Guide
How to Organise and Control Team Apps & Links
A practical, step-by-step framework to centralise your tools, simplify onboarding, and make sure everyone has access to exactly what they need for their job.
Why most teams lose time to app sprawl
As teams grow, links get shared in Slack, pinned in Teams, saved as bookmarks, added to docs, and copied into onboarding emails. The result is predictable: outdated links, duplicate tools, and new starters who don’t know what they should be using.
The fix is not “more documentation”. The fix is a centralised app dashboard with an approved app library, role-based access, and a simple ownership model so every tool has a purpose and a person responsible for it.
If you want to see how StartTray supports this in practice, take a look at our team app dashboard features and how we help you keep access organised by team and role.
Quick win (today)
Pick one team and create a single dashboard of “approved tools”. You will instantly reduce “where is the link?” messages and stop new links being passed around.
Next, set StartTray as the default browser homepage so the dashboard is what people see when they open the browser. See the setup guide.
Step 1: Build an approved App Library
Start with a single list of apps and links that your organisation uses. The goal is not to be perfect on day one. The goal is to have a central place where you can see what exists and gradually improve it.
- Collect: apps, internal tools, documentation hubs, shared folders, dashboards, and key web links.
- Standardise names: avoid three names for the same tool (for example “GA”, “Google Analytics”, “Analytics”).
- Set ownership: every app should have an owner (a person or team) so changes don’t drift.
Step 2: Group tools by team and role
The fastest way to reduce confusion is to stop showing everyone everything. Instead, create dashboards for teams (Marketing, Finance, Ops, Support) and give people access based on role.
- Team dashboards: create a default dashboard per team so everyone starts from a sensible baseline.
- App groups: group related tools (for example “Email & CRM”, “Analytics”, “Payments”).
- Least surprise: if a tool isn’t relevant to a role, don’t show it by default.
Step 3: Add ownership and Quick Info
A link isn’t enough. People need context: what the tool is for, who owns it, and when they should use it. This is where Quick Info becomes a quiet productivity multiplier.
- Purpose: one sentence describing what the app is for.
- Owner: who maintains it (and who to ask when something breaks).
- Access notes: how access is granted (SSO group, admin approval, etc.).
StartTray’s Quick Info is designed for exactly this: users can click an icon on the dashboard to see what the app does and who owns it, without “asking around”.
Step 4: Make onboarding a one-click dashboard
Your onboarding process should not be “here’s a list of links”. A better approach is to give new starters a day-one dashboard that already contains the tools for their role.
- Day-one visibility: new starters see their tools immediately.
- Fewer requests: fewer “can I get access to X?” messages in week one.
- Consistent setup: everyone in the same role starts from the same baseline.
If you want a practical rollout step, set the StartTray dashboard as the browser homepage for your team. That way, the dashboard is the default starting point. Use the guide here: How to set StartTray as your browser homepage.
Step 5: Control changes and link updates
Links change. Tools get renamed. Login URLs move. The biggest hidden cost of “link sharing” is that everyone updates at different times (or not at all).
- Central updates: update an app link once and everyone switches together.
- Admin visibility: understand what tools exist and which ones are actually used.
- Keep it secure: control which apps and app groups are visible to each team.
Ready to centralise your tools and roll this out properly? View StartTray pricing plans (free for up to 5 users).
Copy-and-paste checklist
- Create a single approved list of apps and links.
- Assign an owner to every app (person or team).
- Group apps into categories that match how teams work.
- Create a dashboard per team (Marketing, Finance, Ops, Support).
- Apply role-based access so people only see what they need.
- Add “Quick Info” so users know what each tool is for.
- Set the dashboard as the browser homepage for faster onboarding.
- Track usage and remove tools that are no longer needed.
Want a central place for every team’s tools?
StartTray centralises your apps and links, controls access by role, and makes onboarding simple. Free for up to 5 users.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to organise team apps and links?
It means keeping your organisation’s apps and links in one central place, grouped by team or role, with clear ownership and controlled access so people see the right tools for their job.
How do I reduce app sprawl without slowing teams down?
Start by creating an approved app library, assign apps by role, and make changes centrally so everyone switches to updated links at the same time. Keep a lightweight request process for new tools so teams can move quickly without losing visibility.
What is the quickest onboarding win?
Give new starters a day-one dashboard that includes the apps and links they need for their role. This avoids sending long lists of links and helps people get productive immediately.
How should access control work for team tools?
Access should be role-based. Admins should assign apps to teams or groups, and users should only see what they need. This improves security, reduces confusion, and keeps sensitive tools from being shared accidentally.
Can StartTray work with the tools we already use?
Yes. StartTray supports any web-based third-party app that has a URL. You add apps into the library, then assign them to teams so everyone gets consistent access.