> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.paintscout.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.paintscout.com/support/account-settings/users-and-permissions/painter-user.md).
# Painter User
{% hint style="danger" %}
**Important:** this feature requires the paid **Operations add-on.**
{% endhint %}
## What is a Painter Account?
A Painter account is a purpose-built seat type designed for field workers — painters, crew members, and subcontractors. Painters get a clean, focused view of their assigned jobs and work orders without all the extra details that are included with a full PaintScout account.
{% hint style="info" %}
**Painter accounts are currently in beta and free of charge.**
If you don’t see it available in your account, please email to have it enabled.
{% endhint %}
***
## What Painters See
Painter accounts are organized around a **timeline view**. Painters can see last week, this week, and next week only — nothing beyond that.
When a painter is assigned to a job, they receive an email notification and the job appears on their schedule automatically.
### Work Orders
Each job has a work order focus. A few things to know:
* The work order from the **invoice** is used by default
* If no invoice exists yet, the **estimate** work order is shown — and automatically swaps to the invoice work order once one is created
* Work orders are always displayed in **area view** for painter accounts
* Invoice number, date, and status are removed — painters only see what's relevant to the job
***
## Custom Permissions
What a painter can see and do beyond the basics depends on their **custom permissions**. These are set when the user is first added, based on whether they're an **in-house employee** or a **subcontractor** — but can be changed at any time. [Learn more about custom permissions >](/support/account-settings/users-and-permissions/user-permissions.md)
### In-House Employee
Intended for painters who are part of your core team and should have full visibility into the job.
| Permission | Default |
| -------------------------------------------- | ------- |
| View client information (name, email, phone) | ✅ On |
| View job value and prices | ✅ On |
| Add/view payments | ✅ On |
| Add additional work | ✅ On |
| Add/view tasks, notes, and files | ✅ On |
### Subcontractor
Intended for painters who are external to your business and should have limited visibility into client and financial details.
| Permission | Default |
| -------------------------------------------- | ------- |
| View client information (name, email, phone) | ❌ Off |
| View job value and prices | ❌ Off |
| Add/view payments | ❌ Off |
| Add additional work | ❌ Off |
| Add/view tasks, notes, and files | ❌ Off |
{% hint style="warning" %}
Regardless of permissions, painters always have access to the **job address** and **deal name**. The job address falls back to the deal address, then the contact address, if no job address is found.
{% endhint %}
***
### What Painters Never Have Access To
Regardless of permissions, Painter accounts never have access to:
* Account Settings
* Contacts or Companies pages
* Pipelines
* Dashboard
* Reports
* Sales calendar
* Estimates or invoices, unless explicitly shared via the **send** button — and even then, they can only access the document through the link, not from within the app itself
***
## Adding Additional Work
When a painter adds additional work on a job, they have two options:
**Options list** — items from the original estimate or invoice that the customer didn't approve. The painter can select from these and add them to the job for approval.
**Custom line item** — the painter can create a new line item from scratch.
**A couple of important rules around additional work:**
* **Additional work the painter created** — before it's signed, they can edit or delete it. After it's signed, they need to contact the office to have it removed.
* **Additional work created by someone else** — before it's signed, the painter can delete it (which returns it to the preset list). After it's signed, they cannot edit or delete it.
***
## Notifications
Painters can toggle these notifications on or off themselves:
* **Job assigned** — when a job is added to their schedule
* **Job updated** — when the date of a job changes
* **Job cancelled** — when a job is deleted entirely
One notification is always sent and **cannot be turned off:**
* **Job re-assigned** — when a job is removed from their schedule and given to another crew or painter
***
## Adding a Painter Account
1. Go to **Account Settings** → **Billing** → **User Management**
2. Click **+ Add User**
3. Enter their name and email
4. Select their role — choose **Painter (employee)** or **Painter (subcontractor)**
5. PaintScout will set the appropriate default permissions based on the role selected
Permissions can be adjusted at any time after the user is added.
***
## Adding Painters to a Crew
Once a Painter account is set up, you can add them to a [Crew](/support/operations/crews.md) so they show up on the right jobs in their schedule. Crew Members are managed from the Crews section in settings.
1. Go to **Account Settings** → **Billing** → **User Management** → **Crews**
2. Open an existing crew or create a new one
3. In the **Crew Members** field, search for and add the Painter user
4. Click **Save**
Once added to a crew, the painter will automatically see any jobs that crew is assigned to on the **Production Calendar**.
***
## Sharing Documents with Painters
Estimates, invoices, and work orders can still be shared with painters using the existing **share** method. This sends an email with a link to the document (or the URL shared directly).
{% hint style="warning" %}
This link is **not connected to their PaintScout account** — the document won't appear inside the app, and it includes all the information on the document regardless of their permission settings.
{% endhint %}
## Related articles
* [Add a New User](/support/account-settings/users-and-permissions/how-to-add-a-new-user.md) — Invite a new Painter user as an employee or subcontractor.
* [Custom Permissions](/support/account-settings/users-and-permissions/user-permissions.md) — Review how Painter permissions work for employees and subcontractors.
* [Understanding the New User Types: What Changed and Why](/support/account-settings/users-and-permissions/understanding-the-new-user-types-what-changed-and-why.md) — See how legacy crew access is being replaced by Painter.
---
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