A user account is a set of login credentials that gives a person access to a system, email, app, service, and similar tools. It’s essentially your personal “ticket” into a system. It combines login details (most commonly an email and password) that the system uses to identify you. This way, it knows who you are, what you’re allowed to do, and what you can access. It defines permissions, access rights, and settings within the system.
What are user accounts used for in companies?
A key element is assigning clear roles and permissions so employees only see and use what they need to do their job (for example: employee, manager, admin).
Access control: Manage people’s access to company systems and physical spaces
User accounts reflect each employee’s job, helping them work efficiently. Through their accounts, employees access company systems and resources. A finance manager will have different access than a production worker.
- User accounts restrict access to sensitive information and protect company data,
- Easily update permissions when roles change or during onboarding and offboarding,
- Track user activity to support audits, accountability, and incident investigations,
- Enable personalization and preserve each user’s work history.
They cover access to systems as well as physical access control within company locations. In short: user accounts and access controls are essential for secure, efficient operations and asset protection in both digital and physical environments.
Personalization
- An account stores your settings, preferences, work history, saved files, and tasks.
- When an employee signs back in, they can quickly continue where they left off.
Activity history, quality control, and continuity
- History helps track activities, making it easier to review work and prevent errors.
- Work handoffs are smoother: a backup or successor can pick up tasks, for example during sick leave or PTO.
- User accounts make it easier to maintain an audit trail and support regulatory compliance.
How do user accounts work in practice?
Every employee has a job role that determines their permissions, access rights, and user accounts. Each user may have a different role and can access only their tasks and tools. For example, a manager sees company-wide dashboards, an admin manages accounts and permissions, and a standard employee may have only company email and intranet access.
- Each employee gets an account for company apps (e.g., Aptien, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365).
- The account is created during onboarding and disabled during offboarding.
- The user signs in with their email and password and, based on their role, sees only what they need for their job.
User account vs. employee identity
- A user account is one part of an employee’s digital identity; each identity typically has an associated user account.
Summary: why is it important to keep accounts under control?
- Prevents former employees from retaining access to company systems.
- Protects company data and sensitive information.
- Enables tracking of user activity and accountability.
- Makes it easy to grant or revoke permissions as needed.
- Ensures only authorized staff can access company systems or physical facilities