Creating custom roles in Relay

Custom roles let you create a permission set that matches how someone works in your business. Instead of assigning only a preset role, you can choose which business-level permissions and bank account-level permissions a user should have.

Use custom roles when you need more control than a preset permission level provides. For example, you might create a role for someone who can manage bills and view selected bank accounts, but should not manage team members, integrations, or subscription settings.

For a full overview of Relay’s preset roles, see:

• Team member permissions 
• Advisor permissions in client accounts 

Who can create and assign custom roles?

Only users who can manage permissions can create, assign, or update custom roles. This includes:

• Team members with Administrator permissions
• Advisors with Super Administrator permissions, where applicable

If you do not see the option to create or edit roles, you may not have the required permission level.

Where you can create and assign custom roles

Custom roles can be created from Relay on web. Once a custom role has been created, it can be assigned from web or mobile.

If you try to create a custom role from the Relay mobile app, you’ll see a message directing you to sign in from a browser.

Custom roles can be used for both team members and advisors, depending on the access you want to provide.

How custom roles work

Custom roles are created from the Roles page in Relay. The Roles page shows:

• Relay’s preset roles
• Any custom roles created for your business
• A summary of each role’s business-level and bank account-level permissions
• The team members currently assigned to each role

Custom roles are labeled as custom so you can distinguish them from Relay’s preset roles.

How to create a custom role

1. Sign in to Relay on web.
2. Go to Team.
3. Select Roles.
4. Click Add custom role.
5. Enter a role name.
6. Add a description so other administrators understand who the role is for.
7. Choose the role’s business permissions.
8. Choose the role’s bank account permissions.
9. Review the role details.
10. Click Create role.

Once created, the custom role will appear in your Roles list and can be assigned to eligible team members or advisors.

Choose business permissions

Business permissions control what the role can do across Relay. Depending on the permissions available to your account, this may include access to areas such as:

• Cards
• Bills
• Invoices and payment requests
• Vendors and payees
• Expense categorization and receipt workflows
• Team management
• Integrations
• Business, subscription, and billing settings

You can start from a template if you want to use an existing preset role as a starting point, then adjust the permissions to fit your needs.

Choose bank account permissions

Bank account permissions control what the role can see or do within checking and savings accounts.

You can choose to:

• Apply the same permissions to every bank account
• Customize permissions by bank account

When customizing by bank account, you can set different access for each account. For example, one account may have full access, another may have limited access, and another may have no access.

Depending on the permissions selected, account-level access may include the ability to:

• View balances, transactions, and account details
• Download statements or account documents
• Send payments
• Transfer funds
• Deposit checks
• Access only selected checking or savings accounts

Review and create the role

Before creating the custom role, review:

• The role name
• The role description
• Business permissions
• Bank account permissions
• Any account-specific customizations

If everything looks right, click Create role. The role will be added to your Roles list.

Assign a custom role to a new user

You can assign a custom role while inviting someone to Relay.

1. Sign in to Relay on web.
2. Go to Team.
3. Click Invite team member.
4. Enter the person’s work email.
5. If the person is an external accountant, bookkeeper, or advisor, select the advisor option so the correct role types appear.
6. Choose a preset role or custom role.
7. Review the permissions.
8. Send the invite.

The invited user will receive an email from Relay. They must accept the invite and create their login before they can access the business.

Assign a custom role to an existing user

1. Sign in to Relay on web.
2. Go to Team.
3. Select the team member or advisor you want to update.
4. Click Edit.
5. Choose the custom role you want to assign.
6. Review the permissions.
7. Save your changes.

Note: Some administrator-level roles may not be editable from the same flow. If you cannot edit a user’s role, confirm that you have the correct permissions and that changing the role would not remove required administrator access from the account.

Frequently asked questions