How to Create User Roles in SureMembers

SureMembers lets you create custom user roles for your WordPress site. User roles define what type of user someone is and can be used in access groups, login restrictions, and automations.

Why Create Custom User Roles

• Organize your members: Create groups like students, coaches, or staff with different roles.
• Sync roles with access groups: Automatically assign an existing or custom user role when someone joins a group.
• Control logins: Limit how many times a role can log in at once.
• Use with plugins and automations: Custom roles can be used in other plugins and automation tools like OttoKit.

How to Create User Roles

1. Go to SureMembers → Settings.
2. Select Create User Roles from the sidebar.
3. Enter a role name.
   • Example: Content Creator
   • The system will also generate a unique key (e.g., suremember-content-creator).
   • Tip: Avoid using special symbols in user role names.
4. Click the Create Role button to save it.

Editing User Roles

1. Go to SureMembers → Settings → Create User Roles.
2. Under Created Roles, you’ll see your list of custom roles.
3. Next to each role, you can choose Edit or Delete.

Where You Can Use User Roles

User Role Sync in Access Groups

You can connect any access group with a user role. When a new user is added to the group, they are also given that role automatically. Keep in mind this only works one way — assigning a role directly will not add the user to the group. If you want to place users into a group manually, you’ll need to add them yourself. For more details, see the User Role Sync documentation.

Login Restrictions

• Go to SureMembers → Settings → Login Restrictions.
• Under User Roles, select which roles the rules apply to.
• Example options include:
  • Max Concurrent Logins: Limit how many sessions a user role can have (e.g., 3 active logins).
  • Login Logic: Choose whether to allow a new login (and end older sessions) or block it when the limit is reached.
  • Allow Logouts: Option to let users log out from all other devices.

Other Plugins and Automations

• Custom roles can also be used with other WordPress plugins.
• They integrate with automation tools like OttoKit, letting you trigger or control actions based on roles. Here’s a list of all the automation triggers and actions available on OttoKit. 

Best Practices

• Use clear names that describe the role’s purpose (e.g., “Student” or “Staff”).
• Avoid symbols or spaces in role names.
• Plan your role structure before creating many roles to avoid duplicates.
• Combine roles with access groups for more control.
• You can use third-party tools to manage specific permissions for user roles that you create. 

Frequently Asked Questions