Add User Access

Use this workflow to share StatCounter projects with team members, contractors, or clients by granting them access to specific analytics properties.

Prerequisites

Before sharing a project, verify:

• You are the project owner (only project owners can share access)
• You have the recipient's email address associated with their StatCounter account
• The recipient has a StatCounter account (free or paid) - they cannot receive shared projects without one
• You've determined the appropriate permission level: Full Access (can modify) or View Only (read-only)
• You know which specific project(s) need to be shared
• You've documented the business reason for sharing (client access, contractor engagement, etc.)

Step-by-Step: Share a Project

1. Identify the Project to Share

1. Log into your StatCounter account
2. From your Projects list, identify which specific project needs to be shared
3. Click on the project name to open its dashboard
4. Verify this is the correct project before proceeding with sharing

2. Access Project Sharing Settings

1. While viewing the project, look for Project Settings, Configuration, or a gear icon
2. Navigate to the Sharing or Share Access section
3. This is where you'll manage who can access this specific project

3. Add a New Share

1. Look for Add User, Share Project, or Invite button
2. Enter the recipient's email address - this must match their StatCounter account email exactly
3. Double-check the email for typos - sharing with the wrong address could expose client data

4. Select Permission Level

Choose the appropriate access level based on what the user needs to do:

Full Access:

• User can view all reports and statistics
• User can modify project settings and configuration
• User can change tracking codes and filters
• Use for: Contractors configuring tracking, team members managing analytics
• Caution: Full Access users can modify or delete project settings - grant carefully

View Only:

• User can view all reports and statistics
• User cannot modify any settings or configuration
• User cannot change tracking or filters
• Use for: Clients viewing their data, stakeholders who only need reporting, auditors
• Recommended: This is the safer default - upgrade to Full Access only when truly needed

5. Add Optional Context

If StatCounter provides a notes or memo field:

1. Add the project name, engagement ticket, or contract reference
2. Note the expected access duration for temporary shares
3. Include business justification (e.g., "Client dashboard access Q1 2025" or "Contractor - tracking implementation")

6. Send the Share Invitation

1. Review all settings: correct email, correct permission level, correct project
2. Click Share, Add, or Save to activate the share
3. StatCounter typically notifies the recipient via email
4. The shared project appears in the recipient's StatCounter account immediately

7. Verify Access Granted

1. Confirm the user appears in the project's sharing list with correct permissions
2. Ask the recipient to log into their StatCounter account and verify they see the shared project
3. Have them confirm they can access reports (and settings if Full Access was granted)
4. Document the share in your access tracking system

After Sharing: Next Steps

Communicate with recipient:

• Inform them that project access has been granted
• Explain what they can and cannot do based on permission level
• Share any usage guidelines or reporting expectations
• Provide support contact if they have questions accessing the project

Document the share:

• Record: date shared, recipient email, project name, permission level, business justification
• Add entry to your access control spreadsheet or IAM documentation
• For temporary access, set calendar reminder for removal based on contract/project end date
• Store confirmation screenshot showing the share configuration

Monitor initial usage:

• For Full Access shares, watch for any unexpected configuration changes
• Verify the recipient is accessing the correct project data
• Ensure they're not experiencing access issues

Common Sharing Scenarios

Sharing Client Analytics with the Client

Situation: Client wants to view their own website analytics.

Approach:

1. Identify the client's specific project in your StatCounter account
2. Confirm the client contact's email address
3. Share with View Only permission - clients should not modify their own tracking
4. Add note: "Client access - [Client Name]"
5. Verify client can log in and see their data
6. Provide brief tutorial on reading their dashboard

Granting Contractor Configuration Access

Situation: You've hired a contractor to set up or maintain tracking for specific clients.

Approach:

1. Share only the relevant client project(s) - not all projects
2. Grant Full Access so contractor can configure tracking and filters
3. Document which projects were shared and contract end date
4. Set calendar reminder to remove access when contract concludes
5. Monitor configuration changes made by contractor
6. Consider downgrading to View Only after configuration is complete

Internal Team Member Needs Reporting Access

Situation: Marketing team member needs to view analytics for reporting.

Approach:

1. Share relevant projects with View Only permission
2. If team member is permanent, no end date needed
3. If team member may eventually need configuration access, consider Full Access with documented justification
4. Update team documentation showing which projects each member can access

Multiple Users for One Project

Situation: Several people need access to the same project (e.g., client project visible to account manager, analyst, and client).

Approach:

1. Share the same project multiple times, once per user
2. Assign appropriate permission levels based on each user's role:
   • Client: View Only
   • Account manager: View Only
   • Technical analyst: Full Access
3. Document each share separately in your access log
4. Review quarterly to ensure all shares are still needed

Temporary Access for Audit or Review

Situation: External auditor or consultant needs brief access to review analytics.

Approach:

1. Share relevant project(s) with View Only permission
2. Document the audit period and expected end date
3. Set specific calendar reminder to remove access after audit completes
4. Remove access immediately when audit concludes, don't leave indefinitely
5. Export audit trail showing when access was granted and revoked

Troubleshooting Sharing Issues

Recipient Says They Didn't Receive Access

Symptoms: You shared the project but recipient reports they don't see it in their account.

Solutions:

1. Verify you used the correct email address - it must match their StatCounter account email exactly
2. Ask recipient to check spam/junk folder for StatCounter notification email
3. Confirm recipient actually has a StatCounter account with that email address
4. Have recipient log out and log back in to refresh their project list
5. Verify the share appears in your project's sharing settings
6. Try removing and re-adding the share

Wrong Project Shared

Symptoms: You shared the wrong project with a user (e.g., shared Client A's data with Client B).

Solutions:

1. Immediately remove the share from the incorrect project (see Remove Access procedure)
2. Verify the user did not access the wrong project data
3. Share the correct project
4. Document the incident in your access log
5. Verify email addresses before future shares to prevent recurrence
6. Consider implementing a peer review process for sensitive client data shares

Cannot Share Project

Symptoms: Share button is disabled or sharing options are not available.

Solutions:

1. Verify you are logged in as the project owner - only owners can share
2. Check if your StatCounter plan supports project sharing (most do, but verify)
3. Ensure you're accessing sharing settings from the correct project
4. Try a different browser or clear cache
5. Contact StatCounter support if problem persists

User Has Wrong Permission Level

Symptoms: You granted Full Access but user should only have View Only, or vice versa.

Solutions:

1. Don't remove and re-add - use the Update Access procedure instead
2. Navigate to project sharing settings
3. Find the user in the sharing list and edit their permission level
4. Change from Full Access to View Only or vice versa
5. Save changes - update takes effect immediately
6. Verify with user that permissions changed as expected

Email Address Typo Shares Data with Wrong Person

Symptoms: You discover you shared a project with an incorrect email address due to a typo.

Solutions:

1. Immediately remove the incorrect share
2. Verify whether the wrong email address exists and whether that user accessed the data
3. If data was accessed by unauthorized party, escalate as a security incident
4. Share with the correct email address
5. Document the incident
6. Implement email verification process (e.g., confirm via separate channel before sharing)

Security Best Practices

When sharing StatCounter projects:

• Verify email addresses: Confirm recipient email through trusted channel (phone, existing email thread) before sharing
• Principle of least privilege: Default to View Only; grant Full Access only when configuration capability is required
• Per-project granularity: Share only specific projects the user needs; don't share all projects for convenience
• Document everything: Maintain detailed log of all shares with dates, emails, permission levels, and justifications
• Time-bounded access: For contractors and temporary users, set removal reminders based on engagement end dates
• Regular audits: Monthly review of all project shares to identify and remove stale access
• Client data protection: When sharing client projects, verify you're sharing the correct client's data with the correct recipient
• Monitor Full Access users: Watch for unexpected configuration changes from users with Full Access permissions

Compliance Documentation

For each project share, document and retain:

• Share date and time: When access was granted
• Project name: Which specific project was shared
• Recipient email: Email address the project was shared with
• Permission level: Full Access or View Only
• Business justification: Why access was needed (client access, contractor support, etc.)
• Requestor: Who requested the access
• Expected duration: For temporary shares, document expected removal date
• Verification: Confirmation that recipient received and can access the project

Store sharing records according to your compliance requirements, typically 7 years for regulated industries. Screenshots of sharing configuration provide strong audit evidence.