Documentation→Getting Started→User Roles & Permissions

User Roles & Permissions

Quick Summary: Relius uses two roles — admin and super_admin — to control access. Manage users, send invitations, change roles, and deactivate accounts from Settings → Users & Roles.

Overview

The User Management page is located under Settings → Users & Roles in the sidebar. It is the single place where you control who can access your Relius account and what they can do once logged in.

At the top of the page you will see four stats cards:

Total Users — the total number of user accounts in your organization
Active Users — accounts that are currently active and able to log in
Pending Invitations — invitations that have been sent but not yet accepted
Admins — the number of users who hold the admin or super_admin role

Below the stats cards are two tabs: Users and Invitations. The Users tab displays a table with columns for Name, Email, Role, Status, Verified, and Actions. The Invitations tab shows outstanding invitations that have not yet been accepted.

Role Descriptions

Relius currently has two roles. Each user is assigned exactly one role at a time.

admin

The standard administrative role. Users with the admin role can access all day-to-day features of Relius, including people management, groups, events, giving, communications, and reports.

Admins can manage other users (invite, deactivate, change role) but cannot transfer super admin ownership. This role is appropriate for pastors, office administrators, and key staff members who need broad access to the platform.

super_admin

The highest-level role in Relius. A super_admin has every capability of an admin plus the exclusive ability to transfer super admin ownership to another user via the Transfer Super Admin action.

There is typically one super_admin per organization — the person who created the Relius account or who received ownership via a transfer. This role is intended for the primary account holder (e.g., the senior pastor or the person ultimately responsible for the church's Relius account).

Note: Only the roles admin and super_admin are present in the current version of Relius. If you need more granular access control, contact support to discuss your requirements.

Managing Users

Navigate to Settings → Users & Roles and select the Users tab to see the full user table. Each row shows the user's Name, Email, Role, Status, and whether their account is Verified. The Actions column provides two operations per user.

Step 1: Open User Management

In the left sidebar, expand Settings and click Users & Roles. The page loads with the stats cards at the top and the Users tab selected by default.

Step 2: Change a User's Role

Locate the user in the table and click Change Role in their Actions column. Select the new role (admin or super_admin) and confirm the change.

The role update takes effect immediately. The user does not need to log out and log back in.

Step 3: Deactivate a User

To revoke a user's access, click Deactivate in their Actions column. Deactivated users cannot log in, but their historical data (records they created or modified) is preserved.

Use deactivation when a staff member leaves or when you need to temporarily suspend access. If you need to restore access later, reactivate the account from the same Actions column.

Inviting Users

To add a new team member, use the Invite User button located at the top of the User Management page.

Step 1: Click Invite User

Click the Invite User button. A form appears prompting you to enter the new user's details.

Step 2: Enter Name and Email

Fill in the person's name and email address. The email address will be used for their login credentials and to deliver the invitation.

Step 3: Assign a Role

Select the role to assign to the new user: admin or super_admin. In most cases, new team members should be assigned the admin role.

Step 4: Send the Invitation

Submit the form. The invited person receives an email with a link to create their account and set a password. Until they accept, the invitation appears in the Invitations tab and the Pending Invitations stat card increments.

Transferring Super Admin

The Transfer Super Admin button is visible on the User Management page and is only available to the current super_admin.

Click Transfer Super Admin at the top of the User Management page.
Select the user who will become the new super_admin. Only active, verified users are eligible.
Confirm the transfer. Your role is automatically changed to admin and the selected user becomes super_admin.

Warning: This action cannot be undone by you. Once you transfer super admin ownership, only the new super_admin can transfer it back. Make sure you are transferring to the correct person.

Security Best Practices

Limit the number of super_admin accounts. There should typically be only one super_admin. This reduces the risk of accidental or unauthorized ownership transfers.
Deactivate accounts promptly when staff leave. Do not wait. Go to Settings → Users & Roles and click Deactivate on the departing user's row immediately.
Review the Users tab regularly. Check for accounts that are inactive, unverified, or no longer needed. Remove or deactivate any that should not have access.
Use unique email addresses for each user. Do not share accounts. Every person who needs access should have their own invitation and login.
Keep the Pending Invitations count low. Follow up on invitations that have not been accepted. Expired or stale invitations can be a sign that the email was incorrect or the person no longer needs access.
Audit admin count. Use the Admins stat card to keep track of how many users hold elevated roles. If the number seems high, review whether each person still needs admin-level access.

Common Questions

Q: What is the difference between admin and super_admin?

A: Both roles have full access to Relius features. The only difference is that super_admin can transfer super admin ownership to another user via the Transfer Super Admin action. An admin cannot perform this transfer.

Q: Can a user have more than one role?

A: No. Each user is assigned exactly one role at a time. You can change a user's role at any time using the Change Role action in the Users table.

Q: What happens when I deactivate a user?

A: The user can no longer log in. Their account remains in the system and their historical activity (records created, changes made) is preserved. You can reactivate the account later if needed.

Q: Can I resend an invitation?

A: Check the Invitations tab for pending invitations. If the original email was not received, you can resend or revoke the invitation and create a new one.

Q: What does the Verified column mean in the Users table?

A: The Verified column indicates whether the user has completed their account setup, including email verification. A user who accepted their invitation and verified their email address will show as verified.

Q: I transferred super admin to the wrong person. How do I get it back?

A: Only the current super_admin can initiate a transfer. Ask the person you transferred ownership to to use Transfer Super Admin to send it back to you. If that person is unavailable, contact Relius support for assistance.

Q: How many admin users can I have?

A: There is no hard limit on the number of admin users. However, for security purposes, keep the number of admin accounts to the people who genuinely need full access. Use the Admins stat card on the User Management page to monitor this.