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Roles & Permissions Management

What is Roles & Permissions Management?

Roles & Permissions Management is TMS.ai's security framework that controls exactly who can see what and who can do what within your system. Every user is assigned one role that defines their access level: Admin, Manager, Operations, Customer Service Rep, Sales, Driver, Customer, or Guest. Each role comes with preset permissions that determine which modules they can access, which actions they can perform, and which data they can view or edit. Admins have full system control. Dispatchers see operational details but not financial settings. Customers view their own orders but nothing else.

This granular control protects sensitive information while ensuring everyone has the access they need to do their job effectively. Your sales team shouldn't accidentally see driver pay rates. Your dispatchers don't need access to accounting system settings. And external users like customers or carriers definitely shouldn't view your internal operational data. Roles & Permissions Management creates these boundaries automatically, eliminating security risks while maintaining workflow efficiency.

How Roles & Permissions Management works:

  1. Understand default roles: TMS.ai provides eight default roles split between internal (Admin, Manager, Operations, Customer Service Rep, Sales) and external (Driver, Customer, Guest). Each role has predefined access to modules and functionality based on typical job responsibilities.
  2. Assign roles to users: When creating a new user account, select the role that best matches their job function. Navigate to Settings → Users, then click "Add User." Enter their information and choose their role from the dropdown. Each user can only have one role.
  3. Review module access: Each role has different default access to TMS modules. For example, Admin and Manager roles can access the Orders module default view, while Operations can see orders but CSR and Sales cannot. However, CSR and Sales can still access specific orders through saved boards or when assigned to those orders.
  4. Check functionality permissions: Roles determine not just what users see but what they can do. Admin users can edit account settings and manage integrations. Managers can access analytics and financial data. Operations can create and edit orders, manage carriers, and assign drivers. CSR users can update order information and manage customer communications but have limited financial access.
  5. Customize role permissions: Only Admin users can modify permissions for other roles. Go to Settings → Users, Roles, Groups, then click on Roles. Select a specific role to customize its access across four key areas: Boards (which boards users can see and what fields are visible), Widget Access (which workflow steps users can view and complete), Data Access (which fields users can see and change), and Records (what users can create and edit).
  6. Set board visibility: Control which saved boards appear for each role. You might create a "Financial Overview" board that only Admin and Manager roles can access, while hiding it from Operations and CSR users.
  7. Manage widget permissions: For custom workflows, specify which roles can complete which steps. For example, only Admin and Manager roles might have permission to approve carrier onboarding submissions, while Operations can initiate the process but not approve.
  8. Configure field-level access: Determine whether specific roles can view or edit particular fields. Make "Customer Credit Terms" visible only to Admin and Manager. Allow Operations to see driver pay rates but not edit them. Hide internal cost fields entirely from Sales users.

What it means for you:

Roles & Permissions Management creates security without complexity. You don't manage access for hundreds of individual features across dozens of users—you assign roles and the system handles the rest. When you hire a new dispatcher, assign them the Operations role and they immediately have appropriate access to planning tools, order management, and carrier assignments. They can't accidentally access financial settings or modify system configurations because their role prevents it.

This protection extends to your most sensitive data. Financial information, driver compensation, customer pricing, and operational costs all remain visible only to roles that need them. And because permissions are role-based rather than user-based, your security policies stay consistent even as your team grows. Everyone in the same role operates with identical capabilities, which means predictable behavior, easier training, and reduced risk of security breaches or data mishandling.