In CloudM, settings are not "all or nothing." Because a single user can belong to multiple Smart Teams, their final configuration is a layered result. You may notice in Actions > Inspect Configuration that one team controls their Signature, while another controls their Backup Policy. This guide explains how this "Search and Claim" logic works.
1. The "Search and Claim" Logic
Think of your Smart Team list as a vertical stack of filters. When CloudM needs to determine a setting for a user (e.g., "Which Backup Policy should apply?"), it starts at the top of your Smart Team list (Priority 1) and searches downward:
- The "Claim": As soon as CloudM finds a Smart Team where that specific feature is set to Enable, it "claims" that value and stops searching.
- Transparency: If a Smart Team has a feature set to Disable (or it is unconfigured), that team is "transparent." CloudM ignores it for that specific feature and moves to the next team in the list.
- The Safety Net: If no Smart Team in the entire list has "claimed" the feature, CloudM falls back to the user's Organizational Unit (OU).
2. Practical Example: Alex's Mosaic
User "Alex" is in two Smart Teams with the following priorities:
- [01] Marketing (Highest Priority): Has a Signature enabled, but the Backup Policy is Disabled.
- [02] UK Staff (Lower Priority): Has both a Signature and a Backup Policy enabled.
The Result:
1. Signature: Marketing "claims" this at Priority 1. Evaluation stops. Alex gets the Marketing signature.
2. Backup Policy: Marketing is "transparent" (Disabled). CloudM moves to Priority 2. UK Staff "claims" this. Alex gets the UK Backup policy.
3. Strategy: Ranking your Preferences
To manage multiple preferred configurations, use the Reorder button in Directory > Smart Teams to rank your teams by "Granularity":
| Priority | Team Type | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| High (1-3) | Specialized / Exceptions | "Claims" specific features (like a CEO Signature) before general rules can apply. |
| Low (4+) | Broad / Global Policies | Acts as a "catch-all" for settings not claimed by specialized teams above. |
4. Important: The "Accidental Claim"
If you Enable a feature in a high-priority team but leave the selection blank (e.g., Enabling a Signature but not picking a template), that team still "claims" the feature. This will prevent any lower-priority teams from applying their own (valid) configurations. If you don't want a team to control a feature, keep it set to "Disabled."
5. Identifying the Winner
If a user has a setting you didn't expect, go to Directory > Users > [Select User] > Actions > Inspect Configuration.
Locate the setting (e.g., Offboarding Policy) and check the "Inherited from" column. It will show you the exact Smart Team that "claimed" that feature.