Abstract: A method of controlling the granting of permissions to selected recipients by owners of data in a system is described. The method includes identifying permissions that an organization has if an invitation from a particular owner of data is accepted by an administrator of the organization, sending electronic communications comprising at least an invitation from each of the owners and corresponding combinations of permissions to the administrator of the organization, and receiving an assignment of each of the owners to one or more organization-defined access groups. The method further includes receiving an assignment of selected staff members to a plurality of roles, and granting particular permissions to the selected staff members for each of the owners according to one or more access groups having a particular owner and the selected staff members, and to the plurality of roles for the particular owner having the selected staff.