Roles

How to create and manage roles that control what each user can see and do in the admin panel.

Last updated March 16, 2026 View as Markdown

Roles define what a user can see and do in the admin panel. Every user must be assigned a role. Permissions are granted at the role level — not to individual users.

Roles List

The Roles index shows all defined roles. The built-in Administrator role has full access and cannot be deleted.

Creating a Role

  • Name (required) — a descriptive label for the role (e.g., "Development Staff," "Communications," "Read Only").
  • Permissions — select which resources and actions this role can perform. Permissions are organized by resource (Contacts, Donations, Pages, etc.) and action (view, create, edit, delete).

Common Role Patterns

  • Administrator — full access to all resources and settings.
  • Development Staff — access to CRM and Finance sections; no access to CMS or Settings.
  • Communications — access to CMS (Pages, Posts, Events); no access to Finance or Settings.
  • Read Only — view-only access to selected resources; cannot create, edit, or delete.

Deleting a Role

Before deleting a role, reassign all users currently holding that role to a different role. Deleting a role while users still hold it will remove their access immediately.

Best Practice

Use the principle of least privilege: assign users the most restricted role that still lets them do their job. Review role assignments periodically as staff responsibilities change.

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