Roles & Permissions

Roles control what members can do in your community — from posting content to managing groups and other members. ZenCommunity includes built-in roles and lets you create custom ones for more flexibility.

This guide explains how roles work and how to manage them effectively.

Overview

A role is a collection of permissions (capabilities).

Types of Roles:

• Group Roles → Apply within a group
• Global Roles → Apply across the entire community

Built-in Group Roles:

• Admin → Full control within a group
• Moderator → Content and member management
• Member → Basic participation

You can modify their permissions, but:

• ❌ Cannot rename
• ❌ Cannot delete

Custom Roles:

• Fully configurable
• Group-specific
• Ideal for specialized responsibilities

Before You Start

• You must be a site admin
• Custom roles apply only within groups

Viewing Roles

1. Go to Settings → Role and Permission

1. View all roles in one list

• Built-in roles → Default roles
• Custom roles → Marked as Custom

Editing Built-in Role Permissions

1. Go to Settings → Role and Permission

1. Toggle permissions ON/OFF
2. Click Done

⚠️ You cannot add new permissions to built-in roles — only enable/disable existing ones.

Creating a Custom Role

1. Go to Settings → Role and Permission
2. Click + Add Role

1. Enter a Role Name

Assign Permissions:

Choose from:

• Create post
• Delete any post / own post
• Manage any post / own post
• Comment on post
• Update group settings
• Add/remove group members
• Change member roles
• Update member status

4. Click Save

Editing or Deleting Custom Roles

• Edit: Click ⚙️ Manage → Update → Save
• Delete: Click 🗑️ Delete

❗ Built-in roles cannot be deleted.

Assigning Roles to Members

Group Roles:

• Assigned within each group
• Managed from group settings

👉 See: Manage Group Members

Global Roles:

• Assigned from ZenCommunity → User Management

• Apply across the whole community

Examples:

• Support Agent
• Developer

Best Practices

• Use built-in roles for most users
• Create custom roles only when needed
• Avoid giving too many permissions
• Review roles regularly

Important Notes

• Role changes apply instantly
• Custom roles are group-specific
• Global roles are managed separately

Tips

• Create roles like “Content Curator” or “Community Manager”
• Limit admin-level permissions
• Keep permissions simple and clear

Related Documentation

• Moderating Content and Members
• Manage Group Members
• Member Directory and Profiles
• Create a Group