Roles & Permissions
Control what each member can do — from built-in admin and member roles to custom roles tailored to your group's structure.
Overview
Every member of a Grūps App group has a role that determines what they can see and do. Grūps App has four built-in roles that are always present. Depending on your plan, admins can also create additional custom roles with any combination of specific permissions.
Built-in Roles
| Role | What they can do |
|---|---|
| Owner | Full control of the group. Can do everything an Admin can do, plus delete the group and transfer ownership. There is exactly one Owner per group. |
| Admin | Manage all content, settings, and members. Can invite, moderate, and remove members. Access to all features and all settings. |
| Co-admin | Same access as Admin except cannot delete the group, cannot transfer ownership, and cannot demote other admins. |
| Member | Standard member access. Can view and participate in all enabled features according to what the admin has configured. |
Built-in roles cannot be edited or deleted.
Preset Role Templates
Grūps App includes four preset role templates as a starting point. These are not active by default — they become real roles when you assign them to a member or use them as a base for a custom role. Each template comes with a suggested set of permissions:
| Template | Default permissions | Color |
|---|---|---|
| Moderator | Manage Chat Messages, Manage Q&A | Green |
| Event Planner | Manage Calendar Events, Manage Reservations, Manage Check-ins | Blue |
| Content Creator | Manage Announcements, Manage Posts, Manage Web Pages, Manage Photo Albums | Purple |
| Operations Manager | Manage Bookings, Manage Files, Manage Resources, Manage Places | Amber |
You can copy any preset as the basis for a custom role and modify its permissions before saving.
Custom Roles
Depending on your plan, you can create your own roles. Custom roles sit between the Member and Admin levels — they grant specific management permissions without the full access that comes with Admin.
Go to Group Settings → Roles and tap Create Role.
- Name (required, 2–24 characters) — e.g. "Coach", "Treasurer", "Volunteer Coordinator"
- Description (optional, up to 500 characters)
- Color (optional) — the color of the role badge displayed next to the member's name
- Permissions — check any of the 16 available permissions
- Tap Create Role.
You can have up to 10 custom roles per group. Once you reach the limit, the Create Role button is disabled.
Editing a custom role
Tap the pencil icon on any custom role card to edit its name, description, color, or permissions. Changes apply immediately to all members who hold that role.
Copying a role
Tap the copy icon on a custom role card to create a duplicate with a new name. The duplicate starts with the same permissions and can be customized independently. This is the fastest way to create a similar role for a slightly different purpose.
Deleting a custom role
Tap the trash icon on a role card. If any members currently hold this role, a warning appears. Confirming deletes the role and converts affected members back to the standard Member role.
Permission Reference
These are all 17 permissions that can be granted to custom roles. Admins always have all permissions automatically.
Membership
| Permission | What it grants |
|---|---|
| Invite Members | Send email invitations, create and revoke shareable invite links, and access the Group Invitations page |
Communication
| Permission | What it grants |
|---|---|
| Manage Chat Messages | Delete messages, manage chat settings |
| Manage Announcements | Create, edit, and delete announcements |
| Manage Posts | Create, edit, and delete posts |
Events & Coordination
| Permission | What it grants |
|---|---|
| Manage Calendar Events | Create, edit, and delete calendar events |
| Manage Reservations | Create and manage event RSVP sheets |
| Manage Check-ins | Open/close check-in windows, manually check in members, view attendance |
| Manage Bookings | Create and manage booking types, approve/reject bookings |
Content & Information
| Permission | What it grants |
|---|---|
| Manage Web Pages | Create, edit, and publish group web pages |
| Manage Photo Albums | Create and manage photo albums, delete any photo |
| Manage Files | Upload, edit, and delete any file in the Files library |
| Manage Places | Create and manage map geofences (Places) |
| Manage Resources | Add, edit, and delete resources |
Engagement & Feedback
| Permission | What it grants |
|---|---|
| Manage Polls | Create and delete polls |
| Manage Q&A | Create and manage Q&A subjects, pin and delete questions |
| Manage Recognitions | Delete any recognition |
| Manage Lists | Create, edit, and delete lists |
Assigning Roles
Go to Group Settings → Roles and scroll to the Member Role Assignments table. It lists every non-admin member with their current role and a dropdown to change it.
You can also change a single member's role from their profile page:
- Open the Members page and tap the member's name.
- Tap the Admin Actions button (shield icon) in the profile header.
- Use the Change Role dropdown to select the new role.
- Tap Apply.
To change roles for multiple members at once, select them in the Members table and use the Change Role bulk action.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a role and a member group?
A role controls permissions — what a member can create, edit, or manage. A member group is an organizational label (like a team or committee) — it doesn't affect what the member can do, just how they're grouped for filtering and display.
Can a member have both a custom role and be in a member group?
Yes. Roles and member groups are independent. A member can have a "Coach" role (giving them permission to manage events) and also be in the "Senior Team" member group at the same time.
Can I have more than one admin?
Yes. You can promote any member to Admin or Co-admin from their profile or from the Members page. There is no limit on the number of admins.
How do I promote someone to admin?
Open their profile, tap Admin Actions, and tap Promote to Admin. Or use the Change Role bulk action on the Members page. Promoting to Admin grants full access — they will be able to see and manage everything including settings.
Can custom role members see Group Settings?
No. Access to Group Settings is reserved for Admins and Co-admins. Custom role permissions give elevated access to specific features, but not to the settings area.