> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.lightpost.app/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.lightpost.app/core-concepts/groups/group-roles.md).

# Group Roles and Event Permissions

Group Roles delegates administration, post moderation, messaging, and group calendar access for one specific group.

Group Roles let account administrators delegate work for one group without granting broader account-wide access.

{% hint style="info" %}
Group Roles are different from account [Roles](/core-concepts/roles.md). Account Roles grant permissions across Lightpost. Group Roles and event permissions apply only to the selected group.
{% endhint %}

## Managing Group Roles

1. In the Admin, go to **Groups**.
2. Select the group you want to manage.
3. Open **Group Roles**.
4. Find a person by browsing the list or using search and filters.
5. Turn on the appropriate role or event permission. Each switch saves as soon as you change it.

The assignments are independent. A person can have more than one when their responsibilities overlap.

You need the **Manage Groups** admin permission to open Group Roles. The list shows the group's current members, so add a person on the group's **Members** page before giving them a role.

To review everyone who has access to a group, choose **Any assigned role or permission** in the role filter. You can also filter to a single role or permission, and **Filters** narrows the list by family role, age, gender, baptism status, and more.

{% hint style="info" %}
Group Admins, Group Post Admins, and Authorized Senders used to be managed on separate pages. They are all assigned on Group Roles now.
{% endhint %}

## What each group role can do

<table><thead><tr><th width="180">Assignment</th><th>What it allows</th><th>What it does not allow</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Group Admin</strong></td><td>Manage the group's details, join and access rules, communication format, enabled features, post-related member permissions, and Group Admin or Group Post Admin assignments. Group Admins can also review and moderate posts, topics, comments, and replies and have full create/edit access for the group's events.</td><td>Does not automatically make the person an Authorized Sender for email, SMS, MMS, or voice.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Group Post Admin</strong></td><td>Create and moderate posts or forum topics, <a href="/core-concepts/groups/group-post-review.md">review member posts</a>, <a href="/core-concepts/groups/scheduled-group-posts.md">schedule posts</a> when the group allows it, edit or delete any post/topic or comment/reply, and manage the group's post-related member permissions.</td><td>Does not grant access to broader group settings, Group Role assignments, messaging, or group event management.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Authorized Sender</strong></td><td>Send messages using the channels enabled for the group, including email, SMS, MMS, or voice.</td><td>Does not grant broader group settings, post moderation, event management, or account-wide permissions.</td></tr></tbody></table>

### Membership requirements

* **Group Admin** and **Group Post Admin** can only be assigned to current group members.
* New **Authorized Sender** assignments can be made to current group members.
* An Authorized Sender assignment is separate from membership. If an Authorized Sender is later removed from the group, the person keeps their sending access and remains listed in Group Roles, marked **Not a current member**, until you turn the switch off.
* Account Admin status does not replace the Authorized Sender assignment. Anyone sending group email, SMS, MMS, or voice messages must be explicitly authorized for that group.

## Sending as an Authorized Sender

Authorized Sender is the only assignment that allows someone to send email, SMS, MMS, or voice messages to the group, and it can only be assigned in the Admin. Group Admins, Group Post Admins, and account administrators need it too.

Authorized Senders can use each channel that is turned on in the group's **Messaging** page:

* **Email** — send an email to the group's email address from an address on their Lightpost profile. See [E-mailing](/core-concepts/groups/e-mailing.md).
* **SMS, MMS, and voice** — send right away or schedule for later from any of these places:
  * **Admin** — the group's **Send SMS**, **Send MMS**, or **Send Voice** page. This also requires the **Manage Groups** admin permission.
  * **Member web app** — open the group and select **Messaging**. This is available for groups the sender belongs to that appear in their **Groups** list.
  * **Mobile app** — available for any group the person is an Authorized Sender for.

See [Texting (SMS)](/core-concepts/groups/sms.md), [Texting (MMS)](/core-concepts/groups/mms.md), and [Voice Calls](/core-concepts/groups/voice-calls.md) for the steps.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Turning off Authorized Sender does not cancel messages the person already scheduled. Check the group's **Scheduled** page in the Admin and cancel any that should not go out.
{% endhint %}

## Group event permissions

The same Group Roles screen includes two direct permissions for current group members. These are permissions, not additional roles.

### Create Events

Allows the member to add one-time events to the group's calendars. A member with this permission can also edit an event occurrence they created while they continue to have create access.

### Edit Events

Allows the member to edit any event occurrence on the group's calendars, including occurrences created by someone else. This broader permission also allows the member to manage event responses and pin or unpin group events where those options are available.

## Direct access and inherited access

A person may receive event access in any of three ways:

1. **Direct permission** — **Create Events** or **Edit Events** is enabled for that member on the Group Roles screen.
2. **Group-wide permission** — the group's Admin Settings allows every group member to create events or edit any occurrence.
3. **Group Admin** — Group Admins automatically inherit both create and edit access.

An **Inherited** badge appears when access comes from a Group Admin assignment or a group-wide setting. Direct event permissions remain stored separately, so changing a role or group-wide setting does not silently remove a person's direct grant.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Group Post Admin does not include Create Events or Edit Events. Assign the event permission separately when a post moderator also needs to manage the group calendar.
{% endhint %}

## Choosing the right assignment

Use the narrowest access that fits the person's responsibility:

* A communications volunteer who sends texts but does not moderate posts: **Authorized Sender**
* A discussion moderator who should not change the group setup: **Group Post Admin**
* A ministry leader responsible for the entire group: **Group Admin**
* A member who only schedules their own group events: **Create Events**
* A calendar coordinator who manages everyone's group events: **Edit Events**
* Someone with multiple responsibilities: enable each needed assignment