Manage users and roles

Kotahi has three group roles — Group Manager, Group Admin and Admin. They nest: each can do everything the role before it can, and more.

Editor, reviewer and author are not group roles. They are assignments made on an individual manuscript.

Where users are managed

Users are managed from Users in the left menu, which requires Group Admin or Admin.

Screenshot being refreshed

This screen is being re-captured against the current Kotahi release. Until then, here is what it shows.

The screen shows: Kotahi Settings ‘Users’ table listing ten of 24 users, each row showing name and ORCID iD, ‘Created’ and ‘Last Online’ dates, role tags, and a ‘Delete’ link, with pagination below.

Each row shows the user’s name, when they created their account, when they were last online, the roles they hold, and a link to delete them.

What each group role can reach

Group Manager

• Manuscripts page — view, archive, import
• COAR Notify inbox
• Control page
• Production page

Group Admin — all of the above, plus:

• Reports
• Task templates
• Configuration
• Form builder
• User management, including granting group roles
• Public website

Admin — all of the above, plus:

• Any user’s profile
• Granting Admin to someone else

A Group Admin’s permissions apply to their own group. An Admin holds the same permissions everywhere, across every group.

Who can publish

This depends on your instance type.

• Preprint instances — only Group Admins can publish.
• Journal and PRC instances — Group Managers and editors can publish by default. A setting can block either or both. That setting sits under Configuration, so only a Group Admin can change it.

Roles assigned on a manuscript

Editor — assigned on a manuscript’s control page. An editor can use the control and production pages for that manuscript. Editors do not see the Manuscripts page, and there is no group-wide editor role.

Reviewer — assigned to review a manuscript. Reviewers reach the review page and review form, and can communicate with the editorial team. Their assignments appear on the Dashboard under ‘To Review’.

Author — can access and manage their own submissions, submit further versions, and communicate with the editorial team. Their submissions appear on the Dashboard under ‘My Submissions’.

Making everyone an admin

A setting under Configuration assigns Group Admin and Admin to every user at their next login. It is off by default, and it gives you a flat community hierarchy in which everyone can reach everything.

It cannot be undone by switching it off. Turning the setting off stops new users being granted those roles, but anyone who already has them keeps them.