Carta open forum

We haven't given investors access to our cap table yet. Any tips or examples on what level of access most companies choose to assign?

Hi Maria!

Great question. When deciding what level of access to give investors on Carta, most companies aim to provide the right level of transparency while protecting sensitive information. Carta offers several access levels so you can tailor what each investor sees based on the nature of your relationship with them.

Here's a quick overview of the access levels and how companies typically use them:

Restricted – Shows only personal holdings, FMV (Fair Market Value), and company profile. This is the most limited access and is often used for smaller investors or those who don't require visibility into broader cap table details.

Basic – Provides access to share class terms, a summary cap table, and fundraising history. Many companies choose this as a standard level for most investors, especially if they're not actively involved in governance.

Advanced – Offers detailed holdings information for preferred shareholders. This level is commonly used for lead investors or those who need a deeper view into their investment and ownership structure.

Full Detail – Grants access to detailed holdings information for all stakeholders. This level is typically reserved for trusted individuals such as board members, legal counsel, or major institutional investors.

Use Group Level – Applies default access based on the stakeholder group (e.g., all Series A investors). This helps ensure consistency across similar investor types.

Most companies choose "Basic" or "Advanced" for the majority of investors, depending on how engaged they are with company oversight or governance. "Full Detail" is used sparingly for key stakeholders who need a comprehensive view of the cap table.

You can refer to Carta's support article for a step-by-step guide:
How to manage investor relations on Carta

Hi, Maria! 

Brent already gave a full explanation about the cap table access levels at Carta and placed the support article about this matter and I would like to also share the support link where you can see the full explanation and examples of what exactly stakeholders will be able to see according to the level access. Just click on the hyperlink I created on the previous sentence and you'll be able to read and have the video demonstration of the levels.