Role-to-entitlement matrix
N = none, R = read, W = read and write, A = administer.
| System | AP Clerk | Finance Manager | Sales Rep | Engineer | IT Admin | HR Partner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Email and collaboration | W | W | W | W | A | W |
| Finance ERP: invoices | W | W | N | N | N | N |
Role-Based Access Control Matrix
Role templates are the single most effective control against permission creep, because they replace 'give them what Priya has' with a defined standard. The matrix is also what makes access reviews possible. You need a baseline to compare against.
What you get
- A role-to-entitlement matrix covering your core systems
- Segregation of duties conflict checks built in
- A process for access beyond the template
- Role review cadence, since roles drift as the business changes
How to use this template
- 1
Build roles from job function, not from people. Define what a role needs to do its job, then grant that. Starting from what current holders have bakes in the accumulated excess you are trying to eliminate.
- 2
Check for segregation conflicts explicitly. Some combinations should never sit with one person: creating a supplier and approving payment to it, for instance. List the conflicting pairs and check each role against them.
- 3
Allow exceptions, but time-bound them. Some people legitimately need access beyond their template. Grant it as a named exception with an approver and a review date rather than quietly widening the template for everyone.
What's inside
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Related templates
More free templates IT teams use alongside this one.
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Get templateUser Access Review Template
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Access control policies state least privilege and then leave the mechanics unspecified, which is where it breaks down. This one fixes the approval route, the review cadence, and the privileged-access rules explicitly.
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Get templateJoiner-Mover-Leaver Process Template
Joiners and leavers get attention because they are visible events. Movers do not, which is why permission creep is almost entirely a mover problem: people accumulate access from every role they have held.
Frequently asked questions
What is a role-based access control matrix?
+
A grid mapping job roles to the entitlements each needs across your systems. It replaces ad hoc provisioning with a defined standard and gives access reviews a baseline to compare actual access against.
How do you build role templates?
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From job function rather than from what current holders have. Starting from existing access carries forward years of accumulated excess, which is the thing role templates exist to eliminate.
What is segregation of duties?
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Ensuring no single person can complete a sensitive transaction end to end, such as creating a supplier and approving payment to it. Where separation is impractical, a documented compensating control such as a second approver is required.