Encompass User Management Guide: Roles, Permissions, and Best Practices

Let’s consider a situation: A branch manager for a middle-sized lending organization received information indicating that a new member of the loan officer team had joined the company over three weeks before. However, the access of many files in the company’s pipeline was not possible

Upon investigation, the reason for this situation turned out to be very simple: the new employee was not properly assigned with his role. Even this tiny mistake caused delays in files and different problems related to troubleshooting and a great number of support tickets. 

This type of mistake happens very often when lending companies treat user management in Encompass as a regular onboarding process instead of understanding that it is an official and complicated part of the configuration. Correct role assignments promote effective work of the employees and at the same time, users can be sure that all sensitive information regarding the customers is safe. 

The goal of this Encompass user management guide is to clarify the way roles and permissions work and how to manage users in the proper way without making typical mistakes. 

What is Encompass User Management?

Encompass User Management is a component of the administrative module of the Encompass Loan Origination System. It enables the following essential functionalities to manage: 

• User accounts Permissions 
• Security configurations 
• Access control 

The unique feature of the Encompass system is that it practices the Persona-based permission model instead of a job title-based one. Each user has one or several Personas which define their rights. 

With the help of these Personas get answers of the following:

1. What loan screens can each user open? 
2. What loan information can be accessed or modified? 
3. What fields can be modified? 
4. What loan folders can be used? 
5. What reports can be created? 
6. Which administrative actions can be performed? 

Encompass > Admin > User Management 

A Persona is a starting point for any user title. For example, a Loan Officer and Underwriter may work on a single loan application but might require different access types to perform their work. The former might need access to pipeline tools, while the other might need access to the information on credit and other underwriting procedures. 

Let’s take the following example: 

A Loan Officer associated with Branch A can access only Branch A’s loans. 

If the same persona is assigned to Branch B, then he will be able to see only Branch B’s loans. 

Thus, the right Titles of Personas and organizational structure inform the level of visibility. 

In addition to Personas, there are other technologies that are applied to improve efficiency of work with clients (like Consumer Connect and Encompass Docs Solution). Due to improper setting of Personas, the users may not be able to execute their duties properly. 

Understanding Personas: The Core of Encompass Permissions

What is a Persona Control?

A Persona is essentially a framework that specifies the entitlements of a user in the Encompass system. Users are given a choice to either avail of current personas or even develop their own personas as per their company requirements. Understanding Encompass roles and permissions is essential because user access is controlled through Personas rather than traditional job titles. 

The aspects covered by a persona include: 

1. Loan screens: Specifies the access of users to the various components of a loan file. 
2. Forms input: Gives access to different forms and sections of the flow. 
3. Field-based permissions: Authorizes or restricts data fields. 
4. Loan folder access: Grants access to loan folders and other kinds of eFolder documents. 
5. Reporting access: Helps determine the type of reports that are accessible. 
6. Administrative functions: Dictates the level of system administration capabilities accessible to the user. 

This system allows lending institutions to implement flawless systems regarding the personnel roles of employees. 

Common Encompass Personas

A user without a Persona can not access his/her account right away. Their account will be frozen. This safety measure requires users to make an application before they are granted access to borrower’s data. 

A user without a correct Persona won’t be able to: 

• View the pipeline
• Open assigned loans
• Access the screens required
• Use workflow instruments. 

The account is created but access is restricted. 

Encompass Permission Model

Encompass utilizes a persona-based permission system. Each persona provides access control which includes Screens, Fields, Loan folders, Reports, Administration tools. This capability allows admins to create unique personas and give customized access to them as per the requirement of their organization. Surely, Encompass roles and permissions help administrators create secure workflows while ensuring employees have access to the tools they need.

Permission Model Overview

The effective management of users involves not only the assignment of profiles and rights, but also creation of proper workflows, conditions, and document requirements in the Encompass system. To learn more about how to work with and improve your workflow processes, read our detailed overview to the Encompas Enhanced Conditions Tool. It will further explain how lenders can simplify condition management. 

How to Add a New User in Encompass?

There are several processes to be tackled to proceed with bringing the users into the system successfully. Missing any of those might lead to potential access issues later on. 

Encompass User Setup Process

For companies with a large number of employees, Encompass user management automation helps reduce errors in onboarding and offboarding processes. Automated workflows facilitate filling of personas and user data and help ensure consistent access configurations across different locations. 

As lending organizations grow, manual user administration becomes difficult to manage. Automation can help streamline repetitive tasks and improve consistency across Encompass workflows. Learn more about how automation is transforming Encompass processes in our guide on Mortgage Automation Software for Encompass. 

How to Remove or Deactivate Users in Encompass?

At the offboarding stage, admins must conduct the steps involved in terminating employees from their jobs. What to think about when simplifying access: 

• Loans 
• Historical data 
• Reports 
• Templates 
• Connections 
• Automation 
• License issue 
• Delete (and disable) 

The measures for user removal depend on the specific system setting. Some documentation on API includes the details about delete action, yet on the administrative console, it is performed through deactivating, archiving or disabling the account. It is important to decide whether removal is reversible before considering that the action is irreversible. In many cases, deactivating Active status is a common procedure. 

Steps to Deactivate a User

1. Log in as Administrator.
2. Go to:

Encompass > Admin > User Management

1. Search and select the user.
2. Disable the Active status.
3. Save changes.

The user will no longer access Encompass.

What Happens After User Deactivation?

Before carrying out the above process administrators have to: 

• Re-distribute the borrowing 
• Check the connected systems 
• Change the password 
• Adjust the owner of the activity 
• Effective off-boarding assures smooth and safe execution of the processes

Encompass License and Seat Management

Encompass mentions that its license is based on the subscription model.

Encompass License Types

As an admin, it is possible to monitor license usage using this method: 

Encompass > Admin > User Management 

An administrator would have to look at the following metrics to see which licenses are idle: 

• Status active 
• Last login date 
• User action 

Administrative Permissions Recommendations 

User management is about providing users with the necessary access and not maximum access. 

Proper Encompass super admin role setup is critical because administrators have access to sensitive configuration settings, user controls, and security permissions. Super admin privileges should be limited to trusted personnel and reviewed regularly. 

Best Practices for Encompass Admins

Following Encompass user management best practices allows lenders to maintain accurate permissions, improve security, simplify audits, and reduce operational risks. Proper user management should be able to allow users access as needed only and not access all information available to them since different kinds of documents can be stored in Encompass. Also, Encompass loan folder access control plays an important role in protecting borrower information. 

Why Clean Persona Management Matters for Security?

Role-based personas must be used to: 

• Fix unauthorized access issues 
• Regularly review and update access 
• Get rid of any unnecessary permissions 
• Create distinct personas 
• Make audits easier 
• Ensure sensitive functions happen 
• Reduce risks 

Appropriate usage of Persona management consists of: 

• Having access only when necessary 
• Revoking access immediately after it is no longer needed 
• Ensuring that privileged access is kept valid and on alert 
• Facilitating all kinds of audits 

Proper Persona management also supports compliance by ensuring users only access the information required for their responsibilities. Lenders can further strengthen their workflows with reliable and robust Encompass compliance services that help maintain audit readiness and regulatory consistency. 

What Encompass Users and Admins Actually Say?

Typically, people agree upon the fact that the Encompass system is effective and flexible, but also involves some difficulties on the way. It can be proved with the fact that there are many positive reviews that highlight: 

• Complete coverage throughout the loan process 
• Consolidation of the information about the customers 
• Ability to customize the processes 
• Ability to handle large amounts of data 

However, some clients provide the following opinion: 

• The system is too complex
• Managing the workflow is difficult 
• Scalability is bad 
• The users mentioned some troubles with the process when the documents need to be saved in a case of too many distribute 

Common Mistakes Lenders Make With Encompass Permissions

1. Improper Placement of User Identifications 

It is important not only to assign appropriate user identifications but also to ensure that the relevant department gets them appropriately. There are two important things that administrators need to consider: 

• How to place user identifications?
• What are the ways of assignment of user identifications?

2. Having Too Many User Identifications 

Having too many unique user identifications causes a lot of problems for the administrator. Telling one identification from another is difficult. It is not clear who utilizes one or another identification. One cannot tell how the identifications differ from each other.

3. Lack of Documentation for Personalized User Identifications 

Documentation must be made clear and should mention: 

• What does personalization mean when it comes to user identification? 
• Which users received the role? 
• How different types of access are distinguished? 
• Which processes occur while creating the user? 

4. Misunderstanding of Bulk Setup vs. Individual Setup

When organizing large onboarding events, one should consider: 

• How to do manual setup? 
• How to do automated setup using APIs? 
• Why is it important to plan? 

5. Neglecting TPO Users 

TPO users are regulated through Encompass TPO Connect, and they differ from regular users in the following points: The persons involved in the processes are different. The rules of access differ. The licensing policies differ. 

Important Operational Considerations

To begin with, lenders need to make sure the following steps are done when performing major onboarding operations: 

• The Licensing limitation is identified 
• The Personas assignment is performed 
• The role in the organization is set and the connection to TPO is gained 

Encompass is based on subscription, therefore the raising of users number and the altering of contracts should be negotiated with ICE Mortgage Technology. In addition, it is also better to communicate with the users of TPO through TPO Connect as these have different regulations in comparison to others. 

Final Thoughts: Getting Encompass User Management Right

Encompass applies its technique called Persona to address the problem of accessibility and states that proper configuration of users is mandatory. User management is important as lack of it can generate low accessibility, inconvenient loan conditions, and risks related to compliance issues. Well-trained lenders know that user management implies a continuous process of monitoring and building Personas as it can be done in large organizations. 

Nevertheless, it is possible to use efficient user management in small and stable teams and that enables the procedure for huge organizations with many branches. At the same time, there are some difficulties connected to the usage of non-reusable access accounts and programs. It is necessary to mention that user management is effective for the loan process. 

Need help optimizing user access, permissions, and security configurations? Our Encompass administration services help lenders streamline user setup, improve compliance, and maintain efficient loan workflows. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I manage users in Encompass?

To manage users, the administrators will have to access the Encompass > Admin > User Management menu. This module enables the administrators to: 

• Add users
• Add personas
• Assign access rights
• Define the location of the company
• Deactivate users
• Verify the status of user accounts

2. How do I set up roles and permissions in Encompass?

Roles can be assigned or changed based on the relevant persona and the level of access. In most cases, the administrator can configure settings for: 

• Screens
• Fields
• Loans folders
• Reports
• Admin functions

Additionally, it is necessary to check the organization’s hierarchy as it defines the visibility of data in Encompass. 

3. How do I add a new user to Encompass?

The process of adding a new user basically consists of the following steps: 

• Creating an account and importing relevant credentials 
• Assigning proper Persona 
• Grouping users based on their branch or department 

4. How do I deactivate a user in Encompass?

The steps to deactivate a user are as follows: 

• Go to the Encompass menu and pick Administrative services > User management 
• Locate the desired user’s account 
• Disable the Active status 
• Confirm the changes made 

Before doing that, ensure that no pending loans must be transferred and necessary workflows have been verified. 

5. What are best practices for Encompass user management?

There are several best practices such as: 

• Implementation of role-based Personas 
• Ensuring that users are given only minimum access rights 
• Regular checking of permissions 
• Maintaining the database of custom Personas 
• Avoiding duplication 
• Separating sensitive data duties 
• Following exit procedures