---
tags:
- "⭐topic/\U0001F4BEsoftware/colleague"
- "\U0001F6A9purpose/ℹ️documentation"
---
# Operators file   
   
Colleague Operator accounts (`OPERS` [file](../../notes/Colleague/Files%20%26%20Tables.md)) are created using **SOD**. This sets the Colleague login username and allows access to Colleague UI, WebAdvisor, and Colleague Studio. Operator records can exist without an associated [Web User](../../notes/Colleague/Registry%20%26%20Resources.md) record.   
   
Security classes in Colleague are attached to `OPERS` records, and this is what determines access to most of Colleague and associated applications. However, interactive access to applications is a separate field, unique to Operator records.   
   
*`OPERS` Equivalents* are dummy Operator accounts that cannot be logged in with. You can specify if an Operator is going to be used like this in **SOD**. They can be assigned security classes and application access like normal Operators.   
   
Operator records (both normal ones and Equivalents) can be used in lieu of security classes, or `OPERS` records on Web Users. Security classes and application access for the Operator are cascaded down to the applied object. This is particularly useful to give access to a Web User without creating an Operator specifically for them. This is how employees and students would access WebAdvisor, by being assigned `WEBSTUDENT`/`WEBSTAFF`/etc. in **DRUS**.