- User type = What kind of member they are (Scout, Volunteer, Student). A label for categorization and filtering.
- Role = What position they hold (President, Team Leader, Treasurer). About organizational structure and optionally granting permissions.
- Permission = What they can do in the platform (Admin, HR, Financial). System access. See Permissions.
How to access
Settings → Users & Profiles → Roles & User Types User types and roles share the same management page. User types are marked with a User Type badge; entries without the badge are organizational roles.User Types
Do I need user types?
Yes, if your members fall into meaningfully different categories:- Different fee structures (Student pays less than Professional)
- Different registration requirements (Leaders need qualifications, Scouts don’t)
- Different communication needs (Volunteers get different newsletters than Alumni)
- Different access or privileges (only Full Members can vote)
Creating a user type
Enable 'Is User Type'
Toggle Is User Type on. This makes it a membership category rather than an organizational role.
Set the name and description
Choose a clear, self-explanatory name. “Active Member” is better than “Type A”.
Assigning user types to members
| Method | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| During registration | Include the “User Type” field on the Registration Form. Members self-select. | When members know their category |
| After adhesion approval | Configure a “User type after approval” in Adhesion settings. Type is auto-assigned when the application is approved. | Formal membership processes |
| Manual assignment | Admin goes to the member’s profile and assigns a type | One-off changes, corrections |
| Bulk import | Assign types during CSV member import | Initial setup, migrations |
What user types affect
| Feature | How user types interact |
|---|---|
| Registration Form | Each user type gets its own form with different fields. |
| Adhesion | Auto-assign a type when an application is approved. |
| Filtering | Filter the member directory, event attendees, and newsletters by type. |
| Fees | Different types can have different fee structures. |
| Reporting | Generate reports segmented by type. |
| Communication | Send targeted newsletters to specific types. |
User types don’t automatically grant permissions. A “Leader” user type doesn’t give someone admin access. For that, use roles with permissions or assign permissions directly.
User type visibility
Control who can see user type labels in Settings → Users & Profiles → Configuration:| Setting | Who sees the type label |
|---|---|
| User | Everyone |
| HR Local | Local HR and above |
| HR Tenant | Organization-wide HR and above |
| Admin Tenant | Only organization admins |
Roles
Role scopes
Every role has a scope that determines where it applies:| Scope | Where it applies | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| National | Organization-wide | National President, Secretary General, Board Member |
| Local Center | One specific branch | Branch President, Local Treasurer, Membership Officer |
| Parent Local Center | A parent center and all its children | Regional Director, Area Coordinator |
| Unit | A specific unit or team | Team Leader, Project Manager, Committee Chair |
Creating a role
Set the basics
Name (e.g., “Branch President”), Plural name (e.g., “Branch Presidents”), and optionally a Description.
Choose the scope
Enable one or more: Is National, Is Local Center, Is Local Center Parent, or associate with a Unit Type.
Attach permissions (optional)
Select system permissions this role should grant. Everyone assigned this role automatically gets these permissions.
Role properties
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Role title displayed everywhere |
| Name Plural | Used in listings (e.g., “Presidents”) |
| Position | Display order — lower numbers appear first |
| Chart Name | Name shown in organizational charts (if different) |
| Description | Explanation of responsibilities |
| Is User Type | Marks this as a membership category instead of a position |
Assigning roles to members
Manual: Open the member’s profile → Edit → Roles tab → add the role with optional start/end dates. Via Role Groups: Automatically assign roles based on criteria. Learn more → Via import: Bulk-assign roles during CSV member imports.Roles with permissions
Instead of assigning permissions to individuals, attach permissions to roles. Everyone with that role automatically gets those permissions.| Role | Attached permission | What it grants |
|---|---|---|
| Branch President | ADMIN_LOCAL | Full control of their local center |
| Regional Director | ADMIN_PARENT_LOCAL | Admin over a region |
| Membership Officer | HR_LOCAL | Local member management |
| National Treasurer | FINANCIAL_TENANT | Organization-wide financial access |
For the full list of permission levels, see Permissions.
Using start and end dates
When assigning a role, set start and end dates to track terms:- The role is active only between those dates
- Permissions attached to the role are only active during the term
- After the end date, the role becomes historical (visible in history but no longer active)
Common scenarios
What's a good set of user types for a typical organization?
What's a good set of user types for a typical organization?
Keep it to 3-5 types. Examples:Sports club: Athlete, Coach, Volunteer, Alumni
Professional association: Full Member, Associate, Student, Honorary
Youth org: Scout, Leader, Parent, Volunteer
Community: Member, Volunteer, SupporterYou can always add more later. Starting with too many creates confusion.
How do I model my organization's structure with roles?
How do I model my organization's structure with roles?
Think about positions, not people:
- National level: President, VP, Secretary, Treasurer, Board Members → National roles
- Regional level: Regional Directors → Parent Local Center roles
- Local level: Branch President, Local Treasurer → Local Center roles
- Team level: Team Leader, Project Manager → Unit roles
Should I attach permissions to roles or assign them directly?
Should I attach permissions to roles or assign them directly?
Role-based permissions when the permission should follow the position. Every Branch President should have ADMIN_LOCAL — attach it to the role.Direct permissions for exceptions. Someone who needs temporary financial access — assign FINANCIAL_LOCAL directly on their profile.Role-based is cleaner. Direct is for one-offs.
Can a member have multiple user types?
Can a member have multiple user types?
No — a member has one user type. If someone is both a “Volunteer” and an “Alumni”, decide which is primary, or create a combined type like “Active Alumni”. For multiple labels, consider using Tags instead.
I'm confused — is 'Leader' a user type or a role?
I'm confused — is 'Leader' a user type or a role?
It depends on context:
- If “Leader” is a membership category (like Scouts who’ve graduated), it’s a user type
- If “Leader” is a position (like Team Leader of Unit 5), it’s a role
A member is changing positions — how do I handle it?
A member is changing positions — how do I handle it?
Go to their profile → Roles tab → set an end date on the old role → add the new role with a start date. If both roles have permissions, the transition happens automatically.
Related
- Permissions — System permission levels and access control
- Registration Form — Per-type registration forms
- Role Groups — Automatic role assignment based on criteria
- Organizational Chart — Visual representation of your role structure
- Adhesion — Auto-assign user type on approval