We started managing that way - by site with duplication of all of the groups for each of the various functions.  We will have about 40 sites.  It didn’t take us long to realize this was very cumbersome, labor intensive for IT, always needing updated because some user was left out….so we abandoned the idea.

We reviewed the entire plan and simplified and consolidated as many areas that we could.  For example, all Buyers go in the same group, it doesn’t matter which site they are in.  The quote and pricing information they attach can be seen within the system anyway, so no point in separating it.  Each place we could simplify, it has made things much easier to manage.

Where we need the separation, we might have very specific person groups per document class and per company.  (AP Invoices per company for example)  In that case, we did create very narrow person groups to separate and protect those documents.  These are also relatively easy to manage because the person group is named with the document type and the company in the ID and each contains only a few users that are just for that companies AP department.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT is generic for all companies, the others below are specific to a document type and company

We did the same for workflows, they person group is very narrow and specific to the Document Class which is named in the Group ID

The Group ID is limited by characters, so you have to be a bit clever with the abbreviations, but the Description field is much larger so it can be used to an advantage for clarity.

My advice is simplify the large group and then manage only the exceptions.

Hi,
A couple of years ago I had the following requirements from the customer when they where at APP8:
They wanted a global Document Management Solution that supports a Roll Out plan with additional sites.
-The administration of the solution should be manageable.
-The solution should meet different requirements regarding access and approvals between different sites.
-The  solution include one CF and some events. The events are designed in a way that they should not need to be changed when an additional site is added. It is only basic data for the new sites that needs to be added.

Event 1: Enable Site specific rows in Access Template when Document record is created. Rows specific for User’s default site.
Event 2: Add Approval Template (Route) when Document record is created. Selects Template ID based on Class + User’s default site
Event 3: Add site in a Custom Field, CF, on the form Document Revision(s) based on the default site of the User, when Document record is created.
Event 4: To have safety and assembly instructions on Inventory Part to follow maintenance material requisitions to the work order.

Access Template – Disabled, but when a Document is Created/Check in File – Custom Event is triggered
For more details see: PPT in THOR, Doc.No: EU1299101
I hope this is helpful.

Best Regards,
Jonas Hermansson

Thank you both very much for your suggestions and feedback- this was really helpful and I will suggest your approaches to the customer! @JONHSE @ShawnBerk