> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.rhythms.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.rhythms.ai/workspace-settings-and-administration/team-users-and-access/guest-users-read-only-access.md).

# Guest users: read-only access

A **Guest** is a user with a view-only license. Guests can open the OKRs, documents and views that are visible to them and ask the Rhythms agent questions, but they cannot create, edit, check in, comment or own anything. Rhythms Admins make someone a Guest from the **Role** dropdown at Settings › Workspace › Users, or automatically through a directory-sync group. Two things to know before you do: Guests count as billable seats, and converting an existing user to Guest removes them from every OKR they own or are delegated on, so reassign those OKRs first.

## What Guests can and cannot do

| Guests can                                                                       | Guests cannot                                         |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| View OKRs, documents and views that are public or shared with them or their team | Create OKRs, initiatives, documents or views          |
| Filter, sort, search and open OKR views and reports they can see                 | Edit, check in on or update progress of any OKR       |
| See progress, check-in history and alignment                                     | Comment on OKRs or documents                          |
| Be members of teams and see those teams' OKRs                                    | Own OKRs or be assigned as a Delegate                 |
| Ask the Rhythms agent questions about what they can see                          | Ask the agent to create or change anything            |
| Favourite items and edit their own profile                                       | Invite users, create teams or act as a Team Owner     |
|                                                                                  | Export OKR views, connect connectors or open Settings |

## How a Guest experiences Rhythms

Guests see no create or edit controls. If an action does reach the server, for example through the agent or the API, Rhythms answers "Guest users are not allowed to perform this action". In owner and delegate pickers, Guests are listed as "{name} (Guest user)" and cannot be selected, so nobody can hand an OKR to a Guest by mistake. The Rhythms agent answers a Guest's questions from the OKRs and documents visible to them but will not make changes on their behalf.

## Make an existing user a Guest

**Reassign first.** As soon as you confirm the change, Rhythms removes the user as owner and as delegate from every OKR, and those OKRs are left without an owner. The Confirm Role Change dialog lists "{n} OKRs that may need to be reassigned" and "{n} Teams that may need a new owner"; treat that list as work to do before you confirm, because the ownership itself does not survive the change. Team Owner flags are not removed automatically, but a Guest cannot perform any team action, so hand those teams to a new owner too.

1. Open **Settings › Workspace › Users**.
2. Find the person and open the dropdown in the **Role** column.
3. Choose **Guest**.
4. If the person owns active OKRs or teams, the **Confirm Role Change** dialog lists them. Click **Change Role** to proceed. If they own nothing, the change applies straight away without a dialog.

The user's access changes immediately. Nothing blocks the conversion, so the check is yours to make. See [Add and manage users](/workspace-settings-and-administration/team-users-and-access/add-and-manage-users.md) for the Users page.

## Invite someone as a Guest

On the Users page click **+ Add**. In the **Invite Users** panel, enter the email addresses, leave **Role** as **Guest** (it is the default) and click **Invite**. Guests invited this way receive the same sign-in email as other users.

## Assign Guests automatically with directory sync

If your workspace uses directory sync (SCIM), you can drive the Guest license from a group in your identity provider:

1. In your identity provider, create a group named **Rhythms Guests**. This is the default name Rhythms looks for; Rhythms support can set a different name for your workspace, but there is no setting for it in the app.
2. Make sure the group is pushed to the Rhythms directory sync connection, and that its members are also assigned to the Rhythms application.
3. Add the people who should be Guests to the group.

When someone is added to the group, Rhythms sets their license to Guest (creating the account first if it does not exist yet). When someone is removed from the group, their license goes back to a standard Member license if Rhythms has directory profile data for them, or to an HRIS-only record (no login) if it does not. See [Set up automated user provisioning (SCIM) and HRIS integration](/workspace-settings-and-administration/team-users-and-access/set-up-scim-user-provisioning.md) and [Set up SCIM user provisioning](/workspace-settings-and-administration/team-users-and-access/set-up-scim-user-provisioning.md).

## Change a Guest back to Member

On the Users page, open the **Role** dropdown on the person's row and choose **Member** (or Rhythms Admin). The confirmation says they "will gain access to create and manage content". The change is immediate. OKR ownership that was removed when they became a Guest is not restored automatically; reassign the OKRs to them if needed.

## Guests and billing

Rhythms counts a seat for every active user with a Member, Rhythms Admin or Guest license. Guests therefore count towards the seat total shown on Settings › Workspace › Billing and on your invoice. Deactivated users and HRIS-only records do not count. If your workspace is billed under an enterprise contract, check the contract for how guest seats are priced. See [Billing and subscription](/workspace-settings-and-administration/billing-and-subscription.md).

## Frequently asked questions

**Do Guests count against our licenses?** Yes. Active Guests are billable seats, the same as Members.

**Can I convert someone who owns OKRs to Guest?** You can, but their ownership and delegate roles are removed immediately and the OKRs are left without an owner. Reassign the OKRs before changing the role.

**Can Guests comment?** No. Commenting is an edit-type action and is not available to Guests.

**Can Guests export data?** No. Guests cannot export OKR views or reports.

**Can Guests be Team Owners or Delegates?** No. Guests can be team members, but ownership and delegation imply editing rights that Guests do not have.

**Can Guests see OKRs with limited visibility?** Only if the OKR has been shared with them or with a team they belong to, the same rule that applies to Members.

**How do I see who is a Guest?** On the Users page the Role column shows Guest and the License column shows guest; use the Role filter to list them.

## Related articles

* [Add and manage users](/workspace-settings-and-administration/team-users-and-access/add-and-manage-users.md)
* [OKR roles and permissions](/workspace-settings-and-administration/team-users-and-access/okr-roles-and-permissions.md)
* [Set up automated user provisioning (SCIM) and HRIS integration](/workspace-settings-and-administration/team-users-and-access/set-up-scim-user-provisioning.md)
* [Set up SCIM user provisioning](/workspace-settings-and-administration/team-users-and-access/set-up-scim-user-provisioning.md)
* [Create and manage teams](/workspace-settings-and-administration/team-users-and-access/create-and-manage-teams.md)
* [Billing and subscription](/workspace-settings-and-administration/billing-and-subscription.md)


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