Custom Roles
Create roles tailored to your organization.
When to Create Custom Roles
| Situation | Solution |
|---|---|
| Standard role is close but not quite right | Clone and customize |
| Unique job function | Create new role |
| Need to combine access | Assign multiple roles |
| Security restriction needed | Customize with restrictions |
Three Ways to Create Roles
1. Clone an Existing Role (Recommended)
CLONING A ROLE
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Step 1: Navigate
Setup > Users/Roles > Manage Roles
Step 2: Find the role to clone
Look for one closest to what you need
Step 3: Click the role, then Duplicate
(or: Actions > Duplicate)
Step 4: Rename
├── Name: "Sales Rep - Enterprise"
└── ID: _sales_rep_enterprise
Step 5: Customize
Modify permissions, restrictions, forms
Step 6: Save
2. Create from Scratch
CREATING A NEW ROLE
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Step 1: Navigate
Setup > Users/Roles > Manage Roles > New
Step 2: Name and configure
├── Name: "Project Coordinator"
├── Center Type: Classic
└── Description: "For project management staff"
Step 3: Add permissions
Go to Permissions tab and add each needed permission
Step 4: Set restrictions (if any)
Limit by department, location, etc.
Step 5: Assign forms
Select preferred forms for this role
Step 6: Save
3. Use Multiple Roles
Sometimes it's easier to give users multiple roles:
MULTIPLE ROLES APPROACH
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User: Operations Manager
Roles Assigned:
├── Warehouse Manager (inventory operations)
└── Purchasing (procurement access)
Result: User switches roles as needed
Step-by-Step: Clone and Customize
Let's create "Sales Rep - East Region":
EXAMPLE: CUSTOMIZED SALES ROLE
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Step 1: Clone "Sales Representative" role
Step 2: Rename to "Sales Rep - East Region"
Step 3: Modify Permissions (if needed)
├── Keep: Sales Order, Customer, Estimate
├── Add: Commission Reports
└── Remove: Nothing
Step 4: Add Restrictions
├── Location: East Region
└── Department: Sales
Step 5: Assign Forms
├── Sales Order: "Sales Team Order Form"
└── Customer: "Quick Customer Form"
Step 6: Test with a sample user
Step 7: Deploy
Role Configuration Tabs
When editing a role, you see these tabs:
| Tab | What You Configure |
|---|---|
| Permissions | What user can do |
| Restrictions | What data user sees |
| Forms | Which forms user uses |
| Preferences | Defaults (center, dashboard) |
| Shortcuts | Quick access links |
Testing a Role
Before deploying, test it:
HOW TO TEST A ROLE
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Method 1: Log In As User
├── Create a test user with the new role
├── Go to: Setup > Users/Roles > Manage Users
├── Find user > Actions > "Log In As"
├── Browse around, try to access things
└── Note any issues
Method 2: Role Comparison
├── Open: Setup > Users/Roles > Role Permission Comparison
├── Select two roles to compare
└── See exactly what's different
Method 3: Check Role Permissions Page
├── While logged in as the test role
├── Try accessing different areas
└── Verify correct access/denial
Common Custom Roles
Regional Sales Rep
REGIONAL SALES REP
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Base Role: Sales Representative
Restrictions Added:
├── Location: [Specific Region]
└── Department: Sales
Why: Limit visibility to their territory
AP Clerk with Limited Check Access
LIMITED AP CLERK
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Base Role: A/P Clerk
Permissions Modified:
├── Vendor Payment: Create (not Full)
└── Check: Print (approval needed for signing)
Why: Separation of duties
Read-Only Auditor
AUDITOR ROLE
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Created From Scratch
Permissions:
├── All Transactions: View
├── All Reports: View
├── System Notes: View
└── Everything else: None
Why: Full visibility, no changes
Role Naming Convention
Use clear, consistent naming:
NAMING PATTERN
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[Company] + [Department] + [Level] + [Region/Special]
Examples:
├── Acme Sales Rep - West
├── Acme Finance Manager
├── Acme Warehouse Supervisor - East
├── Acme Support Rep - Tier 1
└── Acme Admin - IT
Quick Reference
| I want to... | Go to |
|---|---|
| Clone a role | Role page > Actions > Duplicate |
| Create new role | Setup > Users/Roles > Manage Roles > New |
| Add permission | Role > Permissions > Add |
| Add restriction | Role > Restrictions > Add |
| Test as user | User page > Actions > Log In As |
Tips
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Clone similar role | Build from scratch |
| Name clearly | Use "Custom Role 1" |
| Test before deploying | Deploy and hope |
| Document purpose | Forget why you created it |
| Review quarterly | Set and forget |
Key Takeaways
- Clone existing roles - faster than building from scratch
- Test thoroughly - before assigning to real users
- Name clearly - future admins need to understand
- Use restrictions - limit data visibility
- Document - note the purpose of each custom role
Related Topics
- Roles & Permissions - Permission basics
- Role Restrictions - Data restrictions
- Specialized Roles - Role templates