When you’re working with item-level permissions in SharePoint, you will see this message in advanced settings:
“Note: Users with the Cancel Checkout permission can read and edit all items.”
Here’s how to check to see if a group or individual has that cancel checkout permission, or add it if needed:
By default, the permissions levels boxed in red below (Full Control, Design, Approve & Manage Hierarchy) include the “cancel checkout” permission, otherwise known as “override list behaviors” permission. You’d assign this permission level to managers or admins that need to see every item in a list or library regardless of item-level permissions set by workflow or advanced settings.
To see if the right groups have one of these permissions already:
- Check your list or library’s permissions (List settings –> Permissions for this list)
- Look at the “permission levels” column to see what level was granted to each group.
If you have a custom permissions group, or want to create or edit a permissions group:
- Go to to Permission Levels (Settings –> Site Settings –> Site permissions –> Permission levels).
- Click the name of the group you’d like to modify or click “Add a Permission Level”
- If you want that permission level to have cancel checkout make sure you check “override list behaviors”. If unchecked, users will not see all items.
