AX1181

Assigning ribbon tabs to users

You can assign ribbon tabs to users and roles using the Startup tab in Axiom Software Security. When a user starts Axiom Software, their assigned startup ribbon tabs will automatically open.

Ribbon tabs can only be opened at startup. It is not possible to allow users to open ribbon tabs "on demand". Generally speaking, the only reason to grant a user file access to ribbon tabs in the Ribbon Tabs Library is if the user needs to create and edit ribbon tabs.

Assigning as startup files

To configure a ribbon tab to open on system startup for a particular user or role, use the Startup tab of Security. Any ribbon tabs listed on the Startup tab will open automatically when the user starts the Excel Client or the Windows Client. Ribbon tabs do not apply to the Web Client. For more information on assigning startup ribbon tabs, see Assigning startup files (Startup tab).

When ribbon tabs are assigned as startup files, users do not otherwise need to be granted access to these files. The files will open automatically at startup. Keep in mind that the visibility of the ribbon tab depends on its configuration. Using the shortcut properties for the startup file, you can configure the ribbon tab so that it only displays if certain conditions are met, such as:

  • Whether the user is an administrator
  • Whether the user has access to the Sheet Assistant
  • Whether a particular type of file is open

For example, a ribbon tab can be associated with report file types. Therefore, although the ribbon tab is technically opened at startup, it does not actually display to the user until a report file is opened.

In most cases, you will assign startup ribbon tabs on a per role basis. For example, you might have a Budget User role, and you want all users in this role to see a simple ribbon tab that presents the handful of items that they need to access. Alternatively, if all users in a system need to see a particular ribbon tab on startup, you can configure it for the Everyone role.

Startup ribbon tabs will be opened in the following order:

  1. Ribbon tabs assigned to the Everyone role.
  2. Ribbon tabs assigned to other roles that the user belongs to (multiple roles are sorted in alphabetical order).
  3. Ribbon tabs assigned to the user.

All custom ribbon tabs display before (to the left of) any Excel ribbon tabs. In the case of the Windows Client, custom ribbon tabs display before the Home tab. Once a ribbon tab is opened, it cannot be closed by the user (though it may become hidden depending on its configuration and the current context).

Access to the Ribbon Tabs Library

It is not possible to open a ribbon tab "on demand" from the Ribbon Tabs Library. If a user double-clicks on a ribbon tab file, it will open in the ribbon tab editor, not in the ribbon. The only way to access a ribbon tab is to assign it as a startup file and then restart the application. Therefore, there is no reason to give a user file permission to ribbon tab files in the Ribbon Tabs Library unless the user needs to create and edit ribbon tabs.

If you have non-administrator users who need to create and edit ribbon tabs, those users must be granted the Administer Task Panes permission as well as read/write access at a file or folder level in the Ribbon Tabs Library.