Add User Access to Pendo | OpsBlu Docs

Add User Access to Pendo

Add new users and grant access in Pendo — role assignment, permission levels, and onboarding steps.

Adding Users to Pendo

Adding team members to Pendo enables cross-functional collaboration on product analytics, in-app guides, and user feedback. This guide walks you through inviting users to your Pendo subscription while managing roles, app access, and seat allocation.

Prerequisites

Before adding team members to Pendo:

  • You must have Admin role privileges in your Pendo subscription
  • Know the email addresses of users you want to invite
  • Verify you have available user seats in your subscription plan
  • Understand which role (Admin, User, or Read Only) each person needs
  • Determine which apps they should access (if managing multiple applications)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Navigate to User Management

  1. Log in to your Pendo subscription at app.pendo.io
  2. Click on Settings in the left navigation menu (gear icon at bottom)
  3. In the Settings menu, select "Users" or "User Management"
  4. You'll see the User Management page displaying all current users

The User Management interface shows:

  • List of current users with their names and email addresses
  • Role assignments for each user
  • App access permissions
  • Last login dates
  • Number of available vs. used seats
  • "Add User" or "Invite User" button

Step 2: Check Available Seats

Before adding users:

  1. Look for the seat counter at the top of the User Management page
  2. It displays "X of Y seats used" or similar
  3. Ensure you have available seats before inviting
  4. If at capacity, you'll need to remove users or purchase additional seats

Step 3: Initiate User Invitation

  1. Click the "Add User" or "Invite User" button (typically in top-right corner)
  2. An invitation modal or form will appear
  3. The form will request user details and permissions

Step 4: Enter User Information

In the invitation form, provide:

Email Address

  • Enter the work email address of the team member
  • Use company email addresses for better account management
  • Double-check for typos to ensure invitation delivery
  • Some organizations require corporate domain emails for SSO

First and Last Name

  • Enter the user's full name for easy identification
  • This helps team members recognize each other in Pendo
  • Names appear in guide authorship and feedback responses

Role Selection Choose the appropriate role:

  • Admin: Full access to all features including user management, guide publishing, settings
  • User: Can create guides, view analytics, and use most features (but cannot manage users or subscription)
  • Read Only: View-only access to dashboards and analytics (cannot create or edit content)
  • Limited User: Custom restricted access (Enterprise plans only)

Step 5: Configure App Access

If your subscription manages multiple applications:

  1. Select which app(s) the user should access from the dropdown or checklist
  2. Options include:
    • All Apps: Grant access to all applications in the subscription
    • Specific Apps: Select individual apps from the list
  3. Different users can have different app access for data segregation
  4. Agency clients often use app-specific access for client separation

Step 6: Set Additional Permissions (Enterprise)

For Enterprise plans with advanced permissions:

  1. User Groups: Add the user to specific groups for organized management
  2. Custom Permissions: Configure granular feature access if using custom roles
  3. Segment Access: Limit which data segments the user can view (if applicable)
  4. Guide Approval: Determine if user's guides require approval before publishing

Step 7: Send the Invitation

  1. Review all entered information for accuracy
  2. Click "Send Invitation," "Invite," or "Add User" button
  3. Pendo will send an automated invitation email to the specified address
  4. You'll see a confirmation message that the invitation was sent
  5. The pending invitation appears in the User Management list with "Pending" status

Step 8: User Accepts Invitation

The invitation process for recipients:

  1. User receives email from Pendo with subject like "You've been invited to Pendo"
  2. Email contains an "Accept Invitation" button or activation link
  3. Clicking the link directs them to Pendo's registration page
  4. New users create a password and set up their account
  5. Existing Pendo users (from other subscriptions) add this subscription to their account
  6. After setup, they can immediately access Pendo with assigned permissions

Common Use Cases

Onboarding Product Managers

When adding product managers to Pendo:

  1. Assign Admin role for full guide creation and publishing capabilities
  2. Grant access to their specific product app(s)
  3. Provide training on creating guides and analyzing product analytics
  4. Share internal best practices for guide design and publishing

Recommended approach:

  • Send invitation 1-2 days before their start date
  • Prepare onboarding documentation specific to Pendo usage
  • Schedule training session for first week
  • Assign a Pendo mentor for questions

Adding Executive Stakeholders

For C-suite and leadership requiring reporting access:

  1. Use Read Only role to provide visibility without edit capabilities
  2. Grant access to all apps for comprehensive oversight
  3. Create custom dashboards tailored to executive KPIs
  4. Schedule quarterly reviews of Pendo insights

Benefits:

  • Executives get product insights without complexity
  • No risk of accidental changes to guides or settings
  • Saves Admin/User seats for active contributors
  • Enables data-driven leadership decisions

Inviting Cross-Functional Team Members

When adding designers, marketers, or other roles:

  1. UX Designers: User role to contribute to guide design and view session replays
  2. Content Writers: User role to create in-app messaging content
  3. Data Analysts: Admin role to create custom segments and reports
  4. Engineers: Read Only or User for viewing technical product usage
  5. Customer Success: User role to view account health and usage patterns

Agency and Contractor Access

For temporary or external team members:

  1. Add with User or Limited User role for restricted access
  2. Grant access only to relevant apps/projects
  3. Document contractor access with start and end dates
  4. Set calendar reminders to remove access when contract ends
  5. Consider Limited User role (Enterprise) for fine-grained control

Batch Adding Multiple Users

When onboarding entire teams:

  1. Prepare a spreadsheet with names, emails, and intended roles
  2. Add users one by one through the interface (Pendo doesn't support bulk CSV upload in standard plans)
  3. Enterprise customers may have SCIM provisioning for automated user management
  4. Consider staggering invitations to manage training and support load
  5. Track invitation status to ensure all team members accept

Best Practices

Security and Compliance

  1. Verify Email Addresses: Confirm email accuracy before sending invitations
  2. Corporate Emails: Require company domain emails for easier offboarding
  3. Least Privilege: Start with minimum necessary role and elevate if needed
  4. SSO Requirement: Enable SSO for enterprise security (available on higher plans)
  5. Access Documentation: Maintain records of who has access and why

Onboarding Excellence

  1. Welcome Email: Send personalized welcome message with Pendo resources
  2. Training Materials: Share Pendo Academy courses and internal guidelines
  3. Initial Walkthrough: Schedule 30-minute overview of Pendo interface
  4. Resource Access: Provide links to Pendo Help Center and community
  5. Internal Champion: Assign a Pendo expert for ongoing support

Role Assignment Strategy

  1. Assessment: Evaluate actual job responsibilities before assigning roles
  2. Start Conservative: Begin with User or Read Only, upgrade if needed
  3. Review Regularly: Audit roles quarterly to ensure appropriate access
  4. Document Standards: Create role assignment guidelines for your organization
  5. Approval Process: Require manager approval for Admin role assignments

App Access Management

  1. Need-Based Access: Only grant app access that's relevant to user's work
  2. Client Separation: Use app-level permissions to segregate agency client data
  3. Product Teams: Assign product managers to their specific product apps
  4. Cross-Functional: Consider broader app access for data analysts and executives
  5. Access Reviews: Periodically review and adjust app permissions

Troubleshooting

Invitation Email Not Received

If the invited user doesn't receive the email:

  1. Check Spam: Ask them to check spam/junk folders for Pendo emails
  2. Verify Address: Confirm email was entered correctly in Pendo
  3. Email Filters: Corporate filters may block automated emails from pendo.io
  4. Whitelist Domain: Have IT whitelist @pendo.io email addresses
  5. Resend: Use the "Resend Invitation" option in User Management
  6. Alternative Email: Try a different email address if available

Reached Seat Limit

When you cannot add more users:

  1. Check Seat Usage: Review how many seats are allocated vs. available
  2. Remove Inactive: Identify and remove users who have left the organization
  3. Role Optimization: Convert Admin users to Read Only if they don't need edit access
  4. Purchase Seats: Contact your Pendo CSM to add seats to your subscription
  5. Plan Upgrade: Consider upgrading plan tier for more included seats

User Already Exists Error

If you see "user already exists" message:

  1. The email may already be associated with your subscription
  2. Check if they were previously invited but haven't accepted
  3. They may be in another team member's invitation pending list
  4. Cancel any pending invitations and try again
  5. Contact Pendo support if the error persists

Wrong Role or App Access Assigned

If you assign incorrect permissions:

  1. Roles and app access can be edited after invitation is sent
  2. Go to User Management and find the pending or active user
  3. Click "Edit" to modify their role or app permissions
  4. Changes for active users take effect immediately (may require logout/login)
  5. For pending invitations, edit before they accept

SSO Conflicts

For organizations using SSO:

  1. Ensure the email domain is configured for SSO in Pendo
  2. User must exist in your identity provider before Pendo invitation
  3. Some organizations require IT to provision users via SCIM
  4. Contact Pendo support for SSO-related invitation issues
  5. Temporarily disable SSO requirement if needed for specific users

User Can't Accept Invitation

If users have trouble accepting invitations:

  1. Link Expired: Invitations may expire after a certain period (usually 7-14 days)
  2. Browser Issues: Try different browser or incognito mode
  3. Account Conflicts: They may have existing Pendo account with different email
  4. Resend Fresh: Cancel old invitation and send new one
  5. Support Ticket: Contact Pendo support for account-specific issues

After Adding Users

Confirmation and Verification

After sending invitations:

  1. Follow Up: Send personal email noting the Pendo invitation
  2. Track Acceptance: Monitor User Management page for acceptance status
  3. Deadline: Give 48-72 hours for acceptance, then follow up
  4. Verify Access: Confirm they can log in and see expected apps
  5. Test Permissions: Have them verify they can access necessary features

Initial Onboarding Tasks

For newly added users:

  1. Platform Tour: Walk through Pendo navigation and key features
  2. Explain Features:
    • Dashboards and analytics for data users
    • Guide designer for content creators
    • Visitor and account lists for CS teams
    • Feedback and roadmap for product teams
  3. Set Expectations: Clarify their responsibilities in Pendo
  4. Share Guidelines: Provide internal Pendo usage policies

Training Recommendations

Pendo Academy courses for new users:

  1. Pendo Foundations: Core concepts and navigation (all roles)
  2. Guide Building: For User and Admin roles creating in-app content
  3. Analytics Deep Dive: For data analysts and product managers
  4. Mobile App Analytics: If using Pendo for mobile
  5. Feedback Management: For product and CS teams

Access Verification Checklist

Confirm new users can:

  • Log in successfully to Pendo
  • See the correct app(s) in the app selector
  • Access dashboards and reports (all roles)
  • Create or edit guides (User and Admin roles)
  • View visitor and account data
  • Access segments and funnels
  • See appropriate menu options for their role

Additional Support

For complex user management scenarios or Enterprise features, contact your Pendo Customer Success Manager or visit the Pendo Help Center for detailed documentation.

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