If you’ve ever tried to wrangle a team’s permissions in any tool, you know how messy it can get. Kixie’s no exception—there’s power here, but also plenty of ways to shoot yourself in the foot if you’re not careful. This guide is for admins, ops folks, and anyone who wants to keep things organized without micromanaging or locking everyone out by mistake. We’ll get into what actually matters in the Kixie admin settings, step-by-step, with honest takes on what’s worth your time.
1. Know the Basics: What Permissions and Roles Actually Do in Kixie
Before you start clicking around, it’s worth understanding what you’re actually changing. In Kixie, permissions control what a user can see and do—think “who can access call recordings” or “who can add new team members.” Roles are just permission bundles you assign to one or more users.
Why this matters: - Fewer headaches: Get it right up front, avoid messy cleanup later. - Security: Not everyone should see sensitive stuff, like call logs or billing. - Simplicity: The fewer roles and custom permissions, the better.
Kixie’s structure, in a nutshell: - Roles: Usually “Admin,” “Manager,” and “User.” You can create custom ones, but beware scope creep. - Permissions: Granular toggles for things like reporting, dialing, recordings, and more.
Pro tip:
Don’t overthink it. Most teams only need 2-3 roles. Resist the urge to create a special snowflake role for every person.
2. Accessing Kixie Admin Settings
You can’t manage permissions if you’re locked out. Make sure you have Admin rights—if you don’t, you’ll need someone who does.
Steps: 1. Log into your Kixie account. 2. Click your profile icon (top right) and select Admin Settings from the dropdown. 3. You’ll land on the main admin dashboard. Look for Team or Users & Roles—Kixie sometimes tweaks the naming.
If you’re not seeing these options, you’re not an admin. Time to buddy up with whoever is.
3. Reviewing Existing Roles and Permissions
Before you make changes, see what’s already there. It’s easy to lose track, especially if you inherited someone else’s setup.
Here’s how: 1. In Admin Settings, find the Roles or Team Roles section. 2. Click on a role to see which permissions it includes. 3. Take note of: - Who’s in each role (is the accounting intern listed as Admin? Might want to fix that). - What each role can access—especially sensitive stuff like call recordings, billing, integrations.
What to look for: - Red flags: Too many Admins, roles with “all permissions” checked, or custom roles you can’t remember creating. - Clutter: Old roles for teams that don’t exist anymore. Clean up where you can.
Pro tip:
Document changes as you go—just a quick note in a shared doc. It’ll save your future self a lot of guesswork.
4. Editing Roles: The Right Way
Ready to make changes? Good. But don’t start by making a million custom roles. Stick to these steps to avoid chaos.
Step 1: Decide What Roles You Actually Need
Most teams get by with: - Admin: Full access—settings, billing, users, everything. - Manager: Team-level controls, but can’t change billing or global account settings. - User: Can do their own work, but not mess with others’ data or settings.
Ask yourself: - Who really needs Admin? Usually just 1-2 people. - Does anyone need “Manager,” or are you better off with just Admin/User? - Are there any legal or compliance needs for restricting access to call logs or recordings?
Step 2: Edit Existing Roles
- In the Roles section, click on the role you want to edit.
- Toggle permissions on/off. Kixie’s pretty straightforward—each switch is labeled.
- Example: “Can access call recordings,” “Can invite new users,” etc.
- Save your changes.
Step 3: Assign Users to Roles
- Go to the Users list.
- For each user, assign the right role from a dropdown menu.
- Double-check your work before saving—accidental Admins are more common than you’d think.
5. Creating Custom Roles: Proceed with Caution
Kixie lets you create custom roles, but this is where things can get messy. Only do this if you have a real use case, like a legal team that needs reporting access but nothing else.
To create a custom role: 1. Click Add Role or Create New Role in the Roles section. 2. Name it clearly (e.g., “Legal View Only” not “Role 2”). 3. Select only the permissions this group truly needs. 4. Assign users carefully.
When you shouldn’t bother: - For “just in case” scenarios. If you’re not sure, don’t create it. - To micromanage every user. Complexity equals confusion.
What breaks down: - Too many roles = no one knows who has access to what. - Vague role names mean future admins will make mistakes.
Pro tip:
If you’re unsure, stick with Admin, Manager, and User. You can always add a custom role later if you realize you really need it.
6. Permissions That Actually Matter (and Ones That Don’t)
Kixie gives you a bunch of permissions to toggle, but not all of them are equally important. Here’s the lowdown:
High-impact permissions: - Billing: Only for trusted Admins. - Call recordings: Sensitive, legally risky—lock it down if you need to. - User management: Keep this limited to avoid chaos. - Integrations: If someone can connect/disconnect your CRM, they can break things.
Lower-impact permissions: - Personal call history: Usually fine for all users. - Voicemail settings: Not a big deal unless you’re in a regulated industry.
Ignore the urge to lock down every little thing unless you’ve got a real reason (compliance, privacy, etc.). Over-restricting just slows everyone down.
7. Handling Edge Cases and Clean-Up
Things get messy. People change roles, leave the company, or someone forgets to offboard an intern. Here’s how to keep things tidy:
Regular checks: - Schedule a quarterly review of roles and permissions. - Remove old users, and downgrade roles for anyone who’s changed jobs. - Audit Admins—make sure only trusted folks have full control.
Quick fixes: - Accidentally gave someone too much access? Change their role right away; changes take effect immediately. - Not sure what a permission does? Test it with a dummy account before rolling it out.
8. Common Mistakes (And How to Dodge Them)
1. Too many Admins:
It’s tempting, but risky. One disgruntled user can do real damage.
2. Over-customizing roles:
Every custom role is another thing you have to manage. Keep it simple.
3. Not documenting changes:
You’ll forget why you did what you did. Write it down somewhere.
4. Forgetting to review:
Set a calendar reminder. Seriously, it takes five minutes to check things quarterly.
9. FAQ: Real Questions from Real Admins
Q: Can I restrict a user to only see their own calls?
Yes. Use the default “User” role and double-check the permissions around call logs and recordings.
Q: What happens if I remove Admin rights from someone who set up integrations?
Those integrations usually keep running, but only Admins can change or disconnect them.
Q: Can I bulk-assign roles?
Kixie’s UI is mostly one-by-one, but you can ask their support if you have lots of users to update.
Q: Is there an audit log for permission changes?
Kixie has some logging, but it’s not always easy to parse. Note major changes in your own doc for safety.
Keep It Simple and Review Often
Managing permissions in Kixie shouldn’t be a full-time job. Stick to a few clear roles, keep admin rights tight, and check in every so often. Don’t let things get overcomplicated—start simple, and only add complexity if you really need it. Your future self (and your team) will thank you.