A method for providing document-level security for electronic documents comprising: identifying a plurality of roles for users of the electronic document, the electronic document comprising a compound document, the compound document comprising at least a first stage and a second stage, each stage comprising at least one contribution, the at least one contribution comprising at least one component document of the compound document, each role comprising an electronic element that represents a business role of a user in creation of the electronic document; storing the plurality of roles in the electronic document, including: associating a first subset of the plurality of roles with the first stage of the electronic document; and associating a second subset of the plurality of roles with the second stage of the electronic document; storing a plurality of participant IDs in the electronic document, including at least a first participant ID of a first client and a second participant ID of a second client, wherein the first participant ID is associated with the first subset of the plurality of roles and the second participant ID is associated with the second subset of the plurality of roles; storing access control information in the electronic document associated with at least one stored role, the access control information indicating at least that the second subset of the plurality of roles are occluded from accessing the first contribution of the electronic document; communicating the electronic document to the second client receiving a request from the second participant ID of the second client to access the first contribution of the electronic document; determining, from the electronic document, a role associated with the second participant ID, the role being within the second subset of the plurality of roles; determining the second client's ability to access the electronic document based, at least in part, on the second participant ID and the stored roles, participant IDs, and access control information in the electronic document. identifying a plurality of roles for users of the electronic document, the electronic document comprising a compound document, the compound document comprising at least a first stage and a second stage, each stage comprising at least one contribution, the at least one contribution comprising at least one component document of the compound document, each role comprising an electronic element that represents a business role of a user in creation of the electronic document; storing the plurality of roles in the electronic document, including: associating a first subset of the plurality of roles with the first stage of the electronic document; and associating a second subset of the plurality of roles with the second stage of the electronic document; associating a first subset of the plurality of roles with the first stage of the electronic document; and associating a second subset of the plurality of roles with the second stage of the electronic document; storing a plurality of participant IDs in the electronic document, including at least a first participant ID of a first client and a second participant ID of a second client, wherein the first participant ID is associated with the first subset of the plurality of roles and the second participant ID is associated with the second subset of the plurality of roles; storing access control information in the electronic document associated with at least one stored role, the access control information indicating at least that the second subset of the plurality of roles are occluded from accessing the first contribution of the electronic document; communicating the electronic document to the second client receiving a request from the second participant ID of the second client to access the first contribution of the electronic document; determining, from the electronic document, a role associated with the second participant ID, the role being within the second subset of the plurality of roles; determining the second client's ability to access the electronic document based, at least in part, on the second participant ID and the stored roles, participant IDs, and access control information in the electronic document.