Creating Custom Roles

Learn how to create and manage custom organizational roles in MangoApps, define their permissions, and establish hierarchical relationships to create a role structure that matches your organization’s needs.

Overview

MangoApps allows you to create custom organizational roles that match your company’s specific management structure. These roles define what users can access and modify within the system, allowing for precise control over permissions and responsibilities. This article explains how to create, configure, and manage these custom roles.

Understanding Organizational Roles

Organizational roles serve several important functions:

• Access Control: Define what features and data users can access
• Permission Configuration: Grant specific capabilities based on job responsibilities
• Hierarchy Structure: Establish reporting relationships and authority levels
• Navigation Visibility: Control what menu items users see

Default Roles vs Custom Roles

MangoApps has two categories of organizational roles:

Default Roles (Built-in)

Four predefined roles that cannot be deleted:

Role	Hierarchy Level	Description
Super Admin	1	Complete access to all features and settings
Administrator	2	Full administrative access to business operations
Manager	3	Team operations and oversight capabilities
Member	4	Self-service access for regular employees

Custom Roles (User-created)

Roles you create to match your organizational structure:

• Can be edited, deactivated, or deleted
• Fully customizable permissions
• Configurable hierarchy levels
• Can be assigned to any user

Creating a Custom Role

To create a new custom role:

1. Navigate to Administration → Roles & Permissions
2. Click the New Custom Role button
3. Complete the form:
   • Role Name: A clear, descriptive name (e.g., “Regional Director”, “Shift Supervisor”)
   • Description: Details about the role’s purpose and responsibilities
   • Hierarchy Level: Numerical value determining position (lower numbers = higher authority)
4. Click Create Role

Choosing Hierarchy Levels

Plan your hierarchy levels carefully:

Level Range	Typical Roles
1	Reserved for Super Admin
2-3	Executive/Senior Management (Director, VP)
4-5	Regional/District Management
6-7	Location Management
8-9	Supervisory Roles
10+	Team Lead, Senior Staff

Important: Users with lower hierarchy numbers have authority over users with higher numbers.

Configuring Role Permissions

After creating a role, configure its permissions:

1. From the Roles & Permissions page, find your role
2. Click Manage Permissions from the dropdown menu
3. You’ll see permission categories organized by feature area
4. For each permission, toggle View or Manage access:

Permission Categories

Category	View Permission	Manage Permission
Shifts	See schedules	Create/edit/delete shifts
Attendance	View records	Manage attendance, exceptions
Timesheets	View timesheets	Approve, edit timesheets
Leave Requests	View requests	Approve/deny leave
Users	See user profiles	Manage user accounts
Compliance	—	Configure labor compliance
Workforce Intelligence	View analytics	Configure scoring
Performance Scores	View scores	—
Organization Settings	—	Business configuration
System Configurations	—	System-wide settings

How Permissions Affect Navigation

Permissions directly control what users see in the sidebar navigation:

• Users without a permission won’t see the corresponding menu item
• The can_access(feature, action) check determines visibility
• System modules must also be enabled for items to appear

See Understanding Navigation Visibility for details.

Assigning Users to Custom Roles

Once roles are configured, assign users to them:

Individual Assignment

1. Go to Organization Settings → Users
2. Select a user to edit
3. In the Role dropdown, select the custom role
4. Click Save

Bulk Assignment

1. Go to Organization Settings → Users
2. Select multiple users using checkboxes
3. Click Bulk Edit Selected Users
4. Choose Change Role from the action dropdown
5. Select the role to assign
6. Click Apply Changes

Managing Existing Roles

Editing a Custom Role

1. Go to Administration → Roles & Permissions
2. Find the role and click the dropdown menu
3. Select Edit
4. Modify the name, description, or hierarchy level
5. Click Save Changes

Note: Default roles (Super Admin, Administrator, Manager, Member) cannot have their names or hierarchy levels edited.

Deactivating a Role

1. Go to Administration → Roles & Permissions
2. Find the role and click the dropdown menu
3. Select Deactivate
4. Confirm your decision

Warning: Users assigned to deactivated roles will lose permissions associated with that role until it’s reactivated.

Deleting a Custom Role

1. Go to Administration → Roles & Permissions
2. Find the custom role and click the dropdown menu
3. Select Delete
4. Confirm the deletion

Important:

• You cannot delete Default Roles (Super Admin, Administrator, Manager, Member)
• You should reassign users to another role before deleting

Example Role Structures

Retail Organization

Role Name	Level	Permissions
Super Admin	1	All
Regional Director	3	Organization settings, all team operations
District Manager	5	Users (view), team operations
Store Manager	6	Team operations, scheduling
Shift Supervisor	8	Scheduling (view), attendance
Member	10	Self-service only

Healthcare Organization

Role Name	Level	Permissions
Super Admin	1	All
Administrator	2	All business settings
Department Head	4	Team operations, compliance
Charge Nurse	6	Scheduling, attendance
Staff Nurse	10	Self-service only

Best Practices

For effective role management:

1. Start with Default Roles: Use the four built-in roles before creating custom ones
2. Match Your Organization: Create roles that mirror your actual organizational structure
3. Use Clear Naming: Make role names intuitive and consistent
4. Apply Least Privilege: Grant only the permissions needed for the role
5. Document Purpose: Add detailed descriptions for each custom role
6. Regular Audits: Review roles and permissions quarterly
7. Limit Super Admins: Restrict Super Admin access to only those who truly need it
8. Plan Hierarchy: Use consistent hierarchy levels across your organization

Troubleshooting

User Can’t See Expected Menu Items

1. Check their role has the required permission enabled
2. Verify the System Module is enabled (e.g., Shifts & Scheduling)
3. Confirm they’re at least Manager level for management features
4. See Navigation Visibility for detailed troubleshooting

Permission Not Working

1. Verify the permission is toggled ON for their role
2. Check if multiple permissions are needed (e.g., view AND manage)
3. Ensure the user’s role assignment is saved

Cannot Delete a Role

1. Ensure no users are currently assigned to the role
2. Verify it’s a custom role (Default Roles cannot be deleted)
3. Check if the role is active (deactivate first if needed)

Related Resources

• User Roles and Permissions
• Understanding Navigation Visibility
• Permission Management
• Role-Based Access Control

This article should be updated when:

1. The role management interface changes
2. Additional permission types are added
3. Changes to default roles occur
4. New hierarchy features are introduced
5. Permission categories change