How to Create and Manage Users

IMPORTANT: The information in this article is specific to Orchid version 1.12.7 or earlier.  Equivalent instructions for Orchid versions 2.0.0 and above are available in the Orchid Core VMS Administrator Guide in the chapter "Creating and Managing Users".

After installation, Orchid is configured with one administrator user by default. However, additional users can be created with varying levels of privileges through the User Management option in Orchid’s configuration menu.

User Roles:

Orchid allows you to create users with one of four different roles, with each having a different level of access:

• Administrator: An administrator is able to do everything within Orchid, including activating Orchid, adding new users, resetting passwords, and viewing System Reports.
• Manager: A Manager account can add and manage cameras, rewind streams, export video, and control PTZ streams, but is unable to create or manage users.
• Viewer: A Viewer account is able to rewind and view live streams.
• Live Viewer: A Live Viewer is only able to stream live streams.

User roles are set when you create new users. However, the role for an existing user can be changed by using the “Edit User” button. Editing users is explained further later in this article.

Creating a New User:

1. Click the “Add User” button in the top right-hand corner of the User Management menu.

2. A form will appear below the list of current users. Enter the username you would like set for the new user into the “Username” text box.

3. Enter the password for the new user into the two text boxes labeled “Create Password”.

4. Select the role for the new user in the Role drop down menu. The viewer role is the default role. However, the role can always be updated by an administrator after the user is created.

5. Click the “Add User” button at the bottom of the form to create the new Orchid user.

The new user will now appear in the list of users and is automatically ready to be used in Orchid.

Editing and Deleting Existing Users:

Nothing is set in stone for Orchid users and all of the user settings can be updated as needed. To edit a user, click the “Edit User” button to the right of the user you want to update.

After clicking the “Edit User” button, then a “Manage User” form will appear below the list of current users. All of the fields are editable and will be effective as soon as the “Save Changes” button is clicked. For example, if the username for “newuser” needs to be changed, you would simply need to type the new username into the “Username” text box.

For specific instructions on how to update a user's password, be sure to read our "How to Change a User's Password" guide.

Note: When editing a user, a password needs to be entered into the “Change Password” fields, even if the password is remaining unchanged.

The only user that cannot be completely edited is the default admin user. While its password can be updated, its username and role cannot be changed.

To delete an existing user, click the trash can icon to the right of each username. Orchid will ask you to confirm that you would like to remove the user, however, once you confirm you want the user removed it will be permanently erased.