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Users & Owners
What this guide covers
The difference between Users and Owners, creating and editing both, linking them, and managing permissions. Most of this page requires superuser access.
Users vs. Owners
| Concept | What it is | Where managed |
|---|---|---|
| User | A login account with a username, password, and role | Admin page (/admin) — superuser only |
| Owner | An inventory record that items can be attributed to | Owners page (/owners) — all authenticated users |
They are linked 1:1, but the link is optional on both sides:
- A User with no Owner record can log in but cannot own items.
- An Owner with no linked User can hold items but cannot log in.
Typically you create both and link them.
Managing Users
Superuser only
The Admin page is only accessible to superusers. If you do not see it in the nav, your account does not have superuser privileges.
Opening the Admin page
Click Admin in the top nav. The heading is User Management. The table shows all system users with columns: Username, First Name, Last Name, Email, Active, Staff, Superuser.
Badge meanings:
- Active / Inactive (green/red) — whether the user can log in
- Yes / No on Staff and Superuser
Adding a user
Click the + icon button at the top of the table. Fill in the modal:
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Username | Required. Must be unique. |
| First Name / Last Name | Optional. |
| Optional but recommended. | |
| Password / Confirm Password | Required for new users. |
| Active | Toggle on (default). Toggle off to disable login without deleting the account. |
| Staff | Toggle on if this user should have Django staff-level access. |
| Superuser | Toggle on to grant full system access (Admin page, user management). |
Click Save.
Editing a user
Click Edit next to the user's row. The same modal opens. To reset a password, enter a new value in Password and Confirm Password and save. Leave both fields blank to keep the existing password unchanged.
Deleting a user
Click DELETE next to the user (superuser only). Deleting a user does not delete the linked Owner or that owner's items — it only removes the login account. The Owner record remains with its items intact, but the user link is cleared.
Disabling a user without deleting
Edit the user and toggle Active to No. The user can no longer log in but their account and data are preserved.
Managing Owners
Opening the Owners page
Click Owners in the top nav. The heading is Owner Management, subheading Active Owners. The table shows: Owner Name, Username, Email, First Name, Last Name.
Adding an owner
Click Add Owner for Items. Fill in the modal:
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Name | Required. The display name for the owner (e.g. "Sarah B."). |
| User | Optional. Select a user account to link to this owner. |
Click Save. The owner can now be assigned to items.
Editing an owner
Click Edit on the owner's row. Update the name or change the linked user.
Deleting an owner
Click DELETE (superuser only). Deleting an owner sets all their items' Owner field to blank — items are not deleted. The linked user account is also unaffected.
Roles summary
| Role | Admin page | Delete users | Delete owners | All other features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superuser | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Staff | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Regular User | — | — | — | ✓ |
The first user to register automatically receives superuser privileges.
Troubleshooting
A user cannot log in even with the correct password Check that their Active toggle is set to Yes in the Admin page.
New user logs in but cannot see the Admin page They are not a superuser. Edit the user and toggle Superuser to Yes, then have them log out and back in.
Owner does not appear in item assignment dropdowns The owner may be deleted or not linked to the system correctly. Check the Owners page and re-create if needed.
"User already exists" error when creating a user Usernames must be unique across the whole system. Choose a different username.
Related
- Quick Start — first registration flow
- Transfers — assigning a new owner via a transfer