PeopleSoft Security Hierarchy

To understand PeopleSoft security, it it helps to look at the hierarchy for PeopleSoft security. From top-to-bottom (highest to lowest level of granularity) you can look at security like this:

Portal Security

Menu Security

Roles

Permission Lists and Definition Security

Primary Permission Lists

Row Level Security (user & permission list based)

To explain further:

Portal folders (containers in the left navgiation) are secured by permission lists at the portal level

Portal content references (links on the left navigation) are based on menu security

Roles give users access to one or more permission lists

Permission lists give users access to menus, components and ultimately pages

Definition security is used by application designer to secure definitions (e.g. fields, records, pages, components)

Primary permission lists typically control row level security. For example, in HRMS, primary permission lists are used to control access to departments.

Row level security gives specific users access to specific data. For example, in Campus Solutions, specific users can be given access to a particular academic institution. This can also be permission list based.