Users can have access rights to various items: units, groups of units, resources and accounts, routes, and other users. Depending on the available rights, the user can view and take some actions on a particular item.

Most often, full access to the unit (all rights) have only those users who configure it, while other users have limited rights sufficient to work with the unit. To avoid the incorrect changes of settings, it is important to assign to users only those rights that they really need.

Observed issue and the method of solving it

In everyday work, the rights to the unit are defined appropriately and do not change. However, there may be difficulties when changing rights, or sometimes rights can change without your participation, and the resulting settings may differ from what you expect. In this article, we'll consider standard issues of this kind. Choose one of the options below according to the situation you are experiencing.

1. After reducing the rights, the user still has more rights

A unit can belong to the group, towards which the user also has rights. In this case, the user will possess a wider list of rights of the two possible.

To correct the situation, try excluding the unit from the group or removing user rights to the group that the unit belongs to. After making these changes, set the desired rights towards the unit again.

2. When removing all rights to a unit, an error is displayed and the changes are not applied

Most likely, this user is the creator of the unit. At the moment, it is impossible to remove from the creator all the rights to the item created by them. If you try to do this, an error will be displayed with the text "You cannot withdraw access rights from the creator of an object".

To correct the situation, you need to change the creator of this unit. To do this, you can transfer the unit to another account. The unit must be in the account of a user who directly uses this unit.

We’ve created a video on how to use the Switch account tool from the management interface (CMS):

3. When extending the rights, changes are not saved

Wialon uses the following hierarchy principle: it is impossible to give a user more rights to a certain item than the creator of this user has to the same item. If you extend the list of rights, but the changes are not saved, it may mean that the user's creator doesn't have enough rights to the unit.

To correct the situation, assign a wider list of rights towards the unit to users who are higher in the hierarchy. After that — to the user, who needed to extend the rights (that is, go through the entire branch of the account hierarchy from top to bottom).

4. Rights change even though you don't make changes

To change access rights to a unit, the user must have the Manage access to this object right towards that unit. Multiple users can have access to a unit simultaneously. Accordingly, several users can make changes. You can track changes using the Log, which you can view on the Messages tab or in a report using the same-name table.

To correct the situation, analyze the Log and disable the ability to change access rights for those users who should not do this.

5. Rights change even though no user is making changes

Most often, such changes may occur in a certain equal period or under certain conditions. In this case, the reason is the work of Jobs with the Change access to units type or Notifications with the action method Change access to units or Add or remove units from groups.

To correct the situation, check that jobs and notifications are configured correctly (if necessary, you can delete or stop them).

6. Rights change even though users, jobs and notifications don't do this

Wialon has the ability to change item settings (including changing rights) via API requests. Such requests are still executed on behalf of a specific user, at the same time, logging in and out of the system using an API request to some third-party application is logged. This information can be tracked in the user properties on the Log tab or in the management interface (CMS) on the Users tab in the Last visit column.

To correct the situation, analyze the operating logic of the third-party application. If the application uses a user token created specifically for working with a third-party application, then this user can change the list of rights and disable the Manage access to this object right, or change the flags of their token. If the application uses the token of the same user that is used to enter the monitoring interface, it is necessary to revise the application logic, getting rid of changing user rights towards units.

Ekaterina Grib,Customer Service Engineer 2022-05-16

For the efficient operation of the entire service, it is important to adhere to the correct hierarchy. Hierarchy in Wialon is a connecting thread on which functions, rights, and objects of Wialon are strung like beads.

The importance of the hierarchy manifests itself at the time of maturity of the service when its structure has already formed. At the initial stage of working with Wialon, there may be no problems, but later it turns out that the created structure is not optimal. This leads to issues with managing access rights, shared resources, and restrictions on the operation of such services as Google maps and SMS, for example. In such cases, it is worth correcting the structure and transferring the system objects to a new place in the hierarchy.

This article proposes tools for correcting the hierarchy by transferring system objects to help make operating the service more convenient and secure. Depending on the type of transferred objects, both automatic and manual transfer tools are available.

Automatic transfer

The automatic transfer means a full-fledged transfer that preserves all the properties and relationships of the transferred objects. Still, it is only available for two types of objects — accounts and units. Below, we will consider the instructions for transferring these objects within the same service.

Accounts

During the automatic transfer, accounts are transferred entirely, preserving all content, all relationships, user passwords, session IDs, etc. This transfer is carried out using internal Wialon tools and is not available in the user interface. To transfer accounts automatically, send a request to support@wialon.com. Automatic account transfer is available only for Wialon Hosting.

In case when you need to transfer only part of the account objects, you must use manual transfer. We provided instructions for such cases below.

Units and messages

To transfer units, you should use the Transfer units from one account to another tool in the CMS Manager interface.

The following video will provide you with detailed instructions on transferring units from one account to another and possible questions related to this case.

Manual transfer

The manual transfer involves re-creating the necessary objects in a new location and setting them up afterward. Some of the settings can be transferred using the import and export tool. Additionally, in this case, you will have to re-set user rights and relationships between micro-objects (for example, geofences in report templates and notifications), as well as user passwords.

Below, we will consider instructions for transferring individual system objects within a single service.

Accounts

An account is a fundamental service object which consists of a resource, a user, and a billing plan. Therefore, the transfer of an account is a complex process that includes:

• transferring the user-creator;
  
• creating a new account;
  
• assigning the desired billing plan;
  
• transferring the content of the resource;
  
• transferring the other objects belonging to the original account: users, units, groups of units, and retranslators.
  

To transfer an account, log in to the CMS Manager interface and follow the instructions:

1. Export the settings of the user-creator of the account to a WLP file (Export to file → Complete copy).
2. Change the names of the account and its user-creator. For example, you can add _old to the end of the name.
3. Create a copy of the user-creator of the account. Hold down the Ctrl key and click on the required user in the list. When copying a user, their properties that are not exported (such as access rights and email addresses) will be transferred. While copying, follow the next steps:
   
   • Enter and confirm the user's password. It is important to note that user passwords are not transferred. If the service owner has saved the current passwords, the users can set the same passwords after the transfer. In the other case, the users will have to set new passwords.
   • In the Creator field, select the user-creator of an account, under which you plan to place the new account.
     
     
4. Import user settings from the WLP file.
5. Create a new account. When creating, select the Existent user option and select the user created in step 3.
6. If necessary, transfer the remaining objects of the account according to the instructions below.
7. After making sure that all the account settings and contents have been transferred correctly, delete the old account marked _old in the name.

Resources content

A resource is a storage for the following objects:

• geofences and groups of geofences;
• jobs and notifications;
• report templates;
• drivers, trailers, passengers, as well as groups of drivers, trailers, and passengers;
• orders.

All the resource content objects are available for the transfer except for orders. You can transfer both the entire content and individual objects. To transfer, follow the next steps:

1. Export the content of the transferred resource to a WLP file, selecting the objects you want to transfer.
   
2. Import the content of the existing resource into a new one.

Orders can be exported and imported directly in the Logistics application.

Users

1. Export the settings of the original user to a WLP file (Export to file → Complete copy).

2. Rename this user, for example, by adding _old to the end of the name.
   
3. Create a copy of the user. In CMS Manager, hold down the Ctrl key and click on the required user in the list. When copying a user, their properties that are not exported (such as access rights and email addresses) will be transferred. While copying:
   
   • Enter and confirm the user's password. It is important to note that user passwords are not transferred. If the service owner has saved the current passwords, the users can set the same passwords after the transfer. In the other case, the users will have to set new passwords.
     
   • In the Creator field, select the user-creator of a parent account of a new user.
     
     
4. Import user settings from the WLP file.
   
5. After making sure that all the account settings and contents have been transferred correctly, delete the old user marked _old in the name.
   

Unit groups

1. Create a copy of the unit group. In CMS Manager, hold down the Ctrl key and click on the desired unit group in the list.
   
2. When copying the group, select the user-creator of the account you want to transfer to in the Creator field.

Retranslators

It is currently impossible to export the retranslator settings. To transfer a retranslator, you need to recreate it in the required account and manually copy the settings of the original retranslator into it.

Retranslators cannot be created on behalf of another user. Therefore, to create a retranslator in a particular account, you must be logged in as the user-creator of that account.

Routes

It is currently impossible to export the route settings. To transfer a route, you need to recreate it along with the schedule in the required account and manually transfer the settings of the original route into it.

Kristina Malakhovskaya,Customer Service Engineer 2023-02-28

Often there is a need to change the hierarchy of the Wialon service for more efficient management. We covered the transfer of objects within the same service in another article, but sometimes there is a need to transfer them to another service.

This article proposes tools for transferring objects between services. Depending on the type of transferred objects, both automatic and manual transfer tools are available.

Automatic transfer

There is an additional service for automatic transfer of accounts between Wialon Hosting services using internal Wialon tools. Automatic transfer implies a full-fledged transfer that preserves all the properties and relationships of the transferred objects. It has the following restrictions:

• only entire accounts are transferred;
  
• the total number of transferred active units is from 50 and above;
  
• services must be located in the same data center;
• the entire content of the service is not available for transfer;
• after the transfer, the number of the units in the final service should not exceed the recommended limit.

To transfer accounts automatically, send a request to partners@wialon.com.

Manual transfer

The manual transfer involves re-creating the necessary objects in a new location and setting them up afterward. Some of the settings can be transferred using the import and export tool. Additionally, in this case, you will have to re-set user rights and relationships between micro-objects (for example, geofences in report templates and notifications), as well as user passwords.

Below, we will consider instructions for transferring individual system objects between services.

Accounts

An account is a fundamental service object which consists of a resource, a user, and a billing plan. Therefore, the transfer of an account is a complex process that includes:

• creating a new account;
  
• transferring the user-creator of the account;
  
• assigning the desired billing plan;
  
• transferring the content of the resource;
  
• transferring all the other objects belonging to the original account: users, units, groups of units, retranslators, and routes.
  

To transfer accounts, log in to the CMS Manager interface and follow the instructions:

1. Export the settings of the user-creators of the accounts to WLP files (Export to file → Complete copy). When exporting the settings of several users at once, an archive with WLP files is created.
   
2. Change the names of the accounts and their user-creators in the original service. For example, you can add "_old" to the end of the names.
3. Create all the necessary accounts in the new service.
4. Extract the files from the archive you downloaded earlier and import the settings of the respective users from the WLP files. It is important to note that user properties such as email addresses, access rights, and passwords are not transferred during export, and you need to reset them manually. If the service owner has saved the current passwords, they can set the same passwords for users after the transfer. In the other case, new passwords for users have to be set.
   
5. If necessary, transfer the remaining objects of the accounts according to the instructions below.

Units and messages

Using messages export/import

1. Export unit settings to WLP files. If several units are being exported at once, an archive with WLP files is created.
2. In the original service, change the ID and phone numbers specified in the units properties. For example, you can add "_old" to the ID and an extra digit to the phone number.
3. Extract the files from the archive you downloaded earlier and create units from the WLP files.
4. Export messages from the units in the original service. Use WLN or WLB format.
   
5. Import the messages into the appropriate units in the new service.

Using messages retransmitting

1. Export unit settings to WLP files. If several units are being exported at once, an archive with WLP files is created.
2. Extract the files from the archive you downloaded earlier and create units from the WLP files.
3. When creating units, an error will be displayed with the text "Could not import all or some of the data”. This error occurs due to a conflict between the same ID and phone number in the original and destination services. When the unit properties window opens, you need to specify the device type as Wialon Retranslator and ID as the ID of the unit in the original service.
4. Create a retranslator in the original service and add the units with the messages to transfer.
5. Start the retranslator as it is created stopped.
6. Open the retranslator settings, activate the Retransmitting data for a past period option, and specify the required period.
7. When the retransmitting data for a past period is complete, change the ID and phone number of the units in the original service. For example, add "_old" to the ID and an extra digit to the phone number.
8. Import the WLP files again and select Device configuration when importing. Re-import is necessary to specify the correct device type and phone number of the units in the new service.

Resources content

A resource is a storage for the following objects:

• geofences and groups of geofences;
• jobs and notifications;
• report templates;
• drivers, trailers, passengers, as well as groups of drivers, trailers, and passengers;
• orders.

You can transfer both the entire content and individual objects. To transfer, follow the next steps:

1. Export the content of the resources in the original service to a WLP file after selecting the objects you want to transfer.
   
2. Import the content of the resources from the WLP files into the new service.

Orders can be exported and imported directly in the Logistics application.

Users

1. Export the settings of the original user to a WLP file (Export to file → Complete copy). When exporting the settings of several users at once, an archive with WLP files is created.
2. Rename the users in the original service, for example, by adding "_old" to the end of each name.
   
3. Create users in the new service.
4. Extract the files from the archive you downloaded earlier and import the settings of the respective users from the WLP files. It is important to note that user properties such as email addresses, access rights, and passwords are not transferred during export, and you need to reset them manually. If the service owner has saved the current passwords, they can set the same passwords for users after the transfer. In the other case, new passwords for users have to be set.
   

Unit groups

It is currently impossible to export the settings of unit groups. To transfer unit groups, you have to manually create them in an account in the new service, add the necessary unit to them, and grant users the appropriate access rights.

Retranslators

It is currently impossible to export the retranslator settings. To transfer a retranslator, you need to recreate it in the required account and manually copy the settings of the original retranslator into it.

Retranslators cannot be created on behalf of another user. Therefore, to create a retranslator in a particular account, you must be logged in as the user-creator of that account.

Routes

It is currently impossible to export the route settings. To transfer a route, you need to recreate it along with the schedule in the required account and manually transfer the settings of the original route into it.

Kristina Malakhovskaya,Customer Service Engineer 2023-02-28