# Roles and permissions

URL: https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/sales-reps/roles

Control what each sales agent can do with roles: use the built-in Sales agent and Sales administrator roles, or create custom roles with your own permissions.

> **Quick summary**
>
> - A role is a set of permissions, such as changing quoted prices or creating customers. Give a role to as many sales agents as you need.
> - Manage roles at **Customers > Roles** in the SparkLayer Dashboard ([open](https://app.sparklayer.io/customers/roles)), or **SparkLayer Wholesale > Sales agents > Roles** in the Shopify app, and give one to an agent on their page at **Customers > Agents** in the SparkLayer Dashboard ([open](https://app.sparklayer.io/v2/customers/agents)), or **SparkLayer Wholesale > Sales agents** in the Shopify app.
> - The built-in **Sales agent** and **Sales administrator** roles can't be changed. Duplicate one, or create a custom role, for anything in between.
> - Roles come with sales agents, on the Starter plan and above. They decide what a rep can do when [ordering for a customer](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/sales-ordering/order-for-a-customer.md).

## How it works

You create a role once and give it to every agent who needs it, instead of setting permissions agent by agent. When you change a role, the change applies straight away to every agent who has it.

How roles control access:

1. **Create a role**: Switch on its permissions at Roles
2. **Give it to agents**: On each agent's page
3. **Agent signs in**: They can only use the tools their role allows

## Built-in roles

Every store has 2 built-in roles. You can't change them, but you can give them to agents as they are:

| Role | Permissions |
| --- | --- |
| **Sales agent** | 5 of 13: **Place orders**, **Create quotes**, **Edit quotes**, **Edit addresses** and **Change default addresses**. For day-to-day ordering. |
| **Sales administrator** | All 13. Everything a sales agent can do, plus changing prices, custom items and shipping, and creating customers. |

For anything in between, create a custom role or duplicate a built-in one.

## Create a custom role

1. Go to **Customers > Roles** in the SparkLayer Dashboard ([open](https://app.sparklayer.io/customers/roles)), or **SparkLayer Wholesale > Sales agents > Roles** in the Shopify app and click **Create role**.
2. Enter a **Role name**, such as "Senior rep". It's shown when you give someone a role.
3. On the **Orders**, **Quotes** and **Customers** cards, switch on each permission the role should have (see [Permissions](#permissions)).
4. Click **Save** in the save bar.

**More detail**

- To start from an existing role, open it and click **Duplicate**. This opens **Create role** with the same permissions, named "(copy)", for example "Sales agent (copy)".
- The built-in roles are read-only. Open one and click **Duplicate** to make a version you can change.
- Role names must be unique.

## Edit a custom role

1. Go to **Customers > Roles** in the SparkLayer Dashboard ([open](https://app.sparklayer.io/customers/roles)), or **SparkLayer Wholesale > Sales agents > Roles** in the Shopify app and click the role's name.
2. Change the **Role name** or switch permissions on or off.
3. Click **Save** in the save bar.

Every agent with the role gets the new permissions straight away.

## Give a role to a sales agent

1. Go to **Customers > Agents** in the SparkLayer Dashboard ([open](https://app.sparklayer.io/v2/customers/agents)), or **SparkLayer Wholesale > Sales agents** in the Shopify app and click the agent's name.
2. Under **Role**, choose the role.
3. Click **Save** in the save bar.

**Add sales agent** offers only the 2 built-in roles. To give a new agent a custom role, add them first, then change their role on their page. See [Sales rep setup](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/sales-reps.md).

## Delete a custom role

1. Go to **Customers > Roles** in the SparkLayer Dashboard ([open](https://app.sparklayer.io/customers/roles)), or **SparkLayer Wholesale > Sales agents > Roles** in the Shopify app and click the role's name.
2. Click **More actions**, then **Delete role**.
3. Click **Delete role** to confirm.

Anyone who had the role moves to the built-in **Sales agent** role. The confirmation tells you how many reps this affects.

## Permissions

Each permission is a switch on the role's page, in 3 cards: **Orders**, **Quotes** and **Customers**.

| Card | Permission | What it allows |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Orders | **Place orders** | Check out for a customer through the normal checkout. |
| Orders | **Change quoted prices** | Change the price of items already quoted to a customer. See [Change a unit price](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/sales-ordering/order-for-a-customer.md#change-a-unit-price). |
| Orders | **Add custom items** | Add or change [custom line items](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/sales-ordering/order-for-a-customer.md#add-a-custom-item) on an order. |
| Orders | **Change shipping** | Change the shipping method or cost on an order. See [Set a custom shipping rate](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/sales-ordering/order-for-a-customer.md#set-a-custom-shipping-rate). |
| Orders | **Ignore product rules** | Skip rules like minimum quantities or order increments. See [Override quantity rules](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/sales-ordering/order-for-a-customer.md#override-quantity-rules). |
| Quotes | **Create quotes** | Start a quote from the checkout. |
| Quotes | **Edit quotes** | Change a quote after it's created. |
| Quotes | **Complete quotes** | Finalise a quote once it's approved. |
| Quotes | **Archive quotes** | Archive quotes that are no longer needed. |
| Quotes | **Reassign quotes** | Change which rep looks after a quote. |
| Customers | **Create customers** | Add new customer accounts. See [Add a new customer](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/sales-ordering/order-for-a-customer.md#add-a-new-customer). |
| Customers | **Edit addresses** | Update a customer's shipping and billing addresses. |
| Customers | **Change default addresses** | Choose which address is used by default. |

The **Quotes** permissions only apply when [quotes](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/ordering/quoting.md) are turned on at **Settings > Configurations > Quotes and invoices** in the SparkLayer Dashboard ([open](https://app.sparklayer.io/configuration/settings/general)), or **SparkLayer Wholesale > Settings > Configurations > Quotes and invoices** in the Shopify app (Pro plan, or the Quoting Engine add-on). Until then, the **Quotes** card says "Quotes are off in Settings, so these don't apply yet."

## The Roles screen

**Customers > Roles** in the SparkLayer Dashboard ([open](https://app.sparklayer.io/customers/roles)), or **SparkLayer Wholesale > Sales agents > Roles** in the Shopify app lists every role on the **Sales rep roles** card, with **Create role** at the top.

| Column | What it shows |
| --- | --- |
| **Role** | The role's name. Click it to open the role. |
| **Type** | **Built in** or **Custom**. |
| **Can do** | How many of the 13 permissions the role has, for example "5 of 13 permissions". |
| **Used by** | How many reps have the role, or "No one". |

## On the Basic plan

Roles come with sales agents, which start on the Starter plan. On the Basic plan, **Customers > Roles** in the SparkLayer Dashboard ([open](https://app.sparklayer.io/customers/roles)), or **SparkLayer Wholesale > Sales agents > Roles** in the Shopify app shows **Roles come with sales agents**. Click **Compare plans** to see the plans, or **See how it works** to learn about sales agents. Starter has a 14-day free trial. See [Plans and limits](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/sales-reps.md#plans-and-limits).

## Good practice

- **Create roles around job functions**, for example a "Sales rep" role for day-to-day ordering and a "Manager" role with wider access.
- **Only give full access** (the Sales administrator role, or a custom equivalent) to people who need it.
- **Review roles as your team grows**, to check the permissions still match how each role is used.

## FAQs

**Can I edit the built-in roles?**

No. The **Sales agent** and **Sales administrator** roles can't be changed or deleted. Open one and click **Duplicate** to make a custom version you can change.

**Can I give one role to several sales agents?**

Yes. Give the same role to as many agents as you need. **Used by** on the Roles screen shows how many reps have each role.

**What happens when I update a role?**

Every sales agent with that role gets the new permissions straight away.

**What happens to reps when I delete a custom role?**

They move to the built-in **Sales agent** role. You don't need to reassign them first. Check their role afterwards if they need more than the Sales agent permissions.

**Do roles control who reviews quotes?**

Roles control what an agent can do with a quote. Who receives a quote is set in the [Quoting Engine](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/ordering/quoting.md#set-up-your-sales-team-for-quoting).

## Next steps

- [Sales rep setup](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/sales-reps.md): Add a sales agent and choose which customers they see
- [Order for a customer](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/sales-ordering/order-for-a-customer.md): What reps do with these permissions when they take an order