental campaign changes

Finance/Billing:

  • Can view and manage billing information, invoices, and payment methods
  • Limited or no campaign visibility depending on configuration
  • Some seats may not have this role enabled
  • Best for accounts payable and finance teams

When to Adjust Roles

Update user access when:

  • Role transitions: Trader moves to reporting-only role after campaign handoff
  • Responsibility expansion: Campaign manager needs additional advertiser access
  • Responsibility reduction: User no longer manages certain advertisers
  • Finance requests: Billing visibility needed for invoice or payment management
  • Temporary elevation: Analyst needs temporary Trader access for specific project
  • Compliance requirements: Quarterly access reviews require role adjustments
  • Agency relationship changes: Agency contract scope expands or narrows
  • Security incidents: Downgrade to read-only pending investigation
  • Seasonal needs: Temporary Trader access for holiday campaign, then revert to Analyst
  • Training periods: New hire starts Analyst, promotes to Trader after training

Pre-Update Assessment

Before changing user access:

Document current state

  1. Screenshot current access for audit trail
  2. Document current role and advertiser assignments
  3. Note billing visibility status
  4. Identify owned assets: Pixels, audiences, campaigns, API tokens
  5. Record in ticket or access log

Determine new access level

  1. New role needed: Seat Admin, Trader/Full Access, Analyst/View Only, or Finance/Billing
  2. Access scope: Seat-wide or specific advertisers
  3. Billing visibility: Should billing access be enabled or disabled
  4. Advertiser changes: Add or remove specific advertisers
  5. Duration: Permanent change or temporary elevation

Obtain approval

Get written approval from:

  • User's manager or seat owner
  • Finance or compliance if adding billing visibility
  • Security if elevating to Seat Admin role
  • Legal if contractual or vendor-related change

Document approval in ticketing system or access log.

Plan pixel and audience ownership transfer

If downgrading from Seat Admin to lower role:

  • Identify pixels and audiences user owns
  • Select new Seat Admin owner for pixel and audience configs
  • Plan transfer before role change to prevent orphaned assets
  • Notify new owner of responsibilities

Update Workflow

Step 1: Access user management

  1. Sign in to The Trade Desk platform
  2. Navigate to correct Seat
  3. Go to Admin menu → Users or User Management
  4. Verify you have Seat Admin access

Step 2: Locate user

  1. Find user in active users list
  2. Review current role, advertiser assignments, and billing status
  3. Screenshot current state for documentation

Step 3: Edit user access

  1. Click Edit or similar option next to user name
  2. User editing form appears

Step 4: Update role

  1. Select new role from dropdown:
    • Seat Admin (requires business justification and approval)
    • Trader/Full Access (most common for campaign managers)
    • Analyst/View Only (for reporting and oversight)
    • Finance/Billing (for invoice access, if available)
  2. Review role description to confirm appropriate selection

Step 5: Update advertiser scope

For seat-wide access:

  • Confirm user needs access to all advertisers in seat
  • Verify this is approved - seat-wide access is privileged
  • Document justification for seat-wide access

For advertiser-specific access:

  • Click Select Advertisers or similar option
  • Add advertisers: Check boxes for new advertisers to grant access
  • Remove advertisers: Uncheck boxes for advertisers to revoke access
  • Avoid "All advertisers" checkbox unless explicitly approved
  • Document advertiser changes in access log

Changing between seat-wide and advertiser-specific:

  • Changing access scope is a significant permission change
  • Requires additional approval and justification
  • Document reason for change thoroughly

Step 6: Update billing visibility

  1. Review Billing or Finance toggle/checkbox
  2. Enable if user needs invoice or payment access (requires finance approval)
  3. Disable if user should not see billing information
  4. Document billing changes in access log

Step 7: Transfer pixel and audience ownership (if applicable)

If downgrading from Seat Admin to lower role:

  1. Before saving role change, navigate to Admin → Pixels or Data Management in new tab
  2. Identify pixels and audiences owned by this user
  3. Transfer ownership to another active Seat Admin
  4. Verify transfer successful
  5. Return to user edit form
  6. Document ownership transfer

Step 8: Handle API token implications

If downgrading from Seat Admin or changing advertiser scope significantly:

  1. Note existing API tokens (User Access Tokens) for this user
  2. Consider if API tokens need rotation due to scope change
  3. Coordinate with teams using API integrations before scope changes
  4. Document if tokens will need reissue after role/scope change
  5. Plan to test integrations after access update

Step 9: Save changes

  1. Review all changes for accuracy
  2. Click Save or Update
  3. Changes take effect immediately
  4. User may need to log out and back in to see updated access

Step 10: Verify changes

  1. Refresh User Management page
  2. Confirm updated role and advertiser list display correctly
  3. Screenshot updated state for audit trail
  4. Verify billing visibility matches intended state
  5. Check API token status if applicable

Post-Update Tasks

Notify user

  • Inform user of access change
  • Explain new role and capabilities
  • List advertiser changes if applicable
  • Provide effective date (changes are immediate)
  • Share updated onboarding docs if role significantly changed

Update documentation

Update the following:

  • Access log or ticketing system:
    • User email and name
    • Date of change
    • Old role and new role
    • Old advertisers and new advertisers (if changed)
    • Billing visibility changes
    • Reason for change
    • Approver name
    • Screenshots before and after
    • API token implications
  • Internal roster or RACI matrix
  • Pixel and audience documentation if ownership transferred
  • API documentation if Seat Admin role changed

Test new access

Have user test new permissions:

  • Seat Admin: Verify can access User Management, pixels/audiences, billing (if enabled), API settings
  • Trader/Full Access: Verify can create/edit campaigns and ad groups
  • Analyst/View Only: Verify can view reports but cannot edit campaigns
  • Finance/Billing: Verify can access invoices and payment methods
  • Advertiser changes: Verify can see new advertisers and cannot see removed ones

Handle API token reissue (if needed)

If role or advertiser scope changed significantly:

  1. Determine if existing API tokens still work with new scope
  2. If tokens need rotation, generate new User Access Token
  3. Provide new token securely to user or integration teams
  4. Deactivate old token after new token is tested
  5. Document token rotation

Schedule review

  • Set follow-up reminder in 30 days to confirm access still appropriate
  • If temporary elevation, set reversion reminder for end date
  • Add to quarterly access review schedule

Troubleshooting

Changes saved but user still has old access:

  • Have user log out completely and log back in
  • Clear browser cache and cookies
  • Verify changes were saved successfully (check user list)
  • Contact The Trade Desk support if persists after 24 hours

Cannot change role because user owns pixels or audiences:

  • Transfer pixel and audience ownership first
  • Changes will save after ownership transferred
  • Contact The Trade Desk support if blocked after transfer

Added advertisers but user cannot see them:

  • Verify advertisers are active (not archived)
  • Have user refresh browser or clear cache
  • Confirm advertiser-specific access is selected (not seat-wide)
  • Check if advertisers were moved to different seat

Billing visibility enabled but user cannot see invoices:

  • Verify Billing toggle is enabled
  • Confirm seat has billing configured
  • Check if user has appropriate billing role (Seat Admin, Finance/Billing)
  • Contact The Trade Desk support if billing access still not working

Downgraded user can still access sensitive features:

  • Verify role change saved successfully
  • Check for duplicate accounts or other access paths
  • Have user log out and back in
  • Review advertiser-level permissions
  • Contact The Trade Desk support if permissions not updating

API tokens stopped working after role/scope change:

  • User Access Tokens are tied to user's role and advertiser scope
  • Tokens may need to be regenerated if scope changed significantly
  • Generate new token with updated permissions
  • Test new token before deactivating old token
  • Update integrations with new token

Need to temporarily elevate access:

  • Document start date and planned reversion date
  • Set calendar reminder to revert access
  • Approve both elevation and reversion in advance
  • Monitor usage during elevated period

Best Practices

  • Document every change with reason, approver, and before/after screenshots
  • Obtain approval before making role changes, especially elevations to Seat Admin
  • Use principle of least privilege: Grant minimum access needed for user's responsibilities
  • Prefer advertiser-specific access over seat-wide for better security
  • Transfer pixel and audience ownership before downgrading Seat Admins
  • Test access changes immediately after updating
  • Notify users of changes and explain new capabilities or limitations
  • Screenshot before and after for audit trail
  • Enable billing visibility only when explicitly needed and approved
  • Set review reminders for temporary access changes
  • Maintain access matrix documenting all users, roles, and changes over time
  • Schedule quarterly reviews to audit all user access levels
  • Limit Seat Admin role to essential personnel only
  • Handle API tokens carefully when changing roles or scopes
  • Use Analyst/View Only role for stakeholders who need visibility without edit rights
  • Avoid "All advertisers" selection unless explicitly required and approved
  • Keep at least 2 Seat Admins to prevent seat lockouts
  • Document business justification for every access change
  • Coordinate with integration teams before changing roles that affect API tokens

Common Use Cases

Agency transition from active management to reporting:

  1. Confirm handoff date with agency and internal team
  2. Transfer campaigns to internal team
  3. Change agency user role from Trader/Full Access to Analyst/View Only
  4. Reduce advertiser list to only those requiring ongoing reporting
  5. Disable billing visibility if enabled
  6. Notify agency of change and new access level
  7. Document transition in access log

Seasonal elevation for campaign launch:

  1. Analyst needs Trader access for Q4 holiday campaign
  2. Document temporary elevation with start and end dates
  3. Change role from Analyst/View Only to Trader/Full Access for specific advertiser
  4. Set calendar reminder to revert on January 15
  5. Notify user of temporary elevation and reversion date
  6. Monitor usage during elevated period
  7. Revert to Analyst after campaign concludes

Finance team needs invoice access:

  1. Finance requests billing visibility for budget reconciliation
  2. Obtain approval from seat owner and finance manager
  3. Edit user to enable Billing visibility or change to Finance/Billing role
  4. Keep role as Analyst or change to Finance/Billing role
  5. Verify user can access invoices and payment methods
  6. Document billing access grant with approver
  7. Schedule annual review of billing access

Expanding agency scope to new advertisers:

  1. Agency contract expands to include 3 additional advertisers
  2. Obtain approval from seat owner and legal
  3. Edit agency user to add new advertisers to advertiser list
  4. Verify role remains Trader/Full Access (no elevation needed)
  5. Notify agency of new advertiser access
  6. Update contract documentation
  7. Add to quarterly access review schedule

Downgrading after security incident:

  1. Security team requests immediate downgrade pending investigation
  2. Change user role from Seat Admin to Analyst/View Only
  3. Transfer pixel and audience ownership to another Seat Admin
  4. Disable billing visibility
  5. Rotate API tokens if user had any
  6. Document incident and downgrade in security log
  7. Coordinate with security team for next steps

Promoting trained user from Analyst to Trader:

  1. Training period complete, user ready for campaign management
  2. Obtain approval from manager
  3. Change role from Analyst/View Only to Trader/Full Access
  4. Grant access to specific advertisers for their portfolio
  5. Notify user of promotion and new capabilities
  6. Provide campaign guidelines and best practices
  7. Schedule 30-day follow-up to assess performance
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