# Managing Owners (https://yapl.app/en/docs/user-guides/workspaces/managing-owners)

# Managing Owners

Workspace owners have full administrative control over a workspace. This guide covers adding co-owners, removing owners, and managing ownership responsibilities.

## Understanding Workspace Ownership

Workspace owners have complete access to:

- All workspace settings
- Billing and subscription management
- All teams and projects (regardless of assignment)
- User management and invitations
- Workspace deletion

### Owner Limits

| Rule | Limit |
|------|-------|
| Minimum owners | 1 (always required) |
| Maximum owners | 5 per workspace |

## The Workspace Owners Team

YAPL automatically creates a **Workspace Owners** system team:

- Contains all workspace owners automatically
- Updates when owners are added/removed
- Cannot be modified directly
- Provides owners access to all workspace content

<Callout type="info">
You don't need to manually add owners to teams. The Workspace Owners system team handles this automatically.
</Callout>

## Adding Owners

### Prerequisites

- You must be an existing owner
- Workspace must have fewer than 5 owners
- Invitee must have a YAPL account (or will create one)

### Inviting by Email

1. Go to **Settings > Organization**
2. Find the **Owners** section
3. Click **Invite Owner**
4. Enter the person's email address
5. Click **Send Invitation**

The invitee receives:
- Email with invitation link
- 7 days to accept
- Instructions to create account if needed

### Using Shareable Links

For quick invitations:

1. Go to **Settings > Organization**
2. Find the **Owners** section
3. Click **Generate Invitation Link**
4. Configure options:
   - Usage limit (how many times link can be used)
   - Expiration date
5. Copy and share the link

<Callout type="warn">
Shareable owner invitation links grant full administrative access. Share only with trusted individuals.
</Callout>

## Owner Invitation Status

Track pending invitations:

| Status | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| Pending | Invitation sent, awaiting acceptance |
| Accepted | User has become an owner |
| Expired | 7-day limit passed |
| Cancelled | Invitation revoked |

### Managing Invitations

- **Resend**: Send another notification email
- **Cancel**: Revoke the invitation before acceptance
- **Extend**: Cannot extend; send new invitation

## Removing Owners

### When You Can Remove an Owner

An owner can be removed if:
- At least 2 owners exist (1 must remain)
- You have owner permissions

### How to Remove

1. Go to **Settings > Organization**
2. Find the **Owners** section
3. Locate the owner to remove
4. Click **Remove Owner**
5. Confirm the action

### What Happens When Removed

The removed person:
- Loses administrative access immediately
- Is removed from Workspace Owners team
- Keeps their YAPL account
- May retain access through other team memberships

## Leaving as Owner

Owners can voluntarily leave a workspace:

### When You Can Leave

- At least 2 owners must exist
- You cannot be the sole owner

### How to Leave

1. Go to **Settings > Organization**
2. Find your name in the **Owners** section
3. Click **Leave Workspace**
4. Confirm the action

<Callout type="error">
If you're the only owner, you cannot leave. Add another owner first, or delete the workspace entirely.
</Callout>

## Transferring Ownership

To transfer primary ownership (when you want to completely exit):

### Step 1: Add New Owner
1. Invite the person you want to transfer to
2. Wait for them to accept

### Step 2: Remove Yourself
1. Once new owner is active
2. Leave the workspace as owner

### Step 3: Full Transfer
For complete workspace transfer:
- Contact support for assistance
- May require verification

## Owner vs. Team Lead

Understanding the difference:

| Capability | Owner | Team Lead |
|------------|-------|-----------|
| Workspace settings | Full access | No access |
| Billing management | Yes | No |
| Create/delete workspaces | Yes | No |
| Manage all teams | Yes | Own team only |
| View all projects | Yes | Team projects only |
| Invite to workspace | Yes | No |
| Invite to team | Yes | Yes |

## Multiple Owners Best Practices

### When to Have Multiple Owners

Consider multiple owners when:
- Team leads need billing access
- Business continuity is important
- Multiple departments share administration
- You need backup administrators

### Recommended Structure

| Organization Size | Recommended Owners |
|-------------------|--------------------|
| 1-5 people | 1-2 owners |
| 6-20 people | 2-3 owners |
| 20+ people | 3-5 owners |

### Communication Among Owners

When you have multiple owners:
- Coordinate major changes
- Agree on subscription decisions
- Share billing responsibilities
- Document administrative procedures

## Security Considerations

### Protecting Owner Access

- Use strong, unique passwords
- Enable two-factor authentication (when available)
- Review owner list regularly
- Remove owners who leave the organization

### Owner Activity

All owners can:
- Access all workspace data
- Make irreversible changes (deletion)
- Manage billing and subscriptions
- Invite other owners

Choose owners carefully.

## Troubleshooting

### Cannot Add Owner

**"Maximum owners reached"**
- Remove an existing owner first
- Maximum is 5 owners per workspace

**"Invitation already exists"**
- Check pending invitations
- Cancel old invitation if needed

### Cannot Remove Owner

**"Cannot remove last owner"**
- Add another owner first
- At least 1 owner required

**"You don't have permission"**
- Only owners can manage other owners
- Check your workspace role

### Owner Didn't Receive Invitation

- Check spam/junk folder
- Verify email address is correct
- Resend the invitation
- Try shareable link instead

### Cannot Leave Workspace

**"You are the only owner"**
- Add another owner first
- Or delete the workspace if no longer needed

## Related Topics

- [Workspace Settings](/docs/user-guides/workspaces/workspace-settings) - Configure your workspace
- [Billing Information](/docs/user-guides/workspaces/billing-information) - Payment and subscription
- [Team Roles](/docs/user-guides/teams/team-roles) - Team-level permissions