Impersonation lets you see DataMind OS as another user does, with the same roles and data access, so you can check what they see. Use it to troubleshoot a problem without asking for their password.
Check that you can impersonate
You need the User Impersonation permission. In the permission editor, it is a Standard set that contains View Users and Impersonate Users. Users Administrator does not include it, so you must grant it separately. The built-in Admin role always holds it. Impersonation has no settings of its own. For every Standard permission, see the Permission reference.
Start a session from the account menu
Open the account menu in the sidebar and click Impersonate user. The entry appears only when your role includes Impersonate Users.
In the picker, type in Search by name or email, then choose the person. Use the arrow keys and Enter, or click their row.
Read the confirmation and click View as followed by the person's first name. Click Cancel to stop without starting a session.
The picker shows 20 users at a time. Click Load more to see the rest. If nobody can be chosen, it reads Nobody to act as; a search that finds nothing reads No user matches that search.
Start a session from Users
Go to Admin > Profile Management > Users. To open a user from the list, see Users.
Right-click the person's row and click Impersonate user. Or click the row to open its panel, then click Impersonate under Access.
Confirm the same way as in the picker: click View as followed by the first name.
The row action and the panel action appear only for a person you may view as, so they are not offered for inactive users, for members of the built-in Admin role, or for yourself.
Who you can view as
You can view as an active user who has at least one active role and is not you. Anyone who holds Impersonate Users is excluded, including every member of the built-in Admin role, because the Admin role holds that permission itself.
If a view is refused, the confirmation shows the reason:
"You cannot impersonate yourself"
"User not found or inactive"
"User has no active role, so there is nothing to view as"
"Users who can impersonate cannot themselves be impersonated"
If the switch fails for another reason, the confirmation shows "Could not act as this user. Please try again."
While you view as someone
A pill at the bottom of the screen reads Viewing as, followed by the person's name and email, and has an Exit button. It stays on every page.
Important
Changes you make while you view as someone are real. They are recorded against both of you.
You see the platform exactly as they do, including their data access.
Anything you create or change belongs to the person's account.
You are not asked to change their password, and you do not need their password or a two-factor code.
What is blocked in a view
You cannot open or create private chats, including the person's own. The refusal reads "private chats are never accessible while impersonating another user."
You cannot create or change alerts. The refusal reads "alerts cannot be created or changed while impersonating another user."
You cannot switch off content logging: the Disable content logging in DataMind OS Observability setting is not offered in a view.
Model AI can read a semantic model, but it cannot change one, and changes cannot be reverted ("Changes cannot be reverted from an impersonated session."). The acceptance mode cannot be changed either ("The acceptance mode cannot be changed from an impersonated session."). See Model AI.
Custom visual code cannot be authored, and custom code that is new or changed is refused when you save ("Custom visual code cannot be authored while impersonating another user."). See Custom visuals and the visual library.
A Model Builder session stays readable, but you cannot start, stop, continue or answer one ("Model Builder actions are not available while you are impersonating another user.").
A Mind whose Query Identity is Execute as User, and every Warehouse Builder and Lake Builder Mind, cannot run SQL. The refusal reads "SQL execution is disabled while impersonating another user; exit the view to run queries". Minds set to Owner Role keep working. Changes a Mind would make through its tools are refused; read-only tools still work. See Create and configure a Mind.
The Editor does not run SQL, and downloads from the Editor are refused. The refusal reads "SQL execution is disabled while impersonating another user; exit the view to run queries". See SQL dialect and data scope.
DataMind Oda tools are not available ("DataMind Oda tools are not available while viewing as another user."). See Use your Minds from DataMind Oda.
You cannot create an API token ("API tokens cannot be created while impersonating another user"). See API tokens.
Skill tests cannot be started or changed ("Skill tests cannot be started or changed while impersonating another user.").
Exit the session
Click Exit in the pill. DataMind OS returns you to your own account and reloads.
If the person is deactivated or loses access while you view as them, the pill reads the person's name followed by "can no longer be viewed". Click Exit to leave.
Find what happened in a session
Open Observability > Logs > Audit to see recorded requests. For requests made while you were impersonating, the User column shows the person you viewed as, and the Acting as column shows who was signed in. You need access to Observability to open the logs. See Audit, sign-in and notification logs.
Yes. They are real, and they are recorded against both of you. Some actions are blocked, as listed above.
Can I read the person's private chats?
No. Their private chats stay hidden while you view as them, including the person's own private chats.
Why can't I view as an administrator?
Members of the built-in Admin role, and anyone who holds Impersonate Users, cannot be viewed as. The Admin role holds that permission itself, so its members are always excluded.
The picker says "Nobody to act as". Why?
Everyone who could be chosen is excluded: inactive users, users with no active role, people who hold Impersonate Users, and you. If nobody is left, the picker shows that message.
How do I get back to my own account?
Click Exit in the pill at the bottom of the screen. DataMind OS returns you to your own account and reloads.
What does "can no longer be viewed" mean?
The person was deactivated, or lost access, while you were viewing as them, so the session shows you nothing. Click Exit to leave.
Does impersonation need the person's password or two-factor code?
No. You do not need their password or their two-factor code. Confirm the session, and it starts.
Who sees the Impersonate user menu item?
Only people who hold Impersonate Users, for example through the User Impersonation set.
Why does a Mind fail to run SQL while I view as someone?
A Mind on Execute as User cannot run SQL while you view as someone, and neither can Warehouse Builder or Lake Builder Minds. Minds on Owner Role keep running SQL. Exit the view to use these Minds for SQL again.
What is blocked while I view as someone?
Private chats, alert changes, content logging, Model AI changes and reverts, custom visual code, Model Builder actions, SQL on Execute as User and builder Minds, Editor SQL and downloads, DataMind Oda tools, API token creation and skill tests. The sections above list each one with its message.