When I create a new vault item and assign it to the one organization that I have, I forget that I have to also check the Default Collection box. Since I only HAVE that one organization and one collection, it’d be great to not have to bother to additionally check that box. Is this possible?
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Feature name
Organisation with no collections (or default collection)
Feature function
As it stands currently, an organisation must have at least one collection to function properly. If you attempt to have an organisation with no collections, you can’t move items from your personal account into the org, or create new items in the org. This makes total sense if you have an org that has multiple teams with their own password pools. However, I’ve set up my family as an organisation, with the intention that anything personal is kept on their personal account, and anything shared goes into the organisation.
This means we don’t need more than one collection (or even better, zero collections). If I set up the org with just one collection, I still have to check its checkbox whenever adding a password. This is an annoyance that will discourage my users from using the app. I expect this will also be the case for smaller teams with less intensive password separation concerns.
Current state:
Here’s some screenshots of the current issues. Please excuse the unlinked URLs. I’m a new user so I’m restricted by the new user limitations around embedding images and posting links.
No collections when adding new items:
alterator.com.au/screenshots/bitwarden-new-pass-no-collection.png
No collections when moving items:
alterator.com.au/screenshots/bitwarden-move-pass-no-collection.png
One collection when adding new item:
alterator.com.au/screenshots/bitwarden-new-pass-one-collection.png
One collection when moving an item:
alterator.com.au/screenshots/bitwarden-move-pass-one-collection.png
The quick fix:
If there’s only one collection in an organisation; check its box by default when adding a new item.
The better fix:
Add a case for orgs to have no collections, with the ability for passwords to sit in a hidden/ ‘unassigned’ collection. You can currently force items into an unassigned collection by deleting the collections they are part of, but I believe you should be able to deliberately leave them unassigned.
2 Likes
Agreed. This would be a great feature! Enterprise Policies exist to remove personal vaults, but Owners aren’t affected by that, so default ownership is still private for them.
I just tried to share some of my entries with the rest of my family and stumbled over this, too. It seems like sharing is only possible via an organization. That alone would be no problem, but then I’m required to select a collection for every entry that is created, even if there is just one collection.
It would be great if a default collection can be defined for this purpose.
3 Likes
Yes, please. This is needed.
I’m interested in doing the same. Can you explain how to switch to a shared account? (without losing my hundreds of logins, IDs, credit cards, etc.)
I am new to the organisation feature as well. When I switch to the organisation vault, I am able to move items from the standard/default collection to the ‘not assigned’ collection. After I deleted the standard collection, I am not able to move items to the organisation vault anymore…
I agree that it should work without a collection or the default collection should be selected by default when creating or moving items…
Cheers
Florian
Created an account just to post this same suggestion.
Post 38030 seems to also be about this topic and has 4 votes behind it.
Personal/family organizations probably don’t need the complexity of multiple collections. I understand if the back-end structure may require this – but it’s absolutely reasonable for us to expect the “default collection” to be checked – by default – whether it’s the only one or one of a hundred. Isn’t that what “default” means?
I’d also like to point out an additional aspect: I primarily use the Edge browser extension on Windows and in that interface, the Collection field is at least 2 scrolls off-screen when creating a new entry, while all the other “mandatory” fields are visible without scrolling. Burying a required field offscreen at the end of a list of nonessential items feels intentionally antagonistic to the user.
In addition to fixing the default-checking behavior already described, the COLLECTION section should be moved immediately above NOTES in the browser extension UI so it is visible without scrolling. This will make new-item creation in and Organization significantly faster and easier both for new users and experienced ones.
Hey Simon, the team is planning to shift vault item collection assignment towards the top of the vault item.
Regarding ‘the better fix’ organzations require collections for sharing, so merged your request here for allowing to set a default location to save vault items.
2 Likes
We (wife and me) just want a shared set of passwords without complications of moving things. We don’t want individual vaults which just add complexity for no benefit.
This is what I came here to find a workaround for - hopefully it can be implemented!
+1 for this feature. This would greatly simplify the process of creating new items, especially in a multi-user family setting.
I’ve been using LastPass for quite some time with my family, and now switching to Bitwarden. I like the enhanced sharing abilities in Bitwarden, but they would be even better if the user would pick a default owner/collection other than their own vault.
Also while doing this could we avoid specifying a collection if none have been set up? Collections in my usage (all items are in shared organisation with wife) are irrelevant but I had to set one up and tick it every time otherwise I was unable to transfer items from the personal vault to an organisation. Just unnecessary extra steps. There seems to be an “unassigned” default collection which could be automatically selected if the software design really needs to have collections.
1 Like
Another note in support of this critical adoption blocker for the Family/shared use case.
- Allow users to specify their default vault as the organization vault
- Include specifying a default Collection within the organization vault.
My current setup is so far unusable due to the current behavior being to add new family member’s entries into their personal vault and not the shared family/organization vault.
I also have collections assigned to each family member, and really, really need each member to also set their default collection within the shared family/organization vault.
This gets Bitwarden closer to the feature/functionality/utility parity with LastPass “profiles” feature.
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Yes, please add this ASAP!
This is by far the biggest disadvantage of Bitwarden for businesses.
Thanks all, the team is reviewing this one 
2 Likes
My favorite solution here would be that selecting a Collection is simply made optional.
That is, if you don’t have any Collections defined, that’s fine, and the new item is left uncategorized.
Or, if you do have Collections defined but don’t select any, then the new item is left uncategorized.
In short, change nothing except to legitimize Organization items existing outside of any/all Collections.
The use cases gave been pretty well covered here, but I’ll provide mine: My wife and I have an Organization called “Shared” for our couple dozen shared logins; in this case, requiring the extra step to select the “Shared” Collection of the “Shared” Organization makes little sense.
exact same use case here, please add and save our marriage from conversations like this:
“Did you add this to bitwarden?”
–“yes i did”
“Well then why don’t i see it?”
–“oh looks like i have to manually add it to our shared Collection. every single time.”
1 Like
Definitely need to feature for our business, but also for my family to set up saving to the shared organization by default.