# Member Privileges Use this guide to assign the right privileges to members and understand what each checkbox changes in NGX‑Ramblers. ## Overview Member privileges control access to different areas of the system and determine what actions members can perform. Privileges are assigned through the **Member Admin** interface under the **Privileges** tab. ## Accessing the Privileges Screen 1. Navigate to **Admin → Member Admin** 2. Select a member to edit 3. Click on the **Privileges** tab 4. Select or deselect privileges using the checkboxes 5. Click **Save** to apply changes ![](https://ngx-ramblers.org.uk/api/aws/s3/site-content/8fd42046-02eb-40c2-a64a-bb628e7ad24e.jpeg) ## Privilege Descriptions ### Core Membership #### Approved Social Member **Field:** `socialMember` **Purpose:** Allows members to view detailed social event information **Effect:** - Enables Social detail views for logged‑in members - Social events may have restricted visibility for non-social members - Used for email audience selection when targeting social members **When to assign:** - Assign to members who participate in social events - Typically assigned to most active members alongside "Approved Group Member" #### Approved Group Member **Field:** `groupMember` **Purpose:** Marks the person as an active group member and enables login access **Effect:** - **Required** for members to log in to the system - Without this privilege, login attempts will be blocked with the message: "Logins for member [username] have been disabled" - Included in member lists and email segments that target the full group - Required for Committee Member and Social Member lists - This is the foundational privilege that must be set for any active member **When to assign:** - Assign to all active, paid-up members who should have access to the system - Remove from members who should be denied access (e.g., lapsed membership, suspended accounts) #### Revoked Member **Field:** `revoked` **Purpose:** Historical/legacy field for marking revoked members **Effect:** - Currently **not actively enforced** in the current system - Excludes this person from automated updates and bulk changes (CSV updates skip revoked) **When to assign:** - Not recommended for active use - Use "Approved Group Member" (unchecked) instead to disable member access - Use when someone leaves the group or should no longer receive communications --- #### Content Admin **Field:** `contentAdmin` **Purpose:** Controls ability to edit website content and pages **Effect:** - Can edit website content (Markdown pages, fragments, site edit modes) - Enables editing of page content, shared fragments, and site text - Allows management of carousels, images, and content metadata - Controls visibility of content editing tools throughout the site - Grants access to: - Page editing interface - Shared fragment management - Carousel editor - Image management tools **When to assign:** - Assign to committee members or volunteers responsible for maintaining website content - Typically assigned to Webmaster, Communications Officer, or similar roles - Does not grant access to member data or system settings #### Walk Admin **Field:** `walkAdmin` **Purpose:** Controls ability to create and edit group walks **Effect:** - Can create and manage Walks (group walks, updates) - Grants access to walk editing features - Enables creation, modification, and deletion of walks - Allows uploading of walks to Ramblers Walks Manager - Provides access to: - Walk creation/editing interface - Walk leader assignment - Walk upload to Ramblers **When to assign:** - Assign to Walk Coordinators and Walk Leaders - Typically assigned to committee members responsible for walk programme management - Consider assigning to active walk leaders who need to edit their own walks ### Administrative Privileges #### Member Admin **Field:** `memberAdmin` **Purpose:** Controls access to member administration features **Effect:** - Grants access to the **Admin** section of the site - Enables viewing and editing member records - Can manage members and privileges via Member Admin screens - Allows access to: - Member Admin page (`/admin/member-admin`) - Member Login Audit page (`/admin/member-login-audit`) - Member Bulk Load page (`/admin/member-bulk-load`) - Mailing Preferences page (`/admin/mailing-preferences`) - System Settings page (`/admin/system-settings`) - Mailchimp Settings, Mail Settings, Committee Settings, Migration Settings - Page Content Navigator and Fragment Index **When to assign:** - Assign to committee members responsible for managing memberships - Typically assigned to Membership Secretary or similar roles - Exercise caution as this gives broad administrative access --- #### Social Admin **Field:** `socialAdmin` **Purpose:** Controls ability to create and edit social events **Effect:** - Can create and manage Social events - Grants access to social event editing features - Enables creation, modification, and deletion of social events - Provides access to: - Social event creation/editing interface - Social event attendance management - Social event notifications **When to assign:** - Assign to Social Secretary or Social Coordinators - Typically assigned to committee members responsible for organizing social events - Assign to volunteers who help organize social activities #### Walk Change Notifications **Field:** `walkChangeNotifications` **Purpose:** Determines who receives email notifications when walks are modified **Effect:** - Receives coordinator emails for walk create/update/cancel events - Members with this privilege receive automated email notifications when: - Walks are created, updated, or cancelled - Walk details are changed (date, time, meeting point, etc.) - Walk leaders are changed - Notifications are sent to help coordinators track walk programme changes - **Note:** This is a notification privilege only—it does not grant editing rights **When to assign:** - Assign to Walk Coordinators who need to be informed of all walk changes - Typically assigned to 1-3 key walk coordinators - Can be assigned independently of Walk Admin privilege ### Financial Privileges #### Finance Admin **Field:** `financeAdmin` **Purpose:** Controls ability to approve expense claims **Effect:** - Receives approval emails for expense claims - Grants access to expense claim approval features - Enables viewing and approving/rejecting expense claims submitted by members - Members with this privilege receive automated email notifications when: - New expense claims are submitted - Expense claims require approval - Works in conjunction with Treasury Admin for complete expense workflow - Provides access to expense claim management interface **When to assign:** - Assign to Treasurer or committee members authorized to approve expenses - Typically assigned to 1-2 committee members - Assign to those with budgetary oversight responsibility --- #### Committee Member **Field:** `committee` **Purpose:** Grants access to committee-only areas, documents, and most admin tools **Effect:** - Shows the person in committee listings - Used for committee visibility and access - Enables access to committee pages and private committee files - Allows viewing of documents marked as "Committee Only" - Unlocks committee-specific sections of the website - Grants access to most Admin tools: - Admin dashboard (`/admin`) - System Settings, Mail Settings, Mailchimp Settings, Committee Settings, Migration Settings - Backup & Restore, Page Content Navigator, Fragment Index, Member Login Audit, Member Bulk Load, Mailing Preferences, AGM Statistics - **Does not** grant access to: - Member Admin page (`/admin/member-admin`) - Editing member privileges **When to assign:** - Assign to all elected committee members - Assign to co‑opted committee members - May be assigned to other volunteers who need access to committee materials and admin tools, but not member administration #### Treasury Admin **Field:** `treasuryAdmin` **Purpose:** Controls ability to process approved expense payments **Effect:** - Receives payment emails for expense claims (post‑approval) - Grants access to payment processing for approved expense claims - Enables marking expenses as paid and recording payment details - Members with this privilege receive automated email notifications when: - Expense claims have been approved and are ready for payment - Works alongside Finance Admin in the expense approval workflow - Provides access to payment processing interface **When to assign:** - Assign to Treasurer or authorized payment processors - Typically assigned to 1-2 committee members - Should only be assigned to those with access to group bank account - Often assigned to the same person as Finance Admin, but can be separate #### File Admin **Field:** `fileAdmin` **Purpose:** Controls ability to upload and manage committee files and member resources **Effect:** - Can upload and manage Committee files (documents, minutes, assets) - Grants ability to add, edit, and delete committee files (minutes, agendas, policies, etc.) - Enables management of member resources (guides, forms, how-to documents) - Allows sending of committee file notifications - Controls file type configuration - Provides access to: - Committee file upload/management - Member resource management - File visibility settings **When to assign:** - Assign to Secretary or Webmaster - Assign to committee members responsible for maintaining documents - Typically assigned to 1-3 committee members - Often combined with Committee Member privilege --- ## How Permissions Are Applied ### Logged‑in checks The app reads a logged‑in member profile and gates features accordingly: - Content Admin → content editing - Walk Admin → walk editing - Social Admin → social editing - Member Admin → member admin edits (Member Admin page and member privileges) - Finance Admin / Treasury Admin → expense notifications - File Admin / Committee → committee files and visibility - Committee Member → admin dashboard and most admin tools (excluding Member Admin page) - Social Member → view social details ### Email notifications - Walk changes → members with Walk Change Notifications - Expense approvals → Finance Admin - Expense payments → Treasury Admin ### Lists and filters - Committee lists → Approved Group Member + Committee Member - Social lists → Approved Group Member + Approved Social Member --- ## Common Privilege Combinations ### Standard Member - Approved Group Member - Approved Social Member **Purpose:** Regular member with full access to public features --- ### Walk Leader - Approved Group Member - Approved Social Member - Walk Admin **Purpose:** Member who can create and edit walks --- ### Walk Coordinator - Approved Group Member - Approved Social Member - Walk Admin - Walk Change Notifications **Purpose:** Coordinates walk programme and receives notifications of all walk changes --- ### Social Secretary - Approved Group Member - Approved Social Member - Social Admin - Committee Member **Purpose:** Manages social events and has access to committee materials --- ### Membership Secretary - Approved Group Member - Approved Social Member - Member Admin - Committee Member **Purpose:** Manages member records and has access to admin features --- ### Treasurer - Approved Group Member - Approved Social Member - Finance Admin - Treasury Admin - Committee Member **Purpose:** Manages expense claims (approval and payment) --- ### Secretary - Approved Group Member - Approved Social Member - File Admin - Committee Member **Purpose:** Manages committee documents and minutes --- ### Webmaster / Chairman (Full Access) - Approved Group Member - Approved Social Member - Content Admin - Walk Admin - Walk Change Notifications - Social Admin - Member Admin - Finance Admin - Treasury Admin - File Admin - Committee Member **Purpose:** Full administrative access to all system features --- ## Recommended Patterns ### Core membership Grant Approved Group Member to active members; add Approved Social Member for social communications. ### Committee Add Committee Member; layer File Admin for document maintenance. ### Walks Use Walk Admin for editors; add Walk Change Notifications for coordinators. ### Offboarding Set Revoked Member when a person leaves; remove other privileges if access must be removed. Better still, uncheck "Approved Group Member" to disable login access. --- ## Security Best Practices ### Principle of Least Privilege - Only assign privileges that are necessary for the member's role - Regularly review member privileges and remove unnecessary access - When members leave committee roles, update their privileges accordingly ### Audit Trail - All member login activity is recorded in the Member Login Audit - Member Admin users can view this audit at `/admin/member-login-audit` - Changes to member records are tracked with timestamps and user identification ### Multiple Administrators - Assign Member Admin to at least 2 people to avoid single points of failure - Ensure Walk Admin is assigned to multiple walk coordinators - Consider having backup administrators for critical roles ### Regular Reviews - Review member privileges quarterly or when committee roles change - Remove "Approved Group Member" from lapsed or resigned members - Update privileges immediately when committee elections occur --- ## Troubleshooting ### Member Cannot Log In **Check:** Is "Approved Group Member" selected? - If unchecked, the member will be denied login access - This is the most common cause of login issues ### Member Cannot See Admin Menu **Check:** Does the member have at least one admin privilege? - Member Admin, Content Admin, Walk Admin, Social Admin, or File Admin ### Member Not Receiving Walk Notifications **Check:** Is "Walk Change Notifications" selected? - This must be explicitly enabled to receive walk change emails - Walk Admin alone does not trigger notifications ### Member Cannot Approve Expenses **Check:** Is "Finance Admin" selected? - This privilege is required to approve expense claims - Treasury Admin is for payment processing, not approval ### Member Cannot Access Committee Files **Check:** Is "Committee Member" selected? - Files marked as "Committee Only" require this privilege - File Admin allows editing but requires Committee Member to view restricted files --- ## Quick Reference - View social details: Approved Social Member - Edit content: Content Admin - Edit walks: Walk Admin - Edit social events: Social Admin - Manage members: Member Admin - Receive walk change emails: Walk Change Notifications - Expense approvals: Finance Admin - Expense payments: Treasury Admin - Manage committee files: File Admin - Show in committee listings: Committee Member - Suppress updates: Revoked Member