Roles & Permissions

Understand EquineOps’ role-based access control system and learn how to assign appropriate permissions to your team members.

Role-based permissions ensure team members can access what they need while protecting sensitive information. Each role defines what a user can view, create, edit, and delete within the system.

The Four Role Levels

EquineOps uses four distinct roles with progressively restricted access:

Admin Role

Full system access including billing and critical settings

Admins have complete control over the entire EquineOps system, including financial and security-sensitive areas.

Full Access To:

• All horses, staff, clients, and programs
• Billing and subscription management
• Integration settings (QuickBooks, payment processors)
• User management (invite, remove, change roles)
• System configuration and organization settings
• All deletion and archival operations
• Audit logs and security settings

Best For:

• Business owners
• Primary account holders
• Financial officers
• Operations directors

Manager Role

Operational management without billing or critical system access

Managers can oversee day-to-day operations, manage teams, and handle client relationships without accessing financial or security settings.

Can Access:

• All horses, staff, and client information
• All programs (feed, farrier, health)
• Task creation and assignment
• Document and media management
• Reports and analytics
• Staff scheduling and coordination
• Client communication tools

Can Perform:

• Create, edit, and archive horses
• Manage staff profiles
• Manage client relationships
• Create and assign tasks
• Manage programs
• Upload documents and photos
• Generate reports
• Archive records (but not permanently delete)

Cannot Access:

• Billing and subscription settings
• Payment methods and invoices
• Critical integration settings
• User role management
• Permanent record deletion
• Security and audit logs

Best For:

• Barn managers
• Assistant managers
• Operations supervisors
• Head trainers
• Client relations managers

Member Role

Day-to-day horse care and task execution

Members handle routine horse care, complete assigned tasks, and document daily activities without management capabilities.

Can Access:

• View all horse information
• View assigned programs
• View other staff profiles
• View client basic information (for horse ownership context)

Can Perform:

• Update horse information
• Complete assigned tasks
• Add notes and observations
• Record health events
• Log care activities (feeding, turnout, grooming)
• Upload photos and documents
• Mark tasks complete
• View schedules and programs

Cannot Perform:

• Create or delete horses
• Delete or archive most records
• Assign tasks to others
• Manage staff or clients
• Change program settings
• Access billing or settings
• Invite users
• View sensitive client information

Best For:

• Grooms and stable hands
• Trainers and riders
• General barn staff
• Part-time workers
• Volunteers with system access

Perfect For Most Staff: The Member role gives team members what they need to do their jobs without management overhead or security risk.

Client Role

Portal-only access to view own horses

Clients receive read-only access to information about horses assigned to them through the client portal.

Can Access:

• Horses assigned to their client profile
• Photos and videos of their horses
• Program schedules for their horses
• Health records (if enabled by organization)
• Documents shared with them
• Updates and notifications about their horses

Can Perform:

• View horse details
• See photos and videos
• Review schedules
• Read health information (if permitted)
• Download shared documents
• Receive notifications

Cannot Access:

• Other clients’ horses or information
• Staff information
• Other clients’ contact details
• Operational data
• System settings
• Financial information

Cannot Perform:

• Edit any information
• Create or delete records
• Upload documents
• Assign tasks
• Manage programs

Best For:

• Horse owners
• Lessees
• Horse guardians
• Sponsors

Permission Comparison Table

Assigning Roles

During User Invitation

When inviting a new team member, select their role based on responsibilities:

1. Navigate to Staff page
2. Click “Invite to EquineOps” for a staff member
3. Select appropriate role from dropdown
4. Send invitation

The team member receives the role immediately upon accepting the invitation.

Changing Roles After Invitation

Admins can change user roles at any time:

1. Go to Settings → Team → User Management
2. Find the user you want to modify
3. Click “Change Role”
4. Select new role
5. Confirm change

Role changes take effect immediately. The user may need to refresh their browser to see updated permissions.

Best Practices for Role Assignment

Minimize Admins

Principle of Least Privilege: Only assign Admin role to people who need billing and security access.

Recommended:

• 1-2 Admins for small operations (under 50 horses)
• 2-3 Admins for medium operations (50-200 horses)
• 3-5 Admins for large operations (200+ horses)

Too Many Admins Increases Risk:

• Accidental deletion of critical records
• Unauthorized billing changes
• Integration misconfigurations
• Security policy violations

Use Manager for Operational Leadership

Manager role is perfect for people who need oversight capabilities without financial access:

Assign Manager to:

• Barn managers who oversee daily operations
• Assistant managers who coordinate staff
• Senior trainers who manage programs
• Client relations staff who need full client access

Don’t Assign Manager to:

• Staff who only complete tasks (use Member instead)
• People who need billing access (use Admin)
• External contractors (don’t invite them)

Member for Most Staff

The majority of your team should have Member role:

Assign Member to:

• Grooms and stable hands
• Trainers and riders
• General barn staff
• Part-time workers
• Anyone who primarily executes tasks

Why Member Works:

• Can complete all assigned work
• Can document care activities
• Cannot accidentally delete important records
• Cannot change critical settings
• Reduces training complexity

Client Role is Automatic

Don’t manually assign Client role to staff members:

Client Role Is For:

• Horse owners using the portal
• Clients accessing their horses’ information
• Non-staff with viewing needs

Never Use Client Role For:

• Barn staff (they need Member at minimum)
• Contractors who need to do work (use Member)
• External service providers

Security Best Practices

Regular Role Audits

Review user roles quarterly to ensure they’re still appropriate:

Check:

• Are there too many Admins?
• Do Managers still need that access level?
• Have staff responsibilities changed?
• Are there inactive users with access?

Adjust:

• Downgrade roles when possible
• Remove access for departed staff
• Update roles to match current responsibilities

Immediate Access Removal

When a team member leaves:

1. Immediately remove their user access from Settings → Team
2. Mark their staff profile as inactive
3. Reassign their tasks to others
4. Review any programs they managed
5. Update emergency contact information

Password and Authentication

Encourage strong security practices:

• Strong, unique passwords
• Enable two-factor authentication (if available)
• No password sharing between team members
• Regular password changes (every 90 days recommended)
• Immediate password reset if compromise suspected

Access Monitoring

Admins should periodically review:

• Who has access to what
• When users last logged in
• What critical actions were taken (audit logs)
• Any unusual access patterns

Role Assignment Scenarios

Scenario 1: Small Barn (10-30 horses)

Team:

• Owner/operator
• Assistant manager
• 2 part-time grooms

Recommended Roles:

• Owner: Admin (needs billing)
• Assistant manager: Manager (oversees operations)
• Grooms: Member (execute daily care)

Scenario 2: Medium Barn (50-100 horses)

Team:

• Business owner
• Barn manager
• Assistant manager
• Head trainer
• 4 full-time staff
• 3 part-time staff

Recommended Roles:

• Business owner: Admin (needs billing)
• Barn manager: Manager (oversees operations)
• Assistant manager: Manager (coordinates staff)
• Head trainer: Manager (manages training programs)
• Full-time staff: Member (execute daily care)
• Part-time staff: Member (execute daily care)

Scenario 3: Large Operation (150+ horses)

Team:

• Business owner
• Operations director
• Multiple barn managers
• Department heads (training, health, maintenance)
• Large staff team

Recommended Roles:

• Business owner: Admin (needs billing)
• Operations director: Admin (needs full system control)
• Barn managers: Manager (oversee their sections)
• Department heads: Manager (manage their departments)
• General staff: Member (execute assigned work)

Scenario 4: Training Facility

Team:

• Owner/head trainer
• Assistant trainers
• Grooms
• Horse owners (clients)

Recommended Roles:

• Owner/head trainer: Admin (needs billing)
• Assistant trainers: Manager (manage training programs)
• Grooms: Member (handle horse care)
• Horse owners: Client (portal access to their horses)

Common Questions

Can I create custom roles?

No, EquineOps uses four standard roles. This simplicity ensures consistent security and reduces confusion.

What if someone needs access to only certain horses?

All staff roles (Admin, Manager, Member) can see all horses. This ensures complete operational visibility. Use task assignment to focus attention on specific horses.

Can a user have multiple roles?

No, each user has exactly one role. Choose the role that best matches their highest level of responsibility.

What happens if I downgrade someone’s role?

They immediately lose access to capabilities they had before. Ensure you communicate role changes to avoid confusion.

Can Members see expenses or billing?

No, only Admins and Managers can view expenses. Billing is Admin-only.

Do Clients count against my user limit?

This depends on your subscription plan. Check your plan details or contact support for clarification.

Can I temporarily give someone higher access?

Yes, change their role temporarily, then change it back when done. Role changes are instant.

What if I accidentally make someone an Admin?

Change their role back to the appropriate level immediately. Review any actions they took while having Admin access.

Need Help?

Questions about roles and permissions? Contact our support team for assistance.

Next Steps

Now that you understand roles and permissions, you might want to:

• Add team members with appropriate roles
• Review your current team’s role assignments