Managing Users and Roles in Shape
Team Management
Learn how teams work in Shape and how users collaborate across roles.
Managing Users and Roles in Shape
This video walks through User Management in Shape and shows how admins control access, permissions, and visibility across the system. A clean user setup keeps teams productive, prevents access issues, and ensures the right people can work the right records without friction.
Where User Management Lives
User management starts in Settings. When you open Settings, you’ll land directly on the Manage Users page.
This page gives you a system-wide view of all active users, including:
- Name and email
- Profile photo
- Role
- Department and team assignments
- Login activity and internal user ID
From here, admins can quickly view, edit, impersonate, or deactivate users as needed.
Viewing and Editing User Profiles
Click a user’s name or profile photo to open their profile preferences. This is where you manage:
- Profile photo
- Name and contact information
- Notification preferences
- Other personal profile details
If you need to restrict what users can edit in their own profiles, those controls live in Role Permissions. You can also access these settings from the Open option in the Actions column.
Editing User Assignments and Access
To edit system-level settings for a user, scroll to the right and open the Actions dropdown, then select Edit.
This is where you can:
- Add or remove departments
- Update role-based access
Impersonating a User
Admins can use Login as user from the Actions dropdown to impersonate a user.
This is most commonly used for:
- Troubleshooting workflow or visibility issues
- Verifying permissions
- Reproducing reported problems
- Review essential tools and details for the contacts you’re actively working
Deactivating Users Safely
Users can be deactivated in two ways:
- Selecting Deactivate from the Actions dropdown
- Turning off the Active User toggle
When a user is deactivated, Shape prompts you to reassign their records to another user in the same department.
If you’re not ready to reassign immediately, a safer interim option is to:
- Turn off Login Access in the user’s User Settings
- Use bulk reassignment tools to round-robin or selectively reassign records
There is also an Unassign option. Keep in mind that unassigned records may still display the former user’s name in some lists and reports, even though no one is actively assigned. For clarity and continuity, reassignment is strongly recommended.
Understanding User Roles
Roles define what a user can see and control inside Shape. Each role has a different access level.
Admin
- Full system access
- Can manage users, roles, settings, and automation
- Should be limited to a small number of trusted users
AI Agent
- System-level users created by your AI account manager
- Used for AI calling and texting
- Not assignable to human users
Director
- Typically oversees departments or regions
- Common for marketing leaders or regional directors
- Can access reporting and performance data across teams
Manager
- Oversees smaller teams or supports multiple users
- Often manages distribution, reporting, or templates
User / Member User
- Standard employee roles
- Most commonly assigned
- Member User offers slight permission variation when needed
Partner User
- Limited-access role for external partners
- Restricted from CMS, reporting, and certain system tools
- Focused on contact-level access
Portal User
- Used only when the customer portal or POS add-on is enabled
- Supports document review and application tracking
Departments and Teams
Departments control which record types and workflows a user can access. Users can belong to one or multiple departments depending on their role.
Teams are used to group users for organization and visibility.
Common uses include:
- Manager and director oversight
- Reporting and performance tracking
- Lead distribution and call routing logic
Teams do not require a manager assignment and can exist purely for structure.
Feature Access Toggles
Each user has feature-level toggles that control access to specific tools without changing their role.
Common examples include:
- Portal access
- CMS access (Design Studio, templates, social posts)
- Pricing integrations
- Soft credit pull permissions
These toggles allow precise control without overcomplicating role setup.
User Settings Tab Toggles
The User Settings tab gives admins per-user control over assignment, calling, monitoring, and system access. These toggles are often used during onboarding, role changes, compliance adjustments, or temporary access changes.
What admins can control
Lead acceptance eligibility
- On: user can receive manual and automated assignments
- Off: user will never be assigned leads
Calling enabled (inbound and outbound)
- Off: no calls are allowed for this user
Local presence participation
- On: calls use shared local presence numbers
- Off: calls use the caller ID defined in Manage Phone Settings
Call monitoring visibility (HUD)
- Off: user cannot be monitored or listened to
Login access
- Off: user cannot log in
- On: user can log in via credentials or SSO
These controls give admins flexibility without disrupting workflows or permissions.
Filtering and User Visibility
The Manage Users page includes tools to stay organized:
- Search and filter by role or department
- View active and inactive users
- See total active user counts
Additional role and department settings are available elsewhere in Settings for deeper customization.
Why This Video Matters
User management directly affects security, efficiency, and adoption. When roles, departments, and permissions are configured intentionally, teams work faster, mistakes drop, and admins spend less time fixing access issues.
This video gives admins a strong foundation to manage users confidently as teams grow and workflows evolve.
