Understanding Admin vs. Member Roles
Understanding Admin vs. Member Roles
State Affairs has two user roles: Admin and Member. Understanding the difference helps you assign the right permissions to your team while maintaining security.
Quick Comparison
Bottom line: Members use the platform. Admins manage the account.
Member Role: Platform Users
What Members Can Do
Members have full access to State Affairs' legislative tracking features:
Bill Tracking:
Search for bills across your assigned state(s)
Track bills and receive notifications
Add bills to groups
Set priorities and positions
Add notes and comments
Compare bill versions with redlining
View bill history and voting records
Keyword Alerts:
Create keyword alerts
Manage alert settings
Receive notifications when keywords match bills, hearings, or news
Search using Boolean operators
Hearings:
View hearing schedules
Search hearing transcripts
Create video clips from hearings
Track hearings with keyword mentions
Reports:
Generate custom reports
Export to PDF, Excel, or Word
Include notes and analysis
Share reports with stakeholders
News & Directories:
Read capitol news coverage
Search legislator directories
View committee information
Track legislator voting patterns
Collaboration:
Work with team members on shared bills
View group-shared notes
Collaborate on reports
Use team-created labels
What Members CANNOT Do
Members are locked out of account management functions:
Cannot access:
❌ Account Overview section
❌ Team Members section (can't see who else has access)
❌ Billing information
❌ Invoice downloads
❌ Payment portal
Cannot perform:
❌ Invite new users
❌ Deactivate users
❌ Change anyone's role (including their own)
❌ Reassign seats
❌ Request additional seats or states
❌ Update payment methods
❌ View subscription details
Can only access:
✅ Profile Settings (their own notifications and password only)
✅ Label Settings (if labels are enabled for all users)
When to Make Someone a Member
Use Member role for:
Regular users who need to:
Track legislation
Monitor policy developments
Generate reports
Do their job with State Affairs
Examples of Member users:
Policy analysts
Government relations professionals
Lobbyists
Researchers
Legislative tracking staff
Anyone who doesn't need to manage the account
Default assumption: Unless someone specifically needs account management capabilities, make them a Member.
Admin Role: Account Managers
What Admins Can Do
Admins have everything Members have, PLUS full account management:
Everything Members Can Do:
All bill tracking, reporting, and platform features
Full legislative intelligence capabilities
Collaboration and sharing
Plus Account Management:
View billing dashboard
Download invoices for accounting
Update payment methods (credit cards)
View subscription terms and renewal dates
See which seats are in use vs. available
Reassign seats between team members
Request additional seats or states
Plus Team Management:
Invite new team members
Deactivate users who no longer need access
Reactivate former users
Change user roles (promote/demote between Admin and Member)
View all active and inactive team members
Search and manage the team list
Plus Organization:
Create and manage labels for the whole team
Set up organizational structures
Configure team-wide settings
What Admins Cannot Do
Even Admins have limits:
Cannot:
❌ Change the account owner (requires contacting support)
❌ Cancel the entire subscription (must contact billing)
❌ Access other organizations' accounts
❌ Recover deleted data (permanent deletions require support)
❌ Modify other users' tracked bills or personal settings
Account ownership: The original purchaser/account owner has special status. Admins can't transfer ownership without involving support.
When to Make Someone an Admin
Use Admin role for:
People who need to:
Manage the team (onboard/offboard users)
Handle billing and invoices
Oversee the account
Make administrative decisions
Examples of Admin users:
Account owner
Office manager
IT administrator
Finance/accounting contact
Department head responsible for the subscription
Anyone who needs to add/remove team members
How many Admins should you have?
Minimum: 2 (in case one is unavailable)
Recommended: 2-3 for most organizations
Maximum: As few as necessary for security
Don't make everyone an Admin. It's a security risk and gives unnecessary access to billing information.
Changing Someone's Role
Promoting a Member to Admin
When someone needs to manage the account:
Go to Settings → Team Members
Find the user in the list
Click their "Role" dropdown
Select "Admin"
Changes take effect immediately
What happens:
They immediately gain access to Account Overview
They can now invite/remove team members
They can view billing information
They can reassign seats
Notify them: Let them know you promoted them so they understand their new responsibilities.
Demoting an Admin to Member
When someone no longer needs account management:
Go to Settings → Team Members
Find the user in the list
Click their "Role" dropdown
Select "Member"
Changes take effect immediately
What happens:
They immediately lose access to Account Overview
They can no longer manage team members
They can't view billing information
They keep all their tracked bills, reports, and platform work
Common scenario: Initial account setup person was made Admin, but doesn't need ongoing account management. Demote to Member once setup is complete.
Checking Your Own Role
To see your current role:
Go to Settings → Team Members
Find your name in the Active users list
Look at the "Role" column
Or:
Try accessing Account Overview tab
If you can see it → You're an Admin
If you can't see it → You're a Member
Can Members see their own role? No, Members can't access the Team Members section at all. If you can't see Team Members, you're definitely a Member.
Security Best Practices
Principle of Least Privilege
Give people the minimum access they need to do their job.
Policy analyst who just tracks bills → Member
Office manager who onboards new hires → Admin
Researcher who generates reports → Member
Finance contact who downloads invoices → Admin
Don't make someone Admin just because they asked. Verify they actually need account management capabilities.
Regular Role Audits
Review user roles quarterly:
Go to Team Members
For each Admin, ask: "Do they still need to manage the account?"
Demote to Member if they don't need ongoing admin access
Promote to Admin only when there's a clear need
Common issue: Organizations accumulate too many Admins over time. Clean up periodically.
Limit Admin Count
How many Admins do you need?
Small team (1-5 users): 1-2 Admins
Medium team (6-20 users): 2-3 Admins
Large team (20+ users): 3-4 Admins
Why limit Admins?
Reduced security risk
Clearer accountability
Less chance of accidental changes
Easier to track who did what
Admin Responsibilities
If you're an Admin, you're responsible for:
Team management:
Onboarding new hires promptly
Removing access when people leave (same day)
Keeping the team list current
Billing oversight:
Ensuring payment methods are current
Downloading invoices for accounting
Monitoring upcoming charges
Managing seat allocation
Security:
Not sharing login credentials
Logging out on shared computers
Using strong passwords
Changing password every 6 months
Don't treat Admin access casually. It's a position of trust with access to sensitive information.
Common Scenarios
"Everyone on my team should be Admin"
No. This creates security and accountability issues.
Better approach:
Make 2-3 trusted people Admin
Everyone else is Member
Admins handle account management tasks for the team
Why this matters: If everyone is Admin, you can't track who made changes, who invited/removed users, or who accessed billing information.
"I'm a Member but I need to invite someone"
Solution: Ask your Admin to either:
Invite the person for you (quickest)
Promote you to Admin (if you'll be managing users regularly)
Don't create a separate account. Admins should handle invitations through the existing account.
"Our only Admin left the company"
Problem: No one can manage the account.
Solution:
Contact support@stateaffairs.com immediately
Provide proof of authority (company email, purchase records)
We'll verify your identity and promote you to Admin
You can then manage the account going forward
Prevention: Always have at least 2 Admins. When one leaves, immediately promote a replacement.
"Can I be Admin for some features but not billing?"
No. Admin is all-or-nothing:
Admin = Full account access (team + billing)
Member = Platform only
Workaround: If you need someone to manage team but not see billing, consider:
Having them work through an existing Admin
Carefully documenting why they need Admin access
Accepting that they'll have billing visibility
Future feature: We're considering more granular permissions. For now, it's binary: Admin or Member.
"I'm an Admin but I can't see Account Overview"
Possible causes:
Browser cache issue → Clear cache and reload
Not actually Admin → Check your role in Team Members
Different account → Verify you're logged into the right organization
Technical issue → Contact support@stateaffairs.com
Quick test: Can you see the Team Members tab? If yes, you're Admin. If not, you're Member.
Changing Roles: What Gets Preserved?
When Promoting Member → Admin
What changes:
✅ Gains access to Account Overview
✅ Gains access to Team Members
✅ Can now manage billing
✅ Can now invite/remove users
What stays the same:
✅ All tracked bills remain
✅ All keyword alerts remain
✅ All reports remain
✅ All notes and settings remain
✅ Notification preferences unchanged
Nothing is lost. Promotion just adds capabilities.
When Demoting Admin → Member
What changes:
❌ Loses access to Account Overview
❌ Loses access to Team Members
❌ Cannot manage billing
❌ Cannot invite/remove users
What stays the same:
✅ All tracked bills remain
✅ All keyword alerts remain
✅ All reports remain
✅ All notes and settings remain
✅ Platform access unchanged
Nothing is deleted. Demotion just removes account management.
Questions about roles and permissions? Contact support@stateaffairs.com
Check your role: Settings → Team Members → Find your name