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