# Members and Roles

> What Admins and Managers can each do in a Switchboard, area by area, how Admins can give or take away individual permissions, who the Owner is, and how to remove someone or change their role.

Source: https://docs.theavoxai.com/switchboard/members

Everyone who works in a Switchboard is a **member**, and every member has one of two roles: **Admin**
or **Manager**. Each role comes with a set of **permissions**, and an Admin can give a Manager extra
permissions or take some away, person by person (see [Permissions](#permissions)). This page is the
reference for what each role can do across the whole product.

## The roles at a glance

| Role | Who has it | In short |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Admin** | Whoever created the Switchboard (or signed up and had it made for them), plus anyone invited as an Admin. | Full access - connections, billing, the team, and every setting. |
| **Manager** | Anyone invited as a Manager. | Day-to-day work - the Inbox, contacts, calls, templates, Flows, and automations. |

## The Owner (owner of record)

A Switchboard can have several Admins, and they all have exactly the same permissions. The **earliest
Admin** - normally the person who created the Switchboard - is its **owner of record**, called the
**Owner** throughout these docs. Owner isn't a separate role: the dashboard lists the Owner as an Admin,
and you can't invite someone "as Owner".

The only difference is where some emails go. A few important emails are sent to the Owner rather than to
every Admin: payment receipts, payment-failed notices, delete-connection codes, Meta's critical alerts,
API problem reports, and setup reminders (see [Emails each role receives](#emails-each-role-receives)).
If the Owner leaves the Switchboard, steps down to Manager, or deletes their account, the remaining Admin
who joined the Switchboard earliest becomes the Owner.

## Who can do what

Each table covers one area of the product. **Yes** means the person can do it; **View** means they can
see it but not change it. The **Manager** column shows the Manager defaults: an Admin can change any of
them for one person (see [Permissions](#permissions)), so a particular Manager may have more or less.

### Switchboard and team

| Action | Admin | Manager |
| --- | --- | --- |
| See every Switchboard you belong to and switch between them | Yes | Yes |
| Create a new Switchboard (needs your own active plan - see [Creating a new Switchboard](https://docs.theavoxai.com/switchboard/invites#creating-a-new-switchboard)) | Yes | Yes |
| Rename the Switchboard or change its logo | Yes | No |
| See the member list | Yes | Yes |
| Invite people (as Admin or Manager) | Yes | No (with the **Invite people** permission: as Manager only) |
| Change a member's permissions - see [Permissions](#permissions) | Yes | No |
| See pending and past invitations | Yes | View |
| Revoke a pending invitation | Yes | No |
| Remove another member | Yes | No |
| Change someone's role (Admin or Manager) - see [Changing someone's role](#changing-someones-role) | Yes | No |
| Leave the Switchboard | Yes, when another Admin exists | Yes |
| See the **Activity** log | Yes | No |
| Set the automation credit limit (one-time plans) | Yes | No |
| Pause or resume the Switchboard (see [Pausing a Switchboard](https://docs.theavoxai.com/switchboard#pausing-a-switchboard)) | Yes | No |
| Delete the Switchboard | Yes | No |

### Connections

| Action | Admin | Manager |
| --- | --- | --- |
| See connections, their status, and their details | Yes | Yes |
| Connect a WhatsApp number (the setup wizard and Meta's sign-up window) | Yes | Yes |
| Run a live health check | Yes | Yes |
| Rename a connection | Yes | No |
| Pause or resume a connection | Yes | No |
| Change message forwarding, calling, username, or identity check | Yes | No |
| Delete a connection | Yes (the confirmation code is emailed to the Owner) | No |
| Create, rotate, test or revoke API keys | Yes | No |
| See API keys and read their recent requests | Yes | No |
| See **API logs** | Yes | Yes |

See [Connections](https://docs.theavoxai.com/connections) and [API keys](https://docs.theavoxai.com/connections/api-keys) for how each of these works.

### Messaging and content

| Action | Admin | Manager |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Read and reply in the [Inbox](https://docs.theavoxai.com/inbox) | Yes | Yes |
| Rename contacts, edit their details and notes, and manage [tags and categories](https://docs.theavoxai.com/contacts#tags-and-categories) | Yes | Yes |
| See contacts' full phone numbers | Yes | No (they see the last 4 digits, like •••• 4821) |
| See [Calls](https://docs.theavoxai.com/calls) and request calling permission from a contact | Yes | Yes |
| Create and edit [templates](https://docs.theavoxai.com/templates) | Yes | Yes |
| Delete templates | Yes | No |
| Create, edit and publish [Flows](https://docs.theavoxai.com/flows) | Yes | Yes |
| Deprecate or delete Flows | Yes | No |
| Create, edit, and turn [automations](https://docs.theavoxai.com/automation) on or off | Yes | Yes |
| Delete automations | Yes | No |
| See [Overview](https://docs.theavoxai.com/overview), [Analytics](https://docs.theavoxai.com/analytics), [Health](https://docs.theavoxai.com/health), and [Logs](https://docs.theavoxai.com/logs) | Yes | Yes |

### Compliance, billing, and support

| Action | Admin | Manager |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Open the [Compliance](https://docs.theavoxai.com/compliance) page | Yes | View |
| Export the Switchboard's data or erase a contact's data | Yes | No |
| Change retention settings and email preferences | Yes | No |
| Export webhook logs as CSV | Yes | Yes |
| Open the [Billing](https://docs.theavoxai.com/billing) page and see the plan, payment history, and invoices | Yes | View |
| Subscribe, [change plan](https://docs.theavoxai.com/billing/change-plan), [cancel](https://docs.theavoxai.com/billing/cancel), or use a [coupon](https://docs.theavoxai.com/billing/coupons-and-gifts) | Yes | No |
| Edit the business name and billing address ([Business](https://docs.theavoxai.com/settings/business)) | Yes | Yes |
| Open support tickets, reply, and read the Switchboard's tickets ([Support](https://docs.theavoxai.com/support)) | Yes | Yes |

### Your own account

Every member, whatever their role, manages their own account in **Settings**:
[Profile](https://docs.theavoxai.com/settings/profile) (name, email address, connected sign-in accounts),
[Security](https://docs.theavoxai.com/security) (password, [passkeys](https://docs.theavoxai.com/security/passkeys),
[two-factor authentication](https://docs.theavoxai.com/security/two-factor), [active devices](https://docs.theavoxai.com/security/sessions)),
[Offers](https://docs.theavoxai.com/billing/coupons-and-gifts#offers-in-your-dashboard), and
[deleting the account](https://docs.theavoxai.com/data-deletion).

## What happens when someone lacks a permission

Pages you can't open still show in the sidebar, greyed out with a lock; hovering one says **"Ask an
Admin for access"**. Opening one anyway (from a bookmark, say) takes you to Overview with a note that
you don't have access. Buttons you can't use are greyed out with the same tooltip, and in the Inbox the
reply box is switched off with "You can read this conversation but not reply."

Avox checks every permission on its servers too, so a hidden button is never the only protection: an
action you're not allowed to take is refused with **"You don't have permission to do this in this
Switchboard. Ask an Admin for access."** Billing actions are refused with **"Only a Switchboard Admin can
manage billing. Ask an Admin to make this change."**

## Permissions

Each role starts from a set of permissions. **Admins always have every permission** - that can't be
changed, so an Admin can never lock themselves (or another Admin) out. **Managers** start from the
Manager defaults below, and an Admin can switch any permission on or off for one Manager without
changing anyone else.

| Area | Permission | Manager default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Messaging | See the Inbox | On |
| Messaging | Reply in the Inbox (send messages and templates, ask for call permission) | On |
| Messaging | See calls | On |
| Contacts | See contacts | On |
| Contacts | Edit contacts (rename, add and delete notes, profile details, tags and categories) | On |
| Contacts | See full phone numbers (without it, only the last 4 digits show) | Off |
| Templates | See templates | On |
| Templates | Create and edit templates | On |
| Templates | Delete templates | Off |
| Flows | See Flows | On |
| Flows | Create and edit Flows | On |
| Flows | Delete or deprecate Flows | Off |
| Automation | See automations | On |
| Automation | Create and edit automations (including turning them on or off) | On |
| Automation | Delete automations | Off |
| Connections | See connections (also opens Health) | On |
| Connections | Manage connections (rename, pause, delete, forwarding, calling, username) | Off |
| API | See API keys | Off |
| API | Manage API keys (create, rotate, test, revoke) | Off |
| API | See API logs | On |
| Billing | See billing | On |
| Billing | Manage billing (pay, change or cancel the plan, redeem codes) | Off |
| Team and settings | See the team | On |
| Team and settings | Invite people (as Managers) | Off |
| Team and settings | Change Switchboard settings (name, logo, credit limit, retention, email preferences) | Off |
| Compliance | See compliance | On |
| Compliance | Make data requests (export the data, erase a contact) | Off |
| Insights | See analytics | On |
| Insights | See webhook logs | On |
| Support | Use Support (open and reply to tickets) | On |

A few things stay with Admins whatever the permissions: changing roles, removing members, revoking
invites, changing permissions, the **Activity** log, inviting another Admin, and pausing, resuming or
deleting the Switchboard. Your own account (profile, security, deleting your account) is always yours.

### Changing a member's permissions

Only an Admin can do this.

**1. Step 1**

Switchboard > Members">
   Admins see a **Permissions** button in every row (on a phone it shows as a key icon).

**2. Click Permissions next to the person**

Their permissions open on the same page, grouped by area. Each one has a switch and a label:
**From role** (the Manager default), **Added for this person**, or **Removed for this person**.
For an Admin every switch is on and locked, with a note that Admins always have every permission.

**3. Switch permissions on or off**

Switching one on also switches on what it needs (for example **Reply in the Inbox** also turns on
**See the Inbox**); switching one off also switches off what depends on it. **Reset to role
defaults** puts every switch back to the Manager defaults. Nothing is saved yet.

**4. Check the summary and save**

Above the buttons, **Before you save** lists what the person will be able to do and what they will no
longer be able to do. Click **Save changes** (or **Discard changes**). You see "[Name]'s permissions
are updated".

What happens next:

- The change applies straight away - the next page the person opens or the next action they take uses
  it.
- They get a **Permissions changed** email listing what they can now do and what they can no longer do,
  and the same news in their notifications bell. It can't be turned off.
- The change appears in the **Activity** log as "Changed a member's permissions".

Changing someone's role (for example making a Manager an Admin, or back) clears their individual
permissions, so they start from the new role's defaults.

## The member list

Open **Settings > Switchboard > Members**. Everyone can see it.

| Column | What it shows |
| --- | --- |
| **User** | The person's avatar and full name ("Unnamed" if they haven't set one in [Profile](https://docs.theavoxai.com/settings/profile)). |
| **Joined** | The date they joined this Switchboard. |
| **Role** | **Admin** or **Manager**. |

Admins also see a **Permissions** button and a remove button (an X) at the end of each row. A Manager
whose permissions don't include **See the team** sees "You can't see this Switchboard's team. Ask an
Admin for access." instead of the list.

Use **Search members…** to filter the list by name. If nothing matches, the list says "No members
match that search."

## Removing a member

Only an Admin can remove someone.

**1. Step 1**

Switchboard > Members">
   Admins see a remove button (an X) at the end of every row except their own.

**2. Click the X next to the person**

They're removed straight away and you see "Member removed".

What happens next:

- The person loses access to this Switchboard immediately. Their own Avox account and their other
  Switchboards aren't affected.
- They get a **Removed from a Switchboard** email saying who removed them (see [Emails](https://docs.theavoxai.com/emails)).
- The removal appears in the **Activity** log as "Removed a member".
- Anything they created (templates, automations, replies) stays in the Switchboard.

If the removal fails you see "Couldn't remove that member" - try again.

## Leaving a Switchboard

Any member - Admin or Manager - can leave:

**1. Open Leave Switchboard**

Make sure the Switchboard you want to leave is the one you're viewing. Open any **Settings** page
and click **Leave Switchboard** at the bottom of the settings menu (on a phone, at the bottom of
the settings page).

**2. Confirm**

The **Leave [Switchboard name]?** dialog explains "You'll lose access straight away. An Admin can
invite you back later." Click **Leave Switchboard** to confirm, or **Cancel**.

**3. You're back on the dashboard**

You're taken to the dashboard home, showing another Switchboard you belong to, and the one you
left disappears from your list. If it was your only Switchboard, you land on **Create your first
Switchboard** instead.

A Switchboard always keeps at least one Admin. If you're the only Admin, the dialog reads **You
can't leave yet** - "You're the only Admin, and a Switchboard always needs one." - and offers two
other ways out: **Pause this Switchboard** (stops its numbers and automations, keeps everything) or
**Delete this Switchboard** (removes it and everything in it, for good). Otherwise,
[make an existing member an Admin](#changing-someones-role), or [invite](https://docs.theavoxai.com/switchboard/invites)
another Admin and wait for them to accept, then leave.

Leaving is recorded in the **Activity** log as "Left the Switchboard". No email is sent.

## Changing someone's role

Only an Admin can change roles. You don't need to remove and re-invite anyone - change it straight
from the member list:

**1. Step 1**

Switchboard > Members">
   Admins see a role menu (**Admin** or **Manager**) in the **Role** column of every row. Managers just
   see the role as text.

**2. Pick the new role**

Choose **Admin** or **Manager** for the person. Nothing changes yet - a confirm line opens under
their row asking, for example, "Make Riya an Admin?" or "Change Riya to Manager?".

**3. Confirm**

Click **Make Admin** or **Change to Manager** (or **Cancel** to leave it as it was). You see
"Riya is now an Admin" (or "a Manager") and the list updates. For your own row the question reads
"Change yourself to Manager?" and the confirmation "You're now a Manager".

What happens next:

- The new role applies straight away - the next page they open uses it. Any individual
  [permissions](#permissions) they had are cleared, so they start from the new role's defaults.
- They get a **Role changed** email saying who changed it, the old role and the new one (see
  [Emails](https://docs.theavoxai.com/emails)). It can't be turned off.
- The change appears in the **Activity** log as "Changed a member's role".

You can also change your **own** role from Admin to Manager, as long as another Admin exists - you'll
lose access to the team, billing and most settings straight away. A Switchboard always keeps at least
one Admin, so if you're the only Admin your own role menu is locked; hover over it to see why. Make
someone else an Admin first.

If the change fails you see "Couldn't change that role" with one of these codes:

| Code | What it means | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [AVX-2009](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-2009) | The change didn't go through. | Try again. |
| [AVX-2010](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-2010) | It would leave the Switchboard with no Admin. | Make someone else an Admin first. |
| [AVX-2011](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-2011) | Only an Admin can change roles - you're no longer an Admin of this Switchboard. | Refresh the page, or ask an Admin. |

> **Tip**
>
> Accepting an invite never lowers someone's role. If a person who is already a Manager accepts an
> older, still-open Admin invite, they become an Admin; an Admin who accepts a Manager invite stays an
> Admin.

## The Activity log

Admins see a fifth tab, **Activity**, in **Settings > Switchboard**. It lists the 50 most recent actions
on the Switchboard, newest first, each with who did it and when ("What members and Managers have done on
this Switchboard - visible to Admins only."). Use the **Everyone** menu to show one member's actions
only.

| Entry | What happened |
| --- | --- |
| Invited a member | An Admin sent an invite. |
| Removed a member | An Admin removed someone. |
| Left the Switchboard | A member (Admin or Manager) left. |
| Changed a member's role | An Admin made someone an Admin or a Manager. |
| Changed a member's permissions | An Admin gave a Manager extra permissions or took some away. |
| Updated Switchboard settings | The name, logo, business details, billing address, or automation credit limit changed. |
| Paused a connection / Resumed a connection | An Admin paused or resumed a WhatsApp number. |

Someone who has since left shows as "A former member". An empty log says "Nothing recorded yet."

## Emails each role receives

Who gets a Switchboard's emails depends on the role. The full list is on [Emails](https://docs.theavoxai.com/emails).

- **The Owner** gets payment receipts, payment-failed notices, the "subscription canceled" notice from
  PayPal, delete-connection codes, Meta's critical alerts, API problem reports, and setup reminders.
- **Every Admin** gets plan-ending reminders, the "plan ended" notice, automation-credit warnings, API key
  notices, new and removed WhatsApp numbers, rejected or paused templates and Flows, and Meta access
  expiry warnings.
- **Everyone** gets their own account and security emails, the **Role changed** and **Permissions
  changed** emails when an Admin changes their access, and replies to tickets they opened.

## Related errors

- [AVX-2007](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-2007) - that email is already a member.
- [AVX-2006](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-2006) - an invite couldn't be sent.
- [AVX-2004](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-2004) - the Switchboard couldn't be saved.
- [AVX-2009](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-2009), [AVX-2010](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-2010), [AVX-2011](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-2011) - a role couldn't be changed.
- [AVX-3093](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3093) - your account can't be deleted while you're a Switchboard's only Admin.