How LinkedIn Ad Account Ownership and Partner Access Work
Ad account roles, Business Manager ownership, and why some changes to partner access need support.
Is this your situation?
You cannot tell who actually controls an ad account, or why a partner's access cannot be turned down once it is set. You manage an ad account shared across more than one organization inside Business Manager.
What it is
An ad account can be owned by a Business Manager account. Everyone who has access to an ad account has a specific user role. When an ad account is shared with a partner, the owner assigns the partner the highest user role available when the partner adds its own people. A partner can only see and act on the specific assets that have been shared with them. In Business Manager, a role level given to a partner can currently only be increased, not decreased.
How LinkedIn handles this
- No ad accounts or Pages are shared automatically when a partner is added in Business Manager.
- If a company uses Business Manager, a person's access can be seen from both Business Manager and Campaign Manager.
- After an ad account is shared with a partner, the assigned role can be edited.
- To decrease a role level provided for an ad account or Page, you must contact support.
- A Business Manager admin can stop sharing ad accounts, Pages, Matched Audiences, or lists with a partner when needed.
Side by side
| Situation | What happens in the interface | What needs support |
|---|---|---|
| Raising a partner's role | The role level can be increased directly. | Not stated by LinkedIn |
| Lowering a partner's role | Not stated by LinkedIn | Contact support to decrease the role level. |
| Stopping sharing of an ad account | Not stated by LinkedIn | Contact support to stop sharing an ad account with a partner. |
| Removing a partner entirely | Stops sharing all ad accounts, Pages, and lists with that partner. | Shared assets must first be unshared, which needs support. |
| Requesting access to a partner's ad account | A request to manage employee access can be sent from your own Business Manager. | Not stated by LinkedIn |
Common mistakes
- Assuming a role can be lowered In Business Manager, a role level for ad accounts or Pages can only be increased, not decreased.Why it happens: Editing roles looks like one action.Already happened: If access may already be lost — Recover a LinkedIn Account Held by a Former Employee or Agency
- Expecting removal to end access People are not removed from an ad account when the ad account is removed from Business Manager.Why it happens: Removing the account looks like it removes its users.
- Removing a partner while assets are shared Before removing a partner, all shared ad accounts, Pages, Matched Audiences, allow lists, and block lists must stop sharing first.Why it happens: The removal option appears before sharing ends.
If this changes who is in control
When a partner is removed, shared ad accounts, Pages, and lists stop being shared, which changes who can act on them. Review how Campaign Manager, Business Manager and agencies relate before removing a partner.
Quick reference
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who assigns a partner's role on a shared ad account? | The owner of the ad account assigns the highest role available to the partner. |
| Can a partner see everything in a shared ad account? | Partners can only see and act on assets specifically shared with them. |
| Can a role be lowered in the interface? | No, role levels can currently only be increased, not decreased. |
| How is a role decreased? | By contacting support. |
| Does removing an ad account remove its people? | No, people are not removed from the ad account. |
| What must happen before a partner is removed? | All shared ad accounts, Pages, and lists must first stop being shared. |
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I lower a partner's access level?
In Business Manager, the role level provided for ad accounts or Pages can currently only be increased, not decreased.
How do I reduce a partner's role, then?
To decrease the role level provided for an ad account or Page in Business Manager, you must contact support.
Does removing the ad account also remove its people?
No, people are not removed from an ad account when the ad account is removed from Business Manager.
Keeping track of who has access
Confusion over who holds which role builds quietly as partners, ad accounts, and roles accumulate inside Business Manager. Delvia keeps a plain record of who has access to what, so a question like this has an answer before it needs one.
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