What is Work Access Mode?

Work Access Mode (WAM) is an Enterprise capability that allows Super Admins to view and (where permitted) act on work they ordinarily couldn’t access, including private tasks and projects, by initiating a special admin session. WAM pairs with Advanced Search so admins can find items by owner, project, or other attributes.

Important scope note (2026): WAM currently covers tasks (within projects), projects, and portfolios. Community guidance indicates that bundles and project templates aren’t yet included. Plan alternate routes for those objects.

Why it matters

• Continuity & incident response: Locate and remediate work when owners leave or permissions block critical access.

• Security & governance: Perform targeted audits without permanently elevating visibility for admins or changing project privacy.

• Operational efficiency: Resolve “can’t find it / can’t access it” tickets faster by using Advanced Search during a WAM session.

How to enable and use Work Access Mode (step-by-step)

A) Prerequisites

• Plan: Asana Enterprise (WAM is positioned for Enterprise organisations).

• Role: Super Admin in the organisation.

B) Start a Work Access Mode session

1. In Asana, open Admin Console.

2. Choose Launch Asana → Work Access Mode (label/location may vary with UI updates).

3. Confirm the prompt; a session indicator appears. This session is temporary—use it for the specific task, then exit.

C) Find the work you need

• Use Advanced Search to query across the organisation (e.g., task assignee = leaver, project = “Private”, modified date ranges).

• Open the results to view or take permitted actions, such as reassigning ownership or adjusting project membership.

D) Exit the session

• Select Exit Work Access Mode from the banner/menu to immediately return to your standard visibility. (Best practice: exit as soon as you’ve completed the task.)

Governance & guardrails (admin checklist)

• Policy: Document when WAM is allowed (e.g., leaver clean-up, audit requests, incident response).

• Logging evidence: Capture screenshots/notes of actions taken during sessions; pair with your ticket ID.

• Least privilege: Prefer Service Accounts for ongoing automations; use WAM for human troubleshooting.

• Scope gaps: If your workflow relies on bundles or templates, note that WAM doesn’t yet cover them; escalate via Asana Support or documented alternative processes.

• Training: Ensure Super Admins complete Asana’s admin education covering WAM and permission models. academy.asana.com

Practical examples (2026)

1) Leaver clean-up

Run WAM → Advanced Search for tasks owned by the leaver → bulk reassign, transfer project ownership, and verify portfolio inclusion. Exit WAM and post audit notes to the leaver ticket.

2) Private task investigation

Security raises an alert about a private task with sensitive keywords. Launch WAM → search by keyword + creator → review and update permissions or archive per policy.

3) Portfolio continuity

A portfolio driving OKRs becomes inaccessible after owner changes. Use WAM to open the portfolio, add a new owner and restore stakeholder visibility; confirm reporting resumes.

Access model refresher

Outside WAM, Asana uses layered permissions (roles like Super Admin/Admin/Member/Guest; object-level roles like Project Admin/Editor/Commenter/Viewer). Understanding the baseline model helps you decide when WAM is necessary versus a standard permission fix.

Next Steps

Want a hardened rollout with policies, admin training and a leaver-process playbook? Generation Digital can configure WAM, build audit steps, and train Super Admins.

FAQs

Does WAM grant API visibility?
No; community guidance points to WAM as a UI capability. For automation visibility, consider Service Accounts in line with your security policy. Asana Forum+1

Can WAM edit content?
Yes—within supported objects, Super Admins can act to resolve issues. Use change logs and tickets for traceability. help.asana.com

Is there a list of supported objects?
WAM covers tasks (within projects), projects, and portfolios. Bundles and project templates are commonly cited exceptions as of 2025–26. Asana Forum+2Asana Forum+2

Where do I find WAM in the UI?
From Admin Console → Launch Asana → Work Access Mode (exact wording/placement can change with navigation updates). Asana Forum

What is Work Access Mode in Asana?
A temporary Super Admin session that provides visibility into public and private tasks, projects and portfolios to diagnose or fix issues—without permanently changing privacy settings. help.asana.com

How do I enable Work Access Mode?
Open Admin Console → Launch Asana → Work Access Mode, confirm the session, then use Advanced Search to locate items. Exit the session when done. Asana Forum+1

When should I use WAM vs a Service Account?
Use WAM for ad-hoc human troubleshooting or audits; use a Service Account for automations and ongoing system-level access. help.asana.com

What doesn’t WAM cover yet?
Community threads indicate bundles and project templates aren’t included as of late 2025; plan alternate processes for those objects. Asana Forum+1