# Org policies versus workspace settings

*Slack Consultant Study Guide · Policies and Settings · Last updated October 21, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/slack-consultant/policies-and-settings/org-policies-versus-workspace-settings*

How org policies and workspace settings interact in an Enterprise org: which categories live only at the org level, what an unset org policy delegates to Workspace Owners, what the lock icon means, and how to run the alignment conversation, using message editing as the worked example.

- Certification: Salesforce Slack Consultant
- Exam section: Policies and Settings
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/slack-consultant

**Official exam objective:**

> Enable org and workspaces stakeholders to align and agree on settings.

## What the exam expects

- Sort a setting into org-only, workspace-only or both, and know that identity management and system roles are org-only categories.
- Recommend whether to set an org policy or leave it unset so each Workspace Owner decides, based on what stakeholders agreed.
- Explain what a lock icon in Workspace settings means and who can change the preference.
- Advise on the impact and communication of setting message editing to Never.
- Pick a workspace access setting (Open, By Request, Invite Only, Hidden) from visibility and admin-overhead requirements.

Key terms:
- **Org policy**: a setting Org Owners or Org Admins save in Organization settings that applies to every workspace in the org.
- **Workspace setting**: a setting a Workspace Owner or Admin controls for one workspace, available only where no org policy has been set.
- **Lock icon**: the marker in Workspace settings showing a preference is locked at the org level.
- **Workspace access**: how org members find and join a workspace (Open, By Request, Invite Only, Hidden).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Org-only categories | Identity management and system roles | [Learn About Policies and Settings](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/org-and-workspace-settings-in-slack-quick-look/learn-about-policies-and-settings-in-slack) |
| Org message editing policy | Applies to every workspace in the org | [Message editing and deletion](https://slack.com/help/articles/115004868646-Manage-permissions-for-message-editing-and-deletion) |
| Workspace message editing | Only if no org policy has been set | [Message editing and deletion](https://slack.com/help/articles/115004868646-Manage-permissions-for-message-editing-and-deletion) |
| Editing set to Never | Takes effect immediately | [Message editing and deletion](https://slack.com/help/articles/115004868646-Manage-permissions-for-message-editing-and-deletion) |
| Delete own messages | Org Owners can let individual workspaces edit the permission | [Message editing and deletion](https://slack.com/help/articles/115004868646-Manage-permissions-for-message-editing-and-deletion) |
| Lock icon | Preference locked at the org level | [Manage a workspace in an Enterprise org](https://slack.com/help/articles/115005225987-Manage-a-workspace-in-an-Enterprise-organization) |
| Configure single sign-on | Org Owner only | [Permissions by role](https://slack.com/help/articles/201314026-Permissions-by-role-in-Slack) |
| Highest-overhead access setting | By Request | [Learn About Policies and Settings](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/org-and-workspace-settings-in-slack-quick-look/learn-about-policies-and-settings-in-slack) |

## Check yourself

- Why would an Org Owner leave the message editing org policy unset?
- When does a change of message editing to Never take effect?
- Which two settings categories are configured only at the org level?
- What does a lock icon next to a workspace preference mean?

## Sources

- [Learn About Policies and Settings in Slack](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/org-and-workspace-settings-in-slack-quick-look/learn-about-policies-and-settings-in-slack)
- [Manage a workspace in an Enterprise organization](https://slack.com/help/articles/115005225987-Manage-a-workspace-in-an-Enterprise-organization)
- [Manage permissions for message editing and deletion](https://slack.com/help/articles/115004868646-Manage-permissions-for-message-editing-and-deletion)
- [Set organization-level policies for apps](https://slack.com/help/articles/360038559694-Set-organization-level-policies-for-apps)
- [Permissions by role in Slack](https://slack.com/help/articles/201314026-Permissions-by-role-in-Slack)
- [Types of roles in Slack](https://slack.com/help/articles/360018112273-Types-of-roles-in-Slack)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 6 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Slack Consultant pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams