Navigating Shopify's New Dev Dashboard: Collaborator Permissions & Long-Term Merchant Relationships

Hey everyone,

As a Shopify expert and someone who spends a lot of time sifting through the community forums, I often come across discussions that hit close to home for many of us working with multiple merchant stores. Recently, a thread caught my eye that really resonated, especially for agencies and developers managing long-term client relationships on Shopify. It highlighted a specific pain point with the new Dev Dashboard concerning collaborator permissions.

The Head-Scratcher: Updating Permissions in the New Dev Dashboard

The conversation kicked off with Annette_Powell, who articulated a frustration many of us have likely felt. Annette pointed out a significant change in the new Shopify Dev Dashboard interface:

"Has anyone else run into issues managing collaborator permissions with long-term merchant relationships in this new interface for the 'dev dashboard'? We work with merchants across multiple apps and have had collaborator access to some stores for years. With the current process, we can resend a collaborator request, but we have no way to add new permissions to an existing connection or see what permissions were originally granted. In the past we used to just 'remove the expired request' and had the ability to send a new one. That feature seems to have been removed."

This is a big deal, right? For those of us who've built up years-long relationships with merchants, having seamless access management is crucial. Imagine you're working on a store for a while, and suddenly a new project comes up that requires access to, say, 'Manage apps and channels' or 'Edit themes' – permissions you didn't need initially. In the old system, it was relatively straightforward: you'd remove the old request (or let it expire) and send a new one with the updated permissions. Simple, clean.

But now, as Annette highlighted, that ability to easily update permissions on an existing connection seems to be gone. You can resend the *original* request, but not one with *new* permissions. This creates a real headache when your scope of work expands.

Why This Is a Pain Point for Agencies and Developers

Annette perfectly summed it up: "This is creating some real pain points when we need access to something we didn't request initially." And she's absolutely right. For agencies, this isn't just a minor inconvenience; it affects workflow efficiency, client communication, and potentially project timelines. Needing a new permission can mean:

• Increased friction: More back-and-forth with the merchant.
• Risk of errors: Manual permission updates by merchants can lead to mistakes or missed settings.
• Lack of transparency: Not being able to see what permissions were originally granted makes auditing and planning harder.

The Current Workaround (and What the Community Suggests)

While the thread didn't magically reveal a hidden button in the Dev Dashboard to solve this, it did implicitly point to the current reality. One community member, tim_tairli, chimed in with a general piece of advice that, while not a direct solution to Annette's specific dashboard issue, highlights the existing manual process: "In my area I was always able to ask a merchant to add required permissions…"

This is indeed the core of the workaround right now: direct communication and a more manual process.

What to Do When You Need New Collaborator Permissions

Given the current state, if you find yourself needing to update collaborator permissions for an existing merchant relationship, here's the typical process you'll need to follow:

1. Identify the New Permissions Needed: Clearly list out exactly what new access areas you require for your ongoing work.

2. Communicate with Your Merchant: Reach out to your client and explain that you need updated permissions for your collaborator account. Be very clear about *why* these permissions are necessary for the new tasks or expanded scope.

3. Two Main Paths for the Merchant:

   • Option A: Merchant Adds Permissions Manually (Less Common for Agencies): The merchant can log into their Shopify admin, go to Settings > Users and permissions, find your collaborator account, and manually tick the new permissions required. This can be prone to error if they're not familiar with the exact settings.

   • Option B: Revoke and Re-request Access (More Common for Comprehensive Updates): This is often the cleaner, albeit more disruptive, method for agencies when significant permission changes are needed. It ensures you get exactly the access you need from a fresh request. Here's how it generally works:

     1. Merchant Revokes Existing Access: Ask your merchant to go to Settings > Users and permissions in their Shopify admin, locate your collaborator account, and click "Remove" or "Revoke access." Confirm with them once this is done.

     2. You Send a NEW Collaborator Request: From your Shopify Partner Dashboard, navigate to the store, and initiate a brand new collaborator request. Make sure to select *all* the permissions you need for current and anticipated future work, including the new ones. Remember, it's better to ask for slightly more than you think you'll need initially, within reason, to avoid this process again soon.

     3. Merchant Approves the New Request: The merchant will receive a new email invitation. They will need to accept this new request, granting you access with the updated, comprehensive set of permissions.

It's definitely not as smooth as the old "remove expired request and send a new one" feature, which was a real time-saver. The added steps, especially involving the merchant directly, can introduce delays and potential friction into your workflow. It forces us to be extra diligent in our initial permission requests, anticipating future needs as much as possible.

This thread really underscores the importance of clear communication with clients and the need for Shopify to continue refining the Dev Dashboard experience. If you've also run into this issue or found a more elegant workaround, definitely share your insights in the Shopify Partner Community! Your feedback helps shape the platform for everyone.