> ## Knowledge Base Index
> Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.digitalpurchaseorder.com/sitemap.xml
> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
> Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash).

# User Roles - Old DPO Design

In the **“User Roles”** menu, you define the permissions that specific groups of users have within DPO. This is especially useful for organizing the Admin section, adjusting user permissions, and creating a more efficient workflow across your team.

||| **Already using DPO's new design?** [You can find the corresponding article here](https://help.digitalpurchaseorder.com/en/article/user-roles-in-dpo-18tuec6/)

### Before You Begin

DPO provides two default roles that define the basic user permissions:

**Administrator** → Has access to the entire administration area
**User** → Cannot access administrative settings

| Tipp: The user role can be assigned either directly within User Roles or at any time in the user profile — read here where you can add it.


### Create Custom Roles

If you need additional, specific roles (e.g., for accounting, project managers, or external service providers), you can easily create them yourself:

1. Go to **Administration → User Roles**, click **“+ Add User Role”**, and enter a name for the new role



![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/e/f/8/7ef8b3dbb012a000/bildschirmfoto-2025-11-13-um-1_1eupg0g.png =731xauto)



2. Open the **Permissions** tab and define which areas this role should have access to. Examples of permission areas include **Invoices**, **Expenses**, **Purchase Orders**, **General Administration**, **Export**, **Approval Levels**, and more.



![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/e/f/8/7ef8b3dbb012a000/bildschirmfoto-2025-11-13-um-1_1wzllj7.png =440xauto)

3. Assign users to this role as needed, then click **Save** to complete the setup.



![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/e/f/8/7ef8b3dbb012a000/bildschirmfoto-2025-11-13-um-1_weqx2c.png =389xauto)

### Edit Roles

* To modify existing roles, simply click on the **pencil icon** on the right next to the respective role
* Here, you can adjust names, permissions, or assigned members at any time
* The role can be deleted at any time using the trash bin icon



![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/e/f/8/7ef8b3dbb012a000/bildschirmfoto-2025-11-14-um-1_hbb7ph.png =883xauto)



### Common User Roles and Their Use Cases

###### Export Role
This role can be created for departments, suppliers, or other groups who need to export data from DPO in order to analyze current costs in Excel. To perform exports, they require access to the Admin area. To ensure they only have access to the **Export** tab, follow the steps below to set up this custom user role.


1. Enter a name for the new role, such as **“Export.”**


![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/e/f/8/7ef8b3dbb012a000/bildschirmfoto-2025-11-13-um-1_txlnwf.png =451xauto)


2. Set **Administrator** to **Yes**, and under **Export CSV**, assign the appropriate permission:
* **Read & Write** – allows the user to create and download exports.
* **Read Only** – allows the user to download the export but *not* create one.

3. Assign users to this role if you already know which users need access to the Export function, then click **Add** to complete the setup.



![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/e/f/8/7ef8b3dbb012a000/bildschirmfoto-2025-11-13-um-1_14y3pe4.png =473xauto)


**Result:** This is the view of the Admin section for a user who has the **Administrator** permission but is restricted to **Export-only** access.

| Tipp: Want to learn more about the export? [Then read more here.](https://digital-purchase-order.crisp.help/en/article/export-csv-14w04uv/)




![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/e/f/8/7ef8b3dbb012a000/bildschirmfoto-2025-11-13-um-1_b5on9.png =842xauto)


### See Matched P.O. During Approval
If the **“Manage Invoices”** permission is not active, users who approve invoices will **not** be able to see the P.O. that is matched to the invoice. Since department heads often need to view this information during the approval process, you can create a dedicated **“AP – Match”** role and assign it to approving users. This role allows them to view the matched P.O. without giving full invoice management access.


1. Enter a name for the new role, such as **“AP – Match”**
2. In the **Invoice** section of the user role, enable the **Invoice Matching** permission set to **Read** and assign this role to users who need to view P.O. information within invoices



![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/e/f/8/7ef8b3dbb012a000/bildschirmfoto-2025-11-13-um-1_19t6y0f.png =479xauto)

**Result:** In the invoice view, the approver can now see the P.O. information.


![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/e/f/8/7ef8b3dbb012a000/bildschirmfoto-2025-11-10-um-1_ivp6ss.png =553xauto)


**Any Questions?**
Our support team is happy to help:
Email: support@digitalpurchaseorder.com
Phone: +1 888 376 7254
[Or schedule a free demo](https://calendly.com/d/gpk-ppc-rjg) – we look forward to hearing from you.