Configure customer roles

Updated Monday, October 26, 2026 · Marcel Gravelle

Customer roles classify companies and contacts and can be used to restrict portal or knowledge-base content. They differ from agent roles, which control staff permissions inside Supportbench.

Applies to: Supportbench Core. Location: Settings → Customers → Customer roles. Access and available controls depend on your role and account capabilities.

Before you begin

You need permission to edit this configuration. Ask an administrator if the page is available but its editing controls are not.
Review the current configuration and where it is used before making a change. Available choices depend on your account, enabled modules, division access and role.
Use a test record or a controlled test account for behavior checks. Do not change production routing or send customer messages just to try an example.

Configure and verify

Open Settings → Customers → Customer roles.
Find the item in the list and open it, or choose the page’s new-item action.
Enter a clear name and description. Set the fields below, including any scope, hierarchy, visibility or availability controls.
Save the item and resolve any validation message. Reopen it to confirm the saved values.
Check the relevant selection list or form using a user with the intended access. Repeat for an excluded user or division when scope is restricted.

Settings reference

Details and availability

Setting	What it controls	How to choose
Name	The label people select. Required; up to 50 characters.	Use a short, distinct label that describes its purpose.
Description	Administrative explanation; up to 250 characters.	Explain when to choose this option, including an example if useful.
Active	Controls availability in standard selection lists. Inactive items remain saved.	Deactivate obsolete options when you need to retain their configuration and existing references.
Case ID mapping	Uses the company’s assigned role mapping when a case is created. Choose an existing mapping from API → ID mapping.	Create the required mapping in API → ID mapping first, then verify the resulting case IDs.

Behavior to know

Assigning a customer role and configuring content access are separate operations. Verify the full portal, topic, and article audience together.
Assign the intended mapped role to the company before creating a case, then verify the new case ID. Existing case IDs are not changed by later role changes. If a company has multiple mapped roles, confirm which prefix is applied.

Recommended use

Use terminology that agents and customers already understand. Explain the intended meaning in the description.
Keep the initial configuration small enough for people to choose consistently. Add options when they represent a real operational difference.
Review existing references before renaming, changing scope, or deleting. Where supported, deactivate an obsolete option before considering permanent deletion.

Worked example

Create a role for a customer audience that needs a distinct portal experience.
Describe the audience and assign the role to a suitable test company or contact.
Apply the role to a test portal/topic access rule.
Verify access both with and without the role before relying on the restriction.

Troubleshooting

Problem	What to check
The item is missing from a picker.	Check Active, division access, parent hierarchy, enabled modules, and the user’s role. Reopen the consuming form after saving.
The form rejects a save.	Read the displayed validation message. Check required values, text limits and permitted scope; do not change unrelated settings to bypass validation.
An existing record still shows an old value.	A configuration change and a record change are different operations. Inspect the record and relevant references before assuming the save failed.

Organization → Configure agent roles and division access
Customers → Manage companies and customer organization details
Customers → Manage contacts and customer portal access
Knowledge Base → Organize knowledge-base topics and access
Self-Service → Configure a customer portal

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