Overview
Tern just shipped a few changes to how Traveler permissions work, based on feedback we heard from advisors and travelers. This article is an overview of those changes, and a guide to some of the frequently asked questions we get about traveler access.
December 2023 Changes
What we heard:
"Primary Traveler" terminology is confusing in Tern. We handle access and permissions a bit differently from other systems who typically use this language.
Travelers struggle to access the right things in Tern.
They will often get a confusing "no access" modal, with no help on what to do next.
It was previously very hidden (and confusing) to actually give them "Primary Traveler" access - so even when they figured out how to create an account, they often didn't have the right permissions to access what they needed.
The traveler sign up flow was a bit confusing - they had to actually select that they were a traveler during that process, and add other information that wasn't as important.
What we changed:
1. Updated "Primary Traveler" language to "Full Access" (vs "Limited Access")
Full Access: travelers with full access can approve and request edits on itineraries, add comments, view documents, and authorize payments (coming soon). These permissions are identical to "Primary Traveler" historical permissioning. Any travelers who were previously "Primary Travelers" will be automatically marked as "Full Access".
Limited Access: travelers with limited access can see trip details, but not take any specific action. Any travelers who did not have "Primary Traveler" access previously will be automatically marked as "Limited Access".
2. Changed default logic so that all new travelers added to a trip have "Full Access" permissions
Don't worry - you can always downgrade their access by selecting "Manage Travelers" in the Trip Overview tab
3. Improved Traveler messaging & streamlined their sign-up flow
If a traveler isn't logged in and tries to approve an itinerary, request revisions, or take any other action that requires Full Access, we now prompt them to log in or create an account (instead of showing a confusing alert).
If they sign up, we also streamlined their experience - so they just need to enter an email, password...
...and name
4. If the traveler still doesn't have the access they need, we updated the messaging to be more clear
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you plan to make other updates to the traveler experience? YES - we've started to hear more and more feedback related to how travelers access Tern, and will continue to improve this experience over the next few months.
My traveler can't see the 'Documents' tab - why is that? Either they aren't logged in, or they don't have the right permissions. Make sure that you've given them "Full Access", and that they've logged in or created their account.
We plan to make a few updates here, since it's confusing the documents tab is just "invisible" when they aren't logged in - stay posted for more!
How is "Full Access" different from "Primary Traveler"? It's not! The language has changed, and we now default all new travelers to "Full Access", but the permission set is the same.
Why require a traveler account at all? For now, this is the best way to ensure sensitive information (like confirmation numbers), and restricted actions (like approving itineraries and authorizing payments) are protected. In the future we may build more of a "guest check-out" flow - similar to what you might see in online shopping.