Provided herein is a system for managing user entitlements to files and folders in a file server. The system is comprised of an entitlement manager UI system comprising an entitlement manager user interface (UI), an index server, and a file server. The entitlement manager UI is comprised of a permission pane that presents user permission access levels corresponding to a user associated with a file or folder, a permission activity log pane that presents audit trails of user permission changes wherein each audit trail comprises options to reverse the permission change, and a file activity pane presenting the activity levels of users having access to a file or folder. The entitlement manager UI further comprises a filter option wherein the user permission access levels for data objects stored in file servers that are in communication with the index server are controlled through the entitlement manager UI.