I was hired by my current employer to develop an e-commerce solution. My manager doesn't want to give me access to the hosting interface, so I can't create or administer the required databases or do anything else requiring that kind of access. The host only provides one level of access to their tools. My manager apparently just doesn't want anyone else to have access to everyone's email passwords, which appear in plain text on the admin site. She is non-technical and if I asked her to perform these admin tasks she would have no idea how to proceed. I am forced to watch over her shoulder as I struggle to understand the admin interface and tell her what to do next while being unable to touch anything myself. I have access to her for this purpose amounting to five minutes every few weeks. Deeply frustrating.
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85answers:
3Try to write and sign a special agreement. Specify under which terms and which conditions you may use the account. Or if you feel confident put it to its edge, say that you can not proceed with your task without the things you need to be set up actually set up ... set a timeframe in which you can fix it and give her the task and let her compare the times so she gets a feel for how ineffective the current situation is.
Tell him you need it to do your job. Tell him that if you don't have access, then the job can't be done and It will not be your responsability.
Passwords in plain text on the admin site? One level of access for everyone? Sounds like it's time to drop that host.
I would just construct a very professional email letting them know the problems you are facing and what you need them to do in order to complete your work. If your manager is non technical she may just not understand what you need. Ask for a follow up meeting with your manager (that's longer than 5 minutes) to discuss the issues. Make a list of all the things you need to do and drive the point home that if she can't do this for you that you will need access otherwise you can't do your job. Are there any other technical people at your job? Strength in numbers could help you. I've noticed that more than one developer trying to explain technical things to managers tends to overwhelm them and they bend easier. Maybe make a proposal with examples of how other hosting accounts work so they can see what they're missing out on.
Have you tried sending a request list to your manager? From your post it sounds like you might have avoided this because you thought she wouldn't be able to complete the tasks. It might work in your favor if the list is so technical that she just gets overwhelmed and asks you for help.
I would also try contacting the host directly to see if they can perform admin functions for you faster than your manager can. Good luck!