Custom roles and permissions

Custom roles let you define granular permission sets beyond the built-in roles. This gives you full control over what each team member can see and do within your Deskwoot workspace, helping you enforce the principle of least privilege while keeping day-to-day workflows smooth.

Why use custom roles?

Built-in roles cover common scenarios, but growing teams often need finer control. For example, you might want a supervisor who can view reports and reassign conversations but cannot modify billing settings, or a seasonal agent who only has access to live chat. Custom roles make these setups straightforward.

Creating a custom role

1. Go to Settings > Custom Roles.
2. Click Add Role.
3. Give the role a clear, descriptive name (e.g., Chat-Only Agent or Billing Supervisor).
4. Configure the permissions for this role by toggling individual capabilities on or off. Permissions are typically grouped by area,conversations, contacts, reports, settings, and so on.
5. Review your selections, then click Save.

Assigning a custom role to a team member

1. Navigate to Settings > Agents (or Team Members).
2. Select the agent you want to update.
3. In the Role dropdown, choose the custom role you created.
4. Click Save to apply the change. The new permissions take effect immediately.

Best-practice tips

• Use descriptive names: A name like Senior Support. No Billing is far easier to manage than Custom Role 3.
• Start restrictive, then expand: Grant only the permissions a role truly needs. You can always add more later.
• Audit periodically: Review your custom roles every quarter to remove outdated permissions or roles that are no longer in use.
• Limit who can manage roles: Restrict the ability to create or edit custom roles to administrators to prevent accidental privilege escalation.

Common pitfalls & troubleshooting

• Agent can't see a feature after role change: Make sure the relevant permission is enabled in the custom role and that the agent has refreshed their browser or app.
• Accidentally removing your own access: Avoid assigning a restrictive custom role to the only administrator account. Always keep at least one user with full administrative permissions.
• Duplicate roles: Before creating a new role, check whether an existing custom role already covers the permission set you need. Duplicates add unnecessary complexity.

Frequently asked questions

Can I edit a custom role after it has been assigned?

Yes. Any changes you make to a custom role apply automatically to every agent who holds that role. There is no need to reassign it.

Is there a limit to the number of custom roles I can create?

Most Deskwoot plans allow you to create multiple custom roles. Check your current plan details under Settings > Billing for any specific limits.

What happens if I delete a custom role that is still in use?

Agents assigned to a deleted role will typically revert to the default role. It is good practice to reassign affected agents to an appropriate role before deleting the old one.