Knowledge / Field guide
Permission-aware enterprise search starts with two test users
The most revealing access test is to ask the same question twice: once as someone allowed to read the source, and once as someone who is not.
2XD Studio · · 2 min read
Map access before importing files
Shared drives often mix team folders, individual exceptions, and external collaborators. Identify the source system that owns membership and how quickly changes reach the search system. Do not assume all employees inherit the account privileges used to ingest the documents.
Test more than the answer body
Use a harmless restricted test document with a distinctive title and phrase. From a disallowed account, search for both. Check snippets, autocomplete, citations, document counts, and conversation history. Hiding the final link does not help if the preview already reveals the content.
Repeat after a role change
Give the test user temporary access, ask a question, then remove access. Start a fresh session and revisit an existing conversation according to your retention rules. Check what remains visible and how quickly permissions take effect. Document where previously delivered content cannot be recalled so owners understand the boundary.
Look for accidental disclosure
A result reading “three executive compensation documents found” reveals something even if the files stay closed. Decide whether counts, titles, and suggested queries must be filtered as strictly as passages. Run the test with a made-up sensitive phrase and clean up afterward. There is no need to expose a real employee record to demonstrate the risk.
Reader questions
Can we pilot with a shared account?
A shared account cannot demonstrate separation between roles. Use distinct test identities even in a small pilot.
Which documents should go into the first rollout?
Start with a well-owned collection whose permissions are understood. Add complex or sensitive libraries after role-change tests pass.