When a connection is created, the requester indicates how the notes in the note pad are to be accessed by the connection. The connection can either have read access or it can have update access. A connection with update access can create, write, replace, read, or delete notes in the note pad. A connection with read access can read notes in the note pad, but is not permitted to create, write, replace or delete notes.

Programs require appropriate SAF authorization to create a connection to a note pad. The access scope of the connection determines the type of authorization required. A connection to be created with update access to the note pad must be authorized for UPDATE access. A connection to be created with read access to the note pad must be authorized for READ access. See System Authorization Facility (SAF) requirements.

The creator of the note pad can request that there be at most one connection to the note pad with update access. If the note pad already has one such connection, a request to create a new connection with update access is rejected. See Multi-write access.