---
sourceDocument: Australia ServiceNow AI Platform Capabilities
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/servicenow-platform

 Release :

    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia ServiceNow AI Platform Capabilities

ft:clusterId :

    - platcap

bundleId :

    - platcap

workflow :

    - Platform


---

# Control access at the knowledge base level through user criteria

# Control access at the knowledge base level through user criteria {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Australia
* 
* Updated March 12, 2026
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read

You specify user criteria for a knowledge base to control which users are granted
access to read and contribute knowledge articles to that knowledge base.

## Before you begin

Role required: knowledge_manager, knowledge_admin, or admin  
Note:  
To administer a scoped knowledge base, you must have the application-specific admin role in addition to the knowledge_admin or admin role. For more information, see [Scoped knowledge bases](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/syeRR3cF79Kc7zvjxj6rPQ "To protect knowledge bases containing sensitive articles, use a scoped knowledge base. Even system administrators and knowledge administrators can't administer scoped knowledge bases unless explicitly authorized through user criteria.").

## About this task

You can assign user criteria to control read or contribute access. For example, you could enable all users in your Support department to have contribute access to a knowledge base by creating a user criteria record with the required department set to Support, and then including the user criteria record in the Can Contribute user criteria. For more information, see [Managing access to knowledge bases and knowledge articles](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/3BXkJNu_yngCF5YeYJmACA "Determine whether certain users or categories of users can access knowledge bases and knowledge articles by controlling contribute and read access."). Try to use only user criteria, which were introduced in Knowledge Management v3, to control access to knowledge bases. Roles were used for this purpose in Knowledge Management v2.  
Note:  
Starting with the Washington DC release, the Knowledge Management v3 homepage (com.snc.knowledge3) is being prepared for deprecation in the future Y release. It is replaced by the Knowledge Management
Service Portal (com.snc.knowledge_serviceportal), which is active by default for customers on Madrid and later releases. For more information about the new experience, see [Knowledge Management Service Portal homepage features](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/hlTiRCSbSkIvg3FhlVXqtQ "The Knowledge Management Service Portal homepage displays knowledge articles organized by knowledge base and category, as well as featured content and popular articles. Learn how to navigate the homepage to search for and find useful and relevant information quickly.").

## Procedure

1. Navigate to AllKnowledgeAdministrationKnowledge Bases.
2. Click the link to knowledge base you manage.
3. Add user criteria to the knowledge base.
   1. Depending on the user criteria you want to set, select one or more of the relevant related lists.  
      {#t_SelectUserCriteria__table_kkn_5qy_3jb__entry__2}

      | Related list | Description |
      |-|-|
      | Can Read | Users can read knowledge articles in the knowledge base. |
      | Cannot Read | Users can't read knowledge articles in the knowledge base. |
      | Can Contribute | Users can create, modify, and retire knowledge articles in a knowledge base. Contribute access to a knowledge base also provides read access to all articles in the knowledge base. |
      | Cannot Contribute | Users can't create, modify, retire, or read knowledge articles in the knowledge base. |
      [ ]

      {#t_SelectUserCriteria__table_kkn_5qy_3jb}  
      Note:  
      If the related lists aren't visible, configure the Knowledge form to display them. For more information, see [Add a
      related list to a form](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=configure-form-layout&version=australia&pubname=australia-platform-administration&ft:locale=en-US).
   2. In the selected related list, add the required user criteria.  
      * As a user with the admin role, to add a new user criteria record, click New, specify the required fields, and then click Submit.
      * As a user with the knowledge_manager, knowledge_admin, or admin role, to add an existing user criteria record, click Edit, move the required user criteria from the Collection column to the Knowledge column, and then click Save.
      {#t_SelectUserCriteria__ul_bhq_1ry_3jb}
   {#t_SelectUserCriteria__substeps_vbc_jg4_mjb}
4. On the Knowledge Base form, click Update.
{#t_SelectUserCriteria__steps_ubc_jg4_mjb}

## What to do next

After you add user criteria, you can use the user criteria diagnostics feature to verify the access that users have to a knowledge base or a knowledge article. For more information, see [User criteria diagnostics for Knowledge Management](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/CxMWCT_EBzmIA5RcGQe50w "Manage user access to a knowledge base or an article using user criteria diagnostics. Understand what access users have to a knowledge base or an article and determine which user criteria define those permissions.").  
Important:  
After making user criteria additions or changes, you may need to log out and log back in to clear the prior configuration.
**Related tasks**   

* [Create a knowledge base](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/UIignkeSft0ySIS10rUiYQ "Create a knowledge base to provide a self-service platform for users to store, share, and manage content. Configure knowledge bases into product or service categories and manage user access based on permissions. Customize workflows for publishing and retiring articles in the knowledge base.")
* [Create user criteria for controlling access to knowledge bases and articles](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ABfqO3sqNndQKz6J9Hu9lA "Control access to knowledge bases and articles by creating user criteria.")
* [Control access at the knowledge article level through user criteria](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ScgSd4Z_mX2URtZdjmMxmg "You specify user criteria for a knowledge article to control which users are granted read access to the knowledge article.")

*[\>]: and then