How to Manage User Roles

Keeping your CRM organized isn’t just about adding contacts and tracking deal

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        s—it’s also about who has access to what. The last thing you want is a sales rep accidentally deleting important client data or a marketing intern accessing confidential deal negotiations.

That’s where custom user roles come in. They give your team the right level of access—nothing more, nothing less—so everyone can work efficiently. Whether you need to lock down financial details, prevent accidental edits, or keep your sales pipeline streamlined, setting up roles ensures your CRM stays structured as your business grows.

Here’s how to create, update, and manage user roles in BIGContacts to keep everything running smoothly.

Why User Roles Matter

Let’s be real—without user roles, things get messy fast:

• Sales teams waste time sorting through irrelevant data.
• Confidential info gets exposed to people who don’t need it.
• Mistakes happen—deals get overwritten, and contacts get deleted.

With custom roles, you can:

• Give sales reps access to leads and deals without exposing financial data.
• Allow marketing to track campaigns without messing with customer records.
• Ensure managers can see team performance without modifying pipeline data.
• Keep sensitive data protected while still enabling seamless collaboration.

Structured access means fewer mistakes, better security, and a smoother workflow—without endless permission requests slowing things down.

In this article, you will learn:

1. Creating a User Role
2. Changing a User Role

How to Create a User Role

STEP 1: Open the Admin Tab
Go to the left sidebar and click Admin.
Under Users, select User Roles.

STEP 2: Add a New Role
Click Add User Role on the top right.
This starts the process to create a new role.

STEP 3: Enter Role Details
Add the Name and Description for your new role.
For example, you could name it “Crisis Manager” and describe what this role is responsible for.
Once done, click Next.

STEP 4: Set Access Permissions
Now it’s time to decide what this role can do.
Under Contact Access, choose what users can see, edit, or delete.
You can also adjust Team Access and Module Access to control which parts of BIGContacts they can use.
When finished, click Next.

STEP 5: Choose Read-Only Fields
Select which contact fields you want to make read-only for users with this role (like Company Name, Website, or Emails).
Click Next once you’ve selected everything.

STEP 6: Save the Role
Review your selections, then click 'Add User Role' to save.
Your new user role will now appear in the Manage User Roles list.

Bonus Tip:
To edit or delete a role later, open the Manage User Roles list, click the three dots beside a role, and choose Edit or Delete.

How to Change a User Role

Step 1: Under the Manage User Roles list, click the three dots beside a role, and choose Edit or Delete.

STEP 2: Make Your Changes
If you choose Edit, you can follow Steps 3 to 6 from the 'How to Create a User Role' guide, updating the name, description, permissions, and read-only fields as needed.

Best Practices for Managing User Roles

• Keep it simple: Too many roles can be as confusing as too few. Create only the ones you need.
• Limit access to sensitive data: If someone doesn’t need to edit or view something, don’t give them access.
• Regularly review roles: Ensure permissions align with team responsibilities as your business scales.
• Control bulk actions: Prevent accidental mass deletions or exports by restricting those features to admins.
• Use role-based reports: Allow managers to see insights without modifying the CRM structure.

You have successfully changed the User Role. If you encounter any issues or have any questions, feel free to contact our support team.