Executive user management controls how activity data is captured and displayed for executives and others who handle sensitive internal information. Because executive communications may contain confidential details, Backstory provides options to limit or fully disable data ingestion, preventing sensitive emails and meetings from being processed or synced to Salesforce. Configuring these settings correctly protects your organization while still allowing executives to use Backstory if needed.
Note: Managing user settings requires a Backstory administrator account.
Add Executive With Activity Data Off (Recommended)
The safest approach is to add executives with activity data completely disabled. This ensures Backstory will not read the executive's inbox or calendar, and no activity data will be synced to Salesforce.
Log into Backstory as an administrator.
Click the grid icon in the top left corner.
Select Admin Panel.
In the left navigation menu under User Management, click Users and Teams.
Click Add User, or locate the executive in your existing user list.
Assign a Configuration Profile that has Intake Data set to Off.
Click Save.
Note: We recommend contacting your CSM before making any future changes to an executive's activity data settings.
Add Executive With Activity Data On
If an executive wants to view their own activity data in Backstory, take the following precautions before enabling data capture. These steps help limit the exposure of sensitive information.
Prerequisites: Review sensitive domains and email addresses with the executive before completing these steps.
Update your Email and Calendar Exclusions to exclude sensitive contacts and domains from being processed and from syncing to Salesforce.
Log into Backstory as an administrator.
Click the grid icon in the top left corner.
Select Admin Panel.
In the left navigation menu under User Management, click Users and Teams.
Locate the executive user
Click the three vertical dots on the right side of their row, then click Edit.
Set the Display Data permission to Hide so their data is only visible to themselves.
Click Save.
Note: Even with activity data turned off, some data may still sync if an executive is copied on an external email thread with another Backstory user who has activity data enabled. Keep your local filters current to minimize this risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Intake Data and Display Data permissions?
Intake Data controls whether Backstory captures and processes a user's emails and meetings at all. Display Data controls who can see that captured data within Backstory. Setting Intake Data to Off means no data is collected, while setting Display Data to Hide means data is collected but visible only to the user themselves.
Will setting Display Data to Hide prevent an executive's data from syncing to Salesforce?
No. The Hide setting only limits visibility within Backstory. To prevent data from syncing to Salesforce, you must use local filter settings or disable Intake Data entirely.
What happens if an executive is copied on an email with a Backstory user who has activity data enabled?
Even if the executive's own activity data is turned off, some data may still sync to Salesforce in this scenario because the other user's data is being captured. Keeping local filters up to date helps reduce this risk.
Can I change an executive's activity data settings after the initial setup?
Yes, but it is strongly recommended that you contact your Customer Success Manager (CSM) before making any changes to an executive's activity data settings to understand the potential implications.
Who is responsible for maintaining local filters for executive accounts?
Your Backstory administrator is responsible for ensuring local filters are kept up to date to protect sensitive executive data from being processed or synced to Salesforce.
Need Help?
Contact your CSM or email support@backstory.ai.