How to Give Security Roles Permission to Create Posts in Article Types

When you create an Article Type in Magentrix, it's set to Private by default - meaning only the owner can access it. To allow users with specific Security Roles to create, edit, and publish posts within an Article Type, you need to share the Article Type and assign the appropriate permissions. This article explains how to grant posting permissions to Security Roles.

What Are Article Types and Posts?

Article Types are categories that define types of content in your Articles Module - like "Knowledge Base", "Company Blog", "Partner Resources", or "Press Releases". Each Article Type has its own permissions, layouts, and settings.

Posts are the individual content pieces (articles, blog posts, announcements, etc.) that users create within Article Types.

Understanding Permission Levels

When you share an Article Type with Security Roles, you can assign different permission levels based on what you want users to be able to do:

View

• Users can only read posts within the Article Type
• Cannot create posts, edit posts, or add comments
• Read-only access to content

Comment

• Users can read posts and add comments
• Cannot create, edit, or publish posts
• Enables community engagement and feedback

Contribute

• Users can create and publish their own posts
• Cannot edit posts created by other users
• If approval workflows are enabled, Contributors must submit posts for approval before publishing
• Ideal for content creators who write original content

Publish

• Users can create, edit, and publish all posts within the Article Type
• Full editorial control over all content, including posts created by others
• Can approve posts submitted by Contributors (if approval workflows are enabled)
• Suitable for content managers and editors

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure:

• You have Administrator System Role permissions
• The Article Type you want to share has already been created
• The Security Roles you want to grant access to already exist
• You understand what permission level is appropriate for each role

How to Assign Permissions to Security Roles

Follow these steps to give Security Roles permission to create posts in an Article Type:

Step 1: Access the Article Type

1. Log in as an Administrator
2. Navigate to Setup Home page > Create > Articles
3. Click on the Article Type you want to share

Step 2: Open the Sharing Settings

1. In the top-right corner of the page, click Actions
2. From the dropdown menu, click Share

Step 3: Configure Base Access Level (Optional)

Before adding specific Security Roles, you can optionally set a base access level:

1. Click the Edit icon beside the privacy status (shows "Private" if never configured)
2. Select one of the following options:
   • All Users: All employee and community users can access the Article Type
   • All Employee Users: Only internal employees can access
   • Specific People: Only designated users, groups, or roles can access (default)
   • Public on the Web: Anyone on the internet can view (no login required)
3. Click Done

Step 4: Add Security Roles with Posting Permissions

1. In the search field at the bottom of the sharing dialog, start typing the name of the Security Role you want to add
2. Select the Security Role from the autocomplete suggestions
3. In the permission dropdown next to the role, select the appropriate permission level:
   • View: If you want them to only read posts
   • Comment: If you want them to read and comment
   • Contribute: If you want them to create their own posts
   • Publish: If you want them to create, edit, and manage all posts
4. Repeat for additional Security Roles as needed

Step 5: Save the Configuration

1. Click Done to save your sharing settings

Result: Users with the assigned Security Roles can now access the Article Type with the permissions you specified. Users with Contribute or Publish permissions can create new posts.

You Can Also Assign Permissions To

In addition to Security Roles, you can assign Article Type permissions to:

• Individual Users: Search for and add specific users by name
• User Groups: Add entire User Groups for efficient permission management
• Guest Security Roles: For public web sharing (allows unauthenticated access)

The process is the same - search for the user or group, add them, and select the appropriate permission level.

Permission Examples by Use Case

Knowledge Base for Customer Support

Goal: Allow customers to view articles and comment with questions, while allowing support team to create and manage content.

Configuration:

• Base Access: "Specific People"
• Customer Security Role: View & Comment permission
• Support Team Security Role: Publish permission

Internal Company Blog

Goal: Allow all employees to view and comment, while HR team creates content.

Configuration:

• Base Access: "All Employee Users"
• This grants View access to all employees by default
• HR Security Role: Publish permission
• Optionally enable comments in Article Type settings

Partner Resource Library

Goal: Allow partners to view resources, and allow partner managers to contribute content that's reviewed before publishing.

Configuration:

• Base Access: "Specific People"
• Partner Security Role: View permission
• Partner Manager Security Role: Contribute permission
• Administrator Security Role: Publish permission
• Enable approval workflows so Contributor posts require approval

Public Press Releases

Goal: Allow public viewing without login, while marketing team has full control.

Configuration:

• Base Access: "Public on the Web"
• Guest Security Role: View permission (allows public viewing)
• Marketing Security Role: Publish permission
• Disable comments to maintain professional presentation

What Happens After You Assign Permissions

Once you've assigned permissions to Security Roles:

For Users with View Permission

• They can browse the Article Type and read published posts
• The Article Type appears in their navigation (if added to an App they can access)
• They can search for posts within the Article Type
• They cannot create, edit, or comment on posts

For Users with Comment Permission

• Everything View users can do, plus:
• They can add comments to posts (if comments are enabled)
• They can engage in discussions with other users
• They cannot create or edit posts

For Users with Contribute Permission

• Everything Comment users can do, plus:
• They can create new posts using the "New Post" button
• They can edit their own posts before submission
• If approval workflows are enabled, they must submit posts for approval
• If no approval workflow, they can publish their own posts immediately
• They cannot edit posts created by other users

For Users with Publish Permission

• Everything Contribute users can do, plus:
• They can edit any post within the Article Type (not just their own)
• They can publish posts immediately without approval
• They can approve posts submitted by Contributors (if approval workflows are enabled)
• They have full editorial control over all content

Understanding Approval Workflows

If you've configured approval workflows for your Article Type, permission levels interact with approvals:

• Contributors: Must submit posts for approval. They cannot publish directly.
• Publishers: Can approve or reject posts submitted by Contributors, and can publish their own posts immediately without approval.
• Administrators: Have full approval and publishing capabilities across all Article Types.

Approval workflows are configured in the Article Type settings under the Approvals tab. See Post Approvals for detailed information.

Troubleshooting

Issue: Users with assigned permissions cannot see the Article Type

Solution:

• Verify the Article Type Status is set to Active (not Inactive)
• Check that the Article List containing this Article Type has a Tab that's added to an App the users can access
• Confirm the users' Security Roles have permissions to view the Tab
• Ensure you clicked Done to save the sharing settings

Issue: Users can see the Article Type but cannot create posts

Solution:

• Verify you assigned Contribute or Publish permissions (not just View or Comment)
• Check that their Security Role itself has appropriate permissions for Articles Module
• Ensure the Article Type is Active
• If approval workflows are enabled, make sure users understand they need to submit posts for approval

Issue: Contributor posts aren't being published

Solution:

• Check if approval workflows are enabled for this Article Type
• Contributors cannot publish directly when approvals are required - a Publisher must approve
• Verify that Publishers have been assigned and know they need to review submissions
• Check the Approvals tab on the Article Type to see pending posts

Issue: Changes to permissions aren't taking effect

Solution:

• Verify you clicked Done after making changes
• Have users log out and log back in to refresh their permissions
• Check that there are no conflicting permissions or User Group assignments
• Verify the base access level isn't preventing access

Issue: Too many or too few people can access the Article Type

Solution:

• Review your base access level setting - "All Users" grants broader access than "Specific People"
• Check if you've assigned permissions to broad Security Roles unintentionally
• Review User Group memberships if you've assigned permissions to User Groups
• Consider using more specific Security Roles or User Groups for granular control

Issue: Public web sharing isn't working

Solution:

• Verify you set base access to Public on the Web
• Confirm you added Guest Security Roles with appropriate permissions
• Check that the Article Type is set to Active
• Review the "Require Login" setting in Article Type configuration - this affects public access
• Ensure posts themselves are published (not drafts)

Best Practices

Permission Strategy

Start Restrictive: Begin with minimal access (View only) and expand permissions as needed based on actual business requirements.

Use Security Roles, Not Individual Users: Assign permissions to Security Roles rather than individual users whenever possible. This makes permission management much easier as your organization grows.

Leverage User Groups: For complex permission scenarios, use User Groups combined with Security Roles for efficient management.

Document Your Strategy: Maintain documentation explaining which roles have which permissions and why, especially for public-facing or sensitive content.

Role Assignment Planning

Match Permissions to Job Functions:

• View: General users, readers
• Comment: Community members, engaged users
• Contribute: Content creators, subject matter experts
• Publish: Content managers, editors, administrators

Consider Approval Workflows: If you need content review before publication, assign Contribute to content creators and Publish to reviewers/editors.

Test with Sample Users: Before rolling out widely, create test users with each permission level to validate the experience.

Content Management

Separate Article Types by Audience: Create different Article Types for different user groups (employees vs. partners vs. customers) rather than trying to use one Article Type with complex permission schemes.

Use Consistent Naming: Name Security Roles clearly to indicate their function (e.g., "Partner - Content Contributor", "Customer - Viewer").

Regular Permission Audits: Periodically review and validate that permission assignments remain appropriate as your organization evolves.

Monitor Content Quality: If Contributors are producing low-quality posts, consider enabling approval workflows or providing training.

Security Considerations

Public Content Review: Carefully review what content is made publicly accessible - ensure it's appropriate for unauthenticated viewing.

Confidential Content: For sensitive information, use restrictive permissions and regularly audit who has access.

Partner/Customer Separation: Ensure Partner and Customer Security Roles don't have unintended access to each other's content.

Related Topics

For more information about Article Types and permissions, see:

• About the Articles Module - Overview of Articles Module capabilities
• Creating Article Types - How to create and configure Article Types
• Sharing Article Types - Detailed permission configuration options
• Managing Article Permissions on the Post Level - Granular post-level permissions
• Creating Posts - How users create posts once they have permissions
• Post Approvals - Configuring approval workflows
• About Security Roles - Understanding Security Roles in Magentrix