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Adding Users and Roles

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Assigning the right people the right level of access is one of the most important steps in configuring Zoho People, whether you’re onboarding new employees, assigning HR managers, or giving limited access to specific roles.

Understanding users vs. roles

Users are your employees or staff members who access Zoho People. Roles define what those users can see and do. For example, an Employee can only access their own profile and apply for leave, a Manager can view their team’s data and approve requests, and an Admin has access to all settings and modules.

How to add users

Go to Settings > Users > Add User and fill in the employee’s name, email address, department and other details, or use bulk import for larger groups.

Assigning roles to users

  1. Go to Settings > User Access Control > Roles.
  2. Choose a default role (Admin, HR, Manager, Employee) or click Add Role to create a custom one.
  3. Assign the role while adding the user.

Custom roles let you limit access to certain modules, allow read-only or edit rights, and set conditional visibility, for example based on department.

Organisational vs. functional roles

An organisational role controls hierarchical access, such as who reports to whom, while a functional role controls module-level permissions, such as who can view employee records. Manage reporting hierarchies under Settings > Organisation Settings > Reporting Structure.

Inviting users

Once added, users receive an email invitation with login details. Make sure their email address is valid, and resend the invite from the user list if needed.

Auditing and monitoring access

Go to Users > All Users to view everyone and their roles, filter by role, location or status, and click a user to see their access logs and assigned modules. Review user access regularly to ensure only authorised users can view or edit sensitive HR data.

Best practices

  • Use role-based access control to enforce data security.
  • Create custom roles for department heads, HR assistants or specific compliance needs.
  • Audit access logs regularly, especially when roles or staff change.
  • Consider Zoho Directory for single sign-on and user provisioning if you manage multiple Zoho apps.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between users and roles?

Users are the people who access Zoho People, while roles define what each user can see and do within the system.

How do I add users in bulk?

Zoho People supports bulk import of users alongside manual, one-by-one creation, which is quicker when onboarding many employees at once.

Where do I manage reporting hierarchies?

Under Settings > Organisation Settings > Reporting Structure.

Need help?

Need help setting up users and roles in Zoho People? Contact support@thoughtlogik.com or see our Zoho implementation services.

Adding Users and Roles - PreviousSetting Up Your Organization ProfileNext - Adding Users and RolesConfiguring Permissions and Profiles

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