Expert Mode

Expert Mode is a permission-based access system that reveals advanced fields and operations not shown during normal use. Each user is assigned an expert level by a super administrator, and must explicitly activate Expert Mode each time they need it.

What Expert Mode Does

When activated, Expert Mode:

• Reveals additional fields on forms (permissions, expert levels, data protection settings)
• Allows editing of system records (those below the minimum user ID threshold)
• Enables advanced operations such as sending to arbitrary email addresses
• Shows expert-only action variants in the Expert menu

These capabilities are not available during normal platform use. The separation exists to protect sensitive settings from accidental changes.

When You Need Expert Mode

Most day-to-day operations do not require Expert Mode. You will need it for tasks such as:

• Managing user permissions and access levels
• Editing data protection settings on records
• Modifying system configuration records
• Accessing expert-only action variants (via the Expert menu)
• Sending correspondence to non-standard email addresses

Your super administrator assigns the expert level appropriate to your role.

Expert Levels

The platform uses named expert levels, each granting progressively broader access:

Name	Description
None	No expert access. Standard platform use only.
Intern	Minimal expert access for supervised users.
Low	Basic expert fields visible when Expert Mode is active.
Standard	Access to most expert fields and common expert operations. Requires 2FA.
High	Access to sensitive fields such as user permissions, logins, and access flags. Requires 2FA.
Full	Unrestricted expert access including system-level configuration. Requires 2FA.

Fields and actions in the platform each have a minimum expert level. You will only see those at or below your assigned level.

How Expert Mode Works

Activating Expert Mode

Expert Mode must be activated deliberately each time you need it:

• Click “Switch to Expert Mode” in the Expert Menu when editing a form
• Or select an option from the Expert menu in the top menu bar

Expert Mode does not persist between pages. When you navigate away, the page returns to normal view.

Security

• 2FA verification: Levels Standard (5) and above require two-factor authentication when activating Expert Mode
• Activity logging: All Expert Mode edits are recorded as distinct activity types (“Edited (Expert Mode)”, “Edited (Secure Fields, Expert Mode)”)
• Super admin assignment: Only super administrators can set a user’s expert level

What Changes in the Interface

When Expert Mode is active:

• Additional fields appear on the current form, highlighted or grouped separately
• The Expert menu in the top menu bar may show additional action variants
• System records that are normally read-only become editable

Using Expert Mode Effectively

• Activate only when you have a specific task that requires it
• Review what each expert-only field does before changing values
• Use the Update Reason and Update Details fields to document your changes
• Be particularly careful with permission and access flag changes, as these affect what other users can see and do
• Status changes on numbers, features, and customers should go through the matching Action, not direct field edits, even with Full Expert access

Caution

Changes made in Expert Mode can affect system security and user access. Always verify you are making the intended changes, particularly when editing permissions or data protection settings.

Caution

Prefer the matching Action for lifecycle changes. Drop and reinstate on numbers, features, and customers trigger cascades (feature reactivation, charge calculations, audit trails) that the Action handles in one step. You can replicate them by hand with Full Expert access, but it is easy to miss a step and leave records in an inconsistent state. Use the corresponding Action by default: Drop Number, Reinstate Number, Drop Feature, Reinstate Feature.

A common failure mode: clearing the Dropped/Reinstated Date during a manual reinstatement, which silently leaves linked features inactive. See Manual Reinstatement for the detail.

Common Expert Mode Tasks

Managing User Permissions

1. Open the user record
2. Click “Switch to Expert Mode”
3. The permissions and access fields become visible
4. Set the required values and document the reason

Editing System Records

System records (those with low ID numbers) are normally protected from editing. With sufficient expert level:

1. Navigate to the system record
2. Activate Expert Mode to unlock editing
3. Make the required changes
4. Record the reason in the Update Details field

Using Expert Action Variants

Some actions have expert-only options that appear in the Expert menu rather than the standard Actions menu:

1. Open the entity you need to work with
2. Check the Expert menu for the action variant
3. Additional fields may appear on the action form
4. Complete the action as normal

Getting Expert Mode Access

Contact your super administrator or data protection officer to request expert access. They will assess your requirements and assign the appropriate level.

When requesting access, be specific about what you need to do. This helps the administrator assign the correct level rather than granting more access than necessary.

What’s Next

• Actions: Understand the Actions menu and expert action variants
• Accessing the Platform: Set up 2FA (required for Standard level and above)
• Managing Default Values: Configure platform defaults