Access to a specific group is determined by a combination of access limits, membership within the group, and the user's permissions, in that order. Each is reviewed in detail below.
The permissions themselves make up the Groups group within a role. To review or edit them, go to Settings & Tools (Cog icon in the tool-bar) > Security > Roles, open a role, and select the Permissions tab. You'll find these options under the Groups section.
1. Access limits
First, limits on group category, type, and campus are checked to see if the user can even see the group. If they are allowed, then the user's membership within the group is used to determine if they can access the group.
Note: Group administrators always have access to their group, even if access limits otherwise would have prevented access. The only exception is the campus limit, as in that case the administrator cannot access their group if the group is in a campus they do not have access to.
Group admins have full access to all group tabs, and can edit general group information except the name.
2. Membership
Next, the user's membership within the group is checked.
Member, Leader, and other types have access to the group only if the group is active and the group membership type is not "Internal."
If the user is not a member of the group, the user's permissions determine access.
3. Permissions
The final check on whether the user has access to the group is to look at their permissions. This is only done if the user is not a member of the group.
Create Groups
Can create new groups.
Can copy or duplicate an existing group. The user also needs the Full Write Groups permission.
Full Read Groups
Has read-only access to all groups in the system, including internal groups.
Has access to change logs related to groups, group members, and group positions.
Can view the group listing in table view.
Limited Write Groups
Users with this permission also have the Full Read Groups permission. This is the same access a group administrator has within their group.
Can add, edit, and delete group members.
Can add, edit, and delete attendance reports.
Can add, edit, and delete group calendar events.
Can add, assign, edit, and delete group positions.
Can add, edit, and delete volunteer schedules.
Can upload and delete group files.
Cannot edit group details.
Cannot delete groups.
Can add a person to a group roster from the person's profile (Involvement > Groups).
Full Write Groups
Users with this permission also have the Full Read Groups and Limited Write Groups permissions.
Can edit group details and assign leaders.
Can copy or duplicate an existing group. The user also needs the Create Groups permission.
Can delete groups.
Can add a person to any group roster during manual check-in.
Can add, edit, and delete values from any drop-down field.
Can edit and remove a person from a group from the person's profile (Involvement > Groups).
Full Read Discussions
Can view discussion messages for all groups.
Full Write Discussions
Users with this permission also have the Full Read Discussions permission.
Can create, edit, and delete discussion messages for all groups.
Group Settings
Can define custom fields on group types.
Can add, edit, and delete custom field definitions for group members.
4. Special permissions
Non-admin group members can be granted special access to help manage portions of the group. When editing a group member, an Access tab is available.
Note: Special group permissions only apply if the person has access to the group. If their user permissions restrict access to a group because of the type, and the group is internal, then the user does not have access to that group even if they have special group permissions within it.
Only group admins and users with Limited Write Groups are able to set special permissions for group members. Available options are:
Can manage events - Can add, edit, and delete group events.
Can manage member roster and positions - Can add, edit, and delete group members and positions. This will not allow them to edit any group admins or modify member permissions.
Group members with this access will not be able to edit other group admins, nor will they be able to set permissions for any members.
They also will not be able to grant group admin access to any members.
Can manage attendance - Can enter and edit group attendance.
While this permission will allow them to create group events, they will not be able to edit the event itself unless they have the "Can manage events" permission as well.
The member will not be made an organizer of any events created for attendance.
Can manage files - Can upload and delete group files.
Can manage chat - Can manage the group's chat, including deleting messages.
Can manage notes - Can add, edit, and delete group notes.
A filter on the group listing named "Has Special Access?" will help return members with elevated access to the group. Members with special permissions also have a yellow "special access" label within the Type column. Clicking on this opens the Edit Member pop-up with the Access tab already open.
These options are also available when editing a group member from the mobile app.
Related permissions
Full Write Promotions, which controls group promotion plans, is part of the Automation group. See Automation.
Full Read Chat, Full Write Chat, and Chat Safety Reviewer are part of the Communication group. See Communication.