The Two Panels
There are two administration interfaces, and confusing them is the single most common source of "I cannot find that screen".
Where to find it
Architect Panel → Layout & Pages:
- Admin Panel Builder — categories, then View Items on a row
Architect Panel → Configuration:
- Site Settings — installation configuration, in the Architect Panel
The Architect Panel
Where the application is built. Datastores, fields, views, layouts, workflows, security groups, integrations, settings — everything that defines how the system behaves.
It is organised into categories by subject and is intended for a small number of people.
The Admin Panel
Where the application is administered. Day-to-day tasks by people who run the business rather than build the system — managing users, working queues, running the operational screens.
It is built from your own categories and items, so it shows what your organisation actually needs.
The distinction is build against run
"Add a field to the case record" is architecture. "Add a user to the support team" is administration. Different people, different frequency, different consequences of a mistake.
Why it matters
Because the panels have different audiences, and giving somebody the Architect Panel because they needed one administrative task is how an operational user acquires the ability to change your schema.
Much is behind row actions
In both panels. A great deal of functionality — permissions, security groups, related lists, builders — is reached by an action on a row rather than by a menu entry.
If a capability appears to be missing, look at the rows before concluding it does not exist.
Build the Admin Panel deliberately
An empty Admin Panel pushes everybody into the Architect Panel, which is the outcome the split exists to prevent. If your administrators are working in the Architect Panel daily, the Admin Panel needs building.
Grant accordingly
Architect access to the few people who design the system. Admin Panel access to the people who run it. Reviewing who holds the first is worth doing occasionally.
Worked example
An organisation found five operational staff with architect access, granted during setup for tasks that were actually administration. Building three Admin Panel categories covering those tasks let the access be removed without anybody losing what they needed.
Recommendations
- Architect for building, Admin for running.
- Build the Admin Panel or everybody ends up in the wrong one.
- Look for row actions before assuming something is missing.
- Review who has architect access.