User Roles & Permissions
Relay uses role-based access control (RBAC) to manage what team members can see and do. This guide explains the available roles and their permissions.
Available Roles
Admin
Admins have full access to all features and settings. Typically assigned to team leads, managers, and account owners.
Agent
Agents can handle day-to-day support work but cannot access sensitive settings. Ideal for support team members.
Permission Matrix
Ticket Management
| Action | Admin | Agent |
|---|---|---|
| View all tickets | ✅ | ✅ |
| Create tickets | ✅ | ✅ |
| Edit tickets | ✅ | ✅ |
| Delete tickets | ✅ | ❌ |
| Assign tickets | ✅ | ✅ |
| Change ticket status | ✅ | ✅ |
| Bulk operations | ✅ | ✅ |
Conversations
| Action | Admin | Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Reply to tickets | ✅ | ✅ |
| Add internal notes | ✅ | ✅ |
| Edit own messages | ✅ | ✅ |
| Delete messages | ✅ | ❌ |
| View all conversations | ✅ | ✅ |
Customers
| Action | Admin | Agent |
|---|---|---|
| View customers | ✅ | ✅ |
| Edit customers | ✅ | ✅ |
| Delete customers | ✅ | ❌ |
| View customer history | ✅ | ✅ |
| Export customer data | ✅ | ❌ |
Knowledge Base
| Action | Admin | Agent |
|---|---|---|
| View articles | ✅ | ✅ |
| Create articles | ✅ | ✅ |
| Edit articles | ✅ | ✅ |
| Publish articles | ✅ | ✅ |
| Delete articles | ✅ | ❌ |
| Manage collections | ✅ | ✅ |
AI Features
| Action | Admin | Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Use AI summaries | ✅ | ✅ |
| Use reply suggestions | ✅ | ✅ |
| View sentiment analysis | ✅ | ✅ |
| Use article recommendations | ✅ | ✅ |
| View AI usage metrics | ✅ | ❌ |
Automations
| Action | Admin | Agent |
|---|---|---|
| View automations | ✅ | ✅ |
| Create automations | ✅ | ❌ |
| Edit automations | ✅ | ❌ |
| Delete automations | ✅ | ❌ |
| Enable/disable automations | ✅ | ❌ |
Macros
| Action | Admin | Agent |
|---|---|---|
| View macros | ✅ | ✅ |
| Use macros | ✅ | ✅ |
| Create macros | ✅ | ✅ |
| Edit macros | ✅ | Own only |
| Delete macros | ✅ | Own only |
SLAs
| Action | Admin | Agent |
|---|---|---|
| View SLA status on tickets | ✅ | ✅ |
| Create SLA policies | ✅ | ❌ |
| Edit SLA policies | ✅ | ❌ |
| Delete SLA policies | ✅ | ❌ |
| View SLA reports | ✅ | ✅ |
Analytics & Reporting
| Action | Admin | Agent |
|---|---|---|
| View dashboard | ✅ | ✅ |
| View own performance | ✅ | ✅ |
| View team performance | ✅ | ❌ |
| Create custom reports | ✅ | ❌ |
| Export reports | ✅ | ❌ |
Integrations
| Action | Admin | Agent |
|---|---|---|
| View integrations | ✅ | ✅ |
| Connect integrations | ✅ | ❌ |
| Configure integrations | ✅ | ❌ |
| Disconnect integrations | ✅ | ❌ |
User Management
| Action | Admin | Agent |
|---|---|---|
| View team members | ✅ | ✅ |
| Invite users | ✅ | ❌ |
| Change user roles | ✅ | ❌ |
| Remove users | ✅ | ❌ |
| Edit own profile | ✅ | ✅ |
Organization Settings
| Action | Admin | Agent |
|---|---|---|
| View settings | ✅ | Limited |
| Edit organization info | ✅ | ❌ |
| Configure business hours | ✅ | ❌ |
| Manage billing | ✅ | ❌ |
| Configure notifications | ✅ | Own only |
Role Assignment
Assigning Roles
Only Admins can assign or change roles:
- Go to Settings → Users
- Click on a user
- Select the Role dropdown
- Choose the new role
- Click Save
Role Changes Take Effect Immediately
When you change a user's role, their permissions update instantly. They may need to refresh their browser to see the changes.
Best Practices
Who Should Be an Admin?
- Account owner
- Team leads / managers
- IT administrators
- Anyone who needs to configure integrations or settings
Who Should Be an Agent?
- Frontline support representatives
- Part-time support staff
- Team members who only need to handle tickets
Security Recommendations
- Limit Admin access: Only grant Admin to those who need it
- Regular audits: Review user roles periodically
- Remove inactive users: Deactivate users who no longer need access
- Use strong passwords: Enforce password requirements
Common Scenarios
"Agent needs to create automations"
Upgrade them to Admin, or have an Admin create the automation on their behalf.
"Admin only needs to handle tickets sometimes"
Keep them as Admin—Admins can do everything Agents can.
"Contractor needs limited access"
Use Agent role. They can handle tickets but can't access sensitive settings.
"Manager needs to view team reports"
Use Admin role. Only Admins can view team-wide analytics.
Troubleshooting Permissions
"I can't see the Settings menu"
You're logged in as an Agent. Ask an Admin for access if needed.
"I can't delete a ticket"
Only Admins can delete tickets. Change the status to Closed instead.
"I can't create an automation"
Only Admins can create automations. Ask an Admin to create it or upgrade your role.
"I can see other agents' performance metrics"
You might be logged in as an Admin. Agents can only see their own metrics.
Future Roles (Planned)
We're planning to add more granular roles:
- Supervisor: View team metrics without full admin access
- Read-only: View tickets without editing
- Custom roles: Define your own permission sets