What should a software access request include?

Who needs access, to which tool, at what level, why, for how long, who their manager is, and what data the tool holds.

Who should approve access?

The manager for standard tools, and one named owner for tools with customer, financial or HR data.

Pick a schedule you will keep, such as every few months, and remove access the same day someone leaves.

Every new hire and every new tool means an access request. A standard request and a standard rule keep the answer fast and the permissions tidy.

A template with blanks, not legal advice. Rules on pay, leave and data vary by state, so check yours.

Subject: Access request for [tool] for [name]
Hi [approver], please give [name] [role or access level] on [tool].
Why: [one line]. For how long: [permanent / until date]. Their manager: [name]. Data the tool holds: [none / customer / financial / HR].

Standard tools for the role: the manager approves, [person] sets up within [number] business days.
Tools with customer, financial or HR data: [person] approves in writing.

Give the lowest level that lets the person do the job. Admin access needs [person].
Remove access the same day someone leaves or changes role. Review access every [number] months.

Every request, approval and removal is saved in [place] with the date.
Shared logins are [not allowed / allowed only for [tools] with [password manager]].

Write each answer once, with an owner and the date you last confirmed it. These ten answers are what a bot or a shared FAQ should answer from.

1.How do I ask for access to a tool?
Answer: [The form or message, and where to send it.]
Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].
2.Who approves my request?
Answer: [The approver by tool type.]
Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].
3.How long does it take?
Answer: [The setup time in business days.]
Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].
4.Why can I only see part of a tool?
Answer: [The rule about the lowest level that does the job.]
Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].
5.Can I get admin access?
Answer: [Who approves it and when it is given.]
Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].
6.Can I share a login with a teammate?
Answer: [Your rule and the exceptions.]
Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].
7.What happens to my access when I change roles?
Answer: [What is removed, when and by whom.]
Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].
8.What happens on my last day?
Answer: [The same day removal and who does it.]
Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].
9.Who do I tell if I think someone has access they should not have?
Answer: [A name and a channel.]
Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].
10.Where can I see what I have access to?
Answer: [The list, or who can send it.]
Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

Start from the tools that hold customer, money or HR data, and decide those rules first.
Keep the request form short enough that people use it.
Test your bot or FAQ with the ten questions before you rely on it.

Want to check a bot against these questions? Use the free honesty test, or turn the answers into a shareable FAQ with the team FAQ builder.

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Who needs access, to which tool, at what level, why, for how long, who their manager is, and what data the tool holds.
The manager for standard tools, and one named owner for tools with customer, financial or HR data.
Pick a schedule you will keep, such as every few months, and remove access the same day someone leaves.