Inheritance mode

Table of contents


The Inheritance mode allows some Box configuration elements to be created in an upper-level Box and inherited (apply to) its sub-Boxes. 

When a Box inherits elements, it takes them from all its upper-level Boxes.

For example, Program Increments in the example below inherit Quick filters from their direct parent (OMEGA), Portfolio Box, and Home (root) Box. If Quick filters in the Portfolio Box are updated, all Boxes nested underneath (set up to inherit Quick filters) will reflect that change.

Home and Portfolio are greyed out because the logged-in user doesn't have access to them (they weren't assigned any roles in those Boxes). This means the logged-in user can't access the configuration of those Boxes to make changes - if they want to edit Quick filters inherited from the Home (root) Box, they can't do it, as this change has to be performed in a Box they can't access. 

ALFA is a same-level box as OMEGA. It's not a parent of OMEGA, so Quick Filters from ALFA are not inherited by Program Increments nested under OMEGA.

When you are in Box Configuration, the inherited items are marked with an upward-pointing arrow. When you hover your mouse over the arrow, you can see which Box the item has been inherited from. 

Items not marked with an arrow are native to the Box and can be modified and deleted.

Inherited items have to be changed in the Box they have been created in. 

Even if inheritance mode is turned on, no items may get inherited if they aren't set up in upper-level Boxes. 

Inherited elements

You can set inheritance mode for:

For example, The Quick Filters inheritance page in Administration > Box type > Program > Quick filters

Security and access

Inheritance mode is set up for a Box type, meaning all Boxes of a given type have the same setup.

Inheritance mode is set up for each element separately. This means you can, for example, ensure Column views are inherited, but Quick filters aren't.

You can find Inheritance settings in App Administration > Box types section > Box details (select one of the Box types).

To access it, you need the App Administrator security role.

Inheritance modes

Three Inheritance modes determine whether users can customize the Box settings.

In general, selecting "Inherited mode" means that the upper-level Boxes impose the configuration, and you can change the settings of all sub-Boxes by editing the upper-level Box. As a result, users will be unable to change some of the settings of the Box configuration since it is already preconfigured. Fewer settings to choose from will make the App more straightforward to understand. The "Own mode" provides much more flexibility.

The word "Item" in the table below refers to Card Views, Quick Filters, or Column Views settings, which can be inherited when a new Box is created or moved to an upper-level Box of a different type.

Inheritance mode

Description

Active and favorite settings

Mode change

Editing inherited items

Inheritance mode

Description

Active and favorite settings

Mode change

Editing inherited items

Own

In this mode, you can personalize the settings on the Box type configuration and Box configuration pages.

The personalized settings of the upper-level boxes are not shown when viewing the sub-Box configuration.

The currently used (Active) setting is selected for the sub-Boxes if the sub-Box mode is set to:

  • Inherited

  • Own with Inherited

To "Own with Inherited:"

  • reveals "Inherited" items

To "Inherited:"

  • hides "Own" items

  • shows "Inherited" items

Not applicable

Own with inherited

All the configured items for the upper-level Box are available to users in this mode.

The box admin cannot add your configuration to the Box configuration.



Apply to both upper-level and sub-Boxes in the following modes:

  • Inherited

  • Own with Inherited

To "Inherited:"

  • hides "Own" items

Not allowed

Inherited only

In this mode, you can not personalize the settings predefined in the upper-level Box.

The configuration tabs in the Box configuration are not displayed.

Apply to both upper-level and sub-Boxes in the following modes:

  • Inherited

  • Own with Inherited

To "Own with Inherited:"

  • reveals "Own" items

  • allows creating "Own" items



Not allowed

For example, the Program type has the Inheritance mode set to 'Own.' Use the 'Own' inheritance mode to allow Box admin to create and edit Quick filters in the Box configuration > Tasks > Quick Filters. Let's add a new Quick filter - 'Time estimate is empty':

Now, let's create a new Box using the Program type, and the Quick Filter appears on the list:

The Box admin can edit the list of Quick filters in the Box configuration > Tasks > Quick Filters:

Next, let's create a sub-Box with the Quick Filter inheritance set to Inherited only and remove one of the Quick Filters from the upper-level Box (delete "My tasks" Quick Filter):

As the Inheritance mode is set to Inherited only, the Quick Filter tab is not shown in the Box configuration, and Box admin can not edit the Quick Filters:

Inheritance of Security settings

Security settings are always inherited. 

There are only two possible security inheritance modes:

  • Own with inherited

  • Inherited

Inherited security roles are not visible in Box configuration - a user is visible only in the Box where they were initially added.

The mechanism is shown here.

Recommended use

If you want specific settings to apply to all boxes, you can change them for the Home (root) Box. As long as other Boxes are set to inherit an element, changing it on the root level will apply to all inheriting Boxes.