User Management

In YMS, every user account belongs to a person in the Crew module. This article explains how to set up and manage user accounts so your records stay accurate and access stays secure as crew change.

For the step by step guides, see the guides linked throughout this article.

One Person, One Account

Best Practice: Give every person who uses YMS their own named account. Don't create generic or shared accounts such as "Bosun", "Engineer" or "Bridge".

• Keep an accurate record of who did what: YMS records the user against the work they do, and changes they make throughout the application. With a shared account, it's impossible to tell who completed a task or made a change.

• Get full use of crew features: Crew Certification, generated Crew Lists, and Hours of Rest all rely on each crew member having their own user account. A generic account has no real certificates, personal details, or hours to record, so these features cant be used.

• Stay in control of access: If several people know one password, you can't remove one person's access without locking out everyone else.

• Match permissions to the person: Two people in the same position don't always need the same access. A Bosun in their first week will likely be entrusted with less access than one who has been onboard for three years. Named accounts let you set this on a per person basis.

Handling Crew Changes

• Release crew when they leave: Releasing a crew member immediately deletes their login and ends any active sessions. Their records stay in YMS, so their work history is kept. See Crew & Guest - Archiving Crew & Guests.

• Add the new crew member as a new person: Create the new Crew/User in the Crew module with their own name, and relevant Department and Position. This creates their user account at the same time. See Crew & Guest - Adding Crew & Guests.

• Restore returning crew instead of re-adding them: If a crew member who was previously employed returns, restore their existing profile rather than creating a duplicate. Their history stays in one place, and restoring enables them to login again.

• Check certificates after restoring: Certificates and passports aren't restored automatically when you restore a crew member. Review them and un-archive any that are still valid.

Managing Permissions

• Give each person only the access their role needs: Start from what the position needs day to day, and add grant additional permissions as needed using the principle of least privilege. Permission are explained in Crew & Guest - User Settings Explained.

• Limit admin settings: User Admin’s and Application Admin’s have complete control over every user account and the whole vessel's YMS setup and permission should be tightly controlled. Restrict to a small number of senior crew, such as the Captain, Chief Officer, Chief Engineer, or Purser.

• Review permissions when someone's role changes: If a crew member is promoted or changes department, review their settings at the same time as updating their Position. See Crew & Guest - Managing User Settings.

Passwords & Logins

• Never share passwords: Each person should know only their own password. If someone needs to see or do something in YMS, give them access through their own account.

• Set a temporary password, then have the crew member change it: Once a new crew member has logged in, they should change their password from their Profile. They can also change their username there if they want to. See Updating Username & Password.

• Reset forgotten passwords instead of asking for them: A User Admin can reset any crew member's password, which also logs them out of any active sessions. See Crew & Guest - Resetting Passwords.

Final Notes

Following these guidelines will:

• Keep an accurate record of who did what, for audits and inspections

• Let you add or remove one person's access without affecting anyone else

• Make crew changes seamless, as work assigned to a position carries over to whoever fills it

• Keep personal records such as certificates and Hours of Rest with the right person

Named accounts with position-based assignment give you the continuity of a shared login without losing accountability.