If you’re running a team or building out a workspace, the default user roles in most apps only get you so far. Maybe you want your support staff to see tickets but not billing, or your marketing team to publish content but not poke around in settings. That’s where custom roles and permissions in Factors come in.
This guide is for admins, workspace owners, or anyone who’s tired of “Admin” and “Member” not cutting it. I’ll walk you through making your own roles, setting up permissions, and actually getting folks assigned to them—without making a mess or locking yourself out.
Let’s get to it.
Why bother with custom roles in Factors?
Honestly, the built-in roles are fine for small groups or simple setups. But as soon as you want more control—say, finance shouldn’t see product roadmaps, or agency partners need limited access—you’ll hit a wall.
Custom roles mean you decide exactly who can do what. It makes onboarding, offboarding, and compliance much less painful, and you’re less likely to wake up to a Slack message that someone “accidentally deleted everything.”
Before you start: What you need to know
A few quick things to check before you jump in:
- You need admin access. Only admins or workspace owners can create or edit roles.
- Plan your roles. Don’t just make a new role for every person. Think in terms of job functions.
- Keep it simple. The more roles you have, the harder it gets to manage. Try to cover real needs, not edge cases.
- Know your permissions. Not all actions in Factors are granular. Some things are all-or-nothing.
If you’re clear on these, you’ll avoid most headaches later.
Step 1: Map out what roles you actually need
Before you touch any settings, figure out what your team really needs. Too many people skip this and end up with a dozen roles and no idea who’s in which.
- List your team’s functions. Sales, Support, Dev, Marketing, Finance, Agency, etc.
- For each group, jot down what they must be able to do. For example, “Support: View and respond to tickets, but can’t change billing info.”
- Ignore “nice to have” for now. Focus on critical permissions. You can always tweak later.
Pro tip: Fewer roles = less confusion. If two groups need 95% of the same permissions, combine them.
Step 2: Create a custom role in Factors
Once you’ve mapped out what you need, it’s time to create your first custom role.
- Log in to Factors with an admin account.
- Go to “Settings.” You’ll usually find this in the sidebar or under your profile menu.
- Find the “Roles” or “User Management” section. The wording may vary, but look for something with “Roles” or “Permissions.”
- Click “Create Role” or “Add Role.”
- Name your role. Make it clear and specific, like “Support Limited” or “Content Editor.” Avoid using people’s names.
- (Optional) Add a description. This helps later when you forget why you made the role.
What works: Clear, job-based names.
What doesn’t: Vague names (“Custom1”) or roles tied to specific users (“Jane’s Role”).
Step 3: Set permissions for your custom role
Here’s where things get real. What can this role actually do?
- Review the list of available permissions. Factors usually splits these into categories: Projects, Billing, Settings, Content, etc.
- Check only what’s necessary. Less is more. If you’re not sure, leave it off for now—you can always add later.
- Pay attention to “dangerous” permissions. Anything involving deletion, billing, or user management deserves extra caution. If in doubt, don’t enable it.
- Save the role. Double-check your choices before hitting save.
Honest take: Most people over-permission roles at first. Don’t give “edit” rights unless you trust the group. “View only” is safer by default.
Pro tip: If you’re unsure what a permission does, check Factors’ help text or ask support. Some labels are cryptic (“Manage Integrations” can mean a lot of things).
Step 4: Assign users to your custom roles
Now your roles are ready, it’s time to put people in them.
- Go to the “Users” or “Team” section in Factors.
- Find the user you want to update. There’s usually a search or filter.
- Edit their role. You’ll see a dropdown or “Assign Role” option. Select your new custom role.
- (Optional) Notify the user. Some platforms send an email. If not, give them a heads-up so they’re not surprised by new limits.
What works: Assigning by job function, not individual quirks.
What doesn’t: Making one-off roles for each person—it’s a nightmare to manage.
Step 5: Test and tweak your roles
Don’t just set it and forget it. Permissions always have surprises.
- Log in as a user with the new role (or use an incognito window if Factors allows role-switching) and try out common actions.
- Ask for feedback. People will tell you quickly if they can’t do their job.
- Tweak as needed. If folks are blocked, loosen up. If someone has too much access, tighten down.
Pro tip: Schedule a quarterly role review. Teams change, and so do needs.
What to avoid (unless you love chaos)
- Too many roles. If you need a spreadsheet to track them, you’ve gone too far.
- One-person roles. If only Mary is in “Finance Plus Custom,” rethink it.
- Ignoring the audit log. If something weird happens, check who did what. Good platforms log permission changes.
Troubleshooting common headaches
- Someone can’t access something they should. Double-check both their assigned role and the permissions inside that role. Sometimes, global settings override custom roles.
- A user has too much power. Remove them from the role and assign something more restrictive. Don’t wait for a disaster.
- Can’t delete a role? You might have users still assigned to it. Unassign them first.
- Confusing permission names. If the description isn’t clear, ask support or test with a dummy account. Don’t guess.
Pro tips for staying sane
- Document your roles. Even a simple Google Doc can save you later.
- Name roles by function, not person. “Marketing Editor” is always better than “Bob’s Access.”
- Review regularly. People leave, teams change, so should your roles.
- Don’t be afraid to delete old roles. If you’re not sure what it’s for, it’s probably safe to remove.
Wrapping up: Keep it simple, iterate often
Custom roles and permissions aren’t glamorous, but they’re the difference between a well-run team and a constant headache. Start with the basics, give folks what they need (and nothing more), and adjust as you go. Don’t overthink it—simple, clear roles make everyone’s life easier.
Got stuck? Don’t be shy about asking Factors support for help. Most problems aren’t unique, and a quick answer beats hours of frustration. Good luck!