# Custom roles
| Item | Details |
|—|—|
| Who it is for | Administrators |
| Menu location | **Settings → Custom roles** |
| Plan dependency | Requires Custom Roles |
Layer finer permissions on top of “Agent” — for example outsourced staff may only see **unassigned + assigned to me** conversations, cannot export contacts, and cannot open Settings.
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## 1. Creating a role
1. **Settings → Custom roles → Add**.
2. Name it, for example “Read-only QA” or “Outsourced agent”.
3. Tick permissions (conversation scope, whether they can manage contacts, etc. — follow the form).
4. Save, then assign the role under **Settings → Agents**.
The base role remains Agent or Administrator; custom roles are most useful for agents. Do not give outsiders the Administrator base role and expect a custom role to block Settings — administrator rights are broad.
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## 2. Design tips
– Write down “must not see other teams’ conversations” before ticking boxes, so you do not over-grant.
– After permission changes, ask them to **sign in again**.
– QA accounts that only need to read conversations should not get inbox admin, automation or billing.
Search, reports and exports all honour the same permissions; changing the entry point does not reveal more data.
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## 3. Frequently asked questions
**No Custom roles menu?** Plan does not include it. Standard “Agent + inbox membership” still gives basic isolation.
**Permissions ticked but page still blocked?** That page may also need a feature flag (for example audit logs) or be administrator-only.
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## Related articles
– [Getting started](./get-started-with-chatips
– [Agents](./13-agents