Roles and Role Profiles in ERPNext
Roles and Role Profiles are fundamental components of ERPNext’s access control system. A Role defines what actions a user can perform and which documents they can access, while a Role Profile groups multiple roles together, making it easier to assign permissions to users.
For example, assigning the Sales User role to a user allows them to access sales-related documents such as Quotations and Sales Orders, provided the appropriate permissions are configured.
Role Profiles simplify user management by allowing administrators to assign multiple roles at once through a predefined template.
Navigation: Home > Users and Permissions > Role
1. Understanding Roles
A Role represents a set of permissions that determine which documents, reports, and modules a user can access within ERPNext.
Common standard roles available in ERPNext include:
- System Manager
- Accounts Manager
- Sales User
- Sales Manager
- HR User
- Purchase User
- Employee
Permissions assigned to a role are managed through the Role Permissions Manager.
2. How to Create a New Role
Follow these steps to create a custom role:
- Open the Role list.
- Click New.
- Enter a name for the role.
- Select whether the role should have Desk Access.
- Save the document.
After saving, you can configure detailed permissions using the Role Permissions Manager.
Desk Access
Roles with Desk Access can access ERPNext modules, reports, and business documents through the ERPNext interface.
Roles without Desk Access are generally used for portal users or special permission scenarios.
Additional Security Options
When creating a role, administrators can also:
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for the role.
- Restrict the role to a specific Domain.
These settings help improve security and ensure users only access relevant functionality.
TIP
Create custom roles only when standard ERPNext roles cannot meet your business requirements. This helps keep permission management simple and maintainable.
3. Understanding Role Profiles
A Role Profile is a collection of multiple roles grouped together into a reusable template.
Instead of assigning several individual roles to every user, administrators can assign a single Role Profile.
For example, a Sales Supervisor may require the following roles:
- Employee
- Sales User
- Sales Manager
- Sales Master Manager
These roles can be combined into a single Role Profile and assigned to multiple users.
Role Profiles significantly reduce manual effort when onboarding new employees.
4. How to Create a Role Profile
Navigate to:
Home > Users and Permissions > Permissions > Role Profile
Then follow these steps:
- Open the Role Profile list.
- Click New.
- Enter a name for the Role Profile.
- Select all roles that should be included.
- Save the Role Profile.
Once created, the Role Profile can be assigned directly to users during user creation or later through the User document.
5. Benefits of Using Role Profiles
- Faster user onboarding.
- Consistent access control across teams.
- Reduced administrative effort.
- Simplified permission management.
- Lower risk of assigning incorrect roles.
Best Practices
- Use standard ERPNext roles whenever possible.
- Create department-specific Role Profiles for HR, Sales, Finance, and Operations teams.
- Review role assignments periodically to maintain security.
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication for sensitive roles.
- Use Role Profiles to ensure consistency across similar job functions.
SUMMARY
Roles define what users can access and perform within ERPNext, while Role Profiles group multiple roles into reusable templates. Together, they provide a scalable and efficient way to manage user permissions, streamline onboarding, and maintain consistent security policies across the organization.
