Roles in the WebCMS

There are two categories of roles in the WebCMS: roles specific to individual web areas (which are the most relevant to your work with content), and global roles in the WebCMS. You can have more than one role.

Related Information
On this page:

Roles Specific to Individual Web Areas

Each web area is managed by a set of people in web area roles.  A person can be a member of more than one web area with a different role in each.

To become a member of a web area (have a web area role), you must first get authenticated in the WebCMS. Once you are authenticated, any administrator member of a specific web area can add you to the web area. See Access to the WebCMS

You can learn about the web area roles in this list, and see a comparison of their abilities in the table that follows.

Author applies to content review
The "author" is the last person who edited and saved a page. When the system sends e-mail notices to review and republish, the last person who edited the page and saved the edit will receive notices.

Review timeline and who is notified

Member

  • Is also known as "author" with no specific role assigned
  • Can create content
  • Can edit own content
  • Can edit content that others have created
  • Cannot make updates to the homepage
  • Cannot publish content
    • Work must go through an approval workflow, and someone with a publishing role must publish the content

Administrator/Webmaster

Editor

Approver

  • Approves content
    • or doesn’t and sends it back to the content creator for changes
  • Can move content into status needed to publish at a certain time and date

Publication Watcher

  • Is notified when new pages are published in the web area, or when existing pages go from a draft state to the published state
  • Does not receive notices about other workflow events in the web area, unless the user has another web area role

Tips about Roles

  1. You can have more than one role.
    • You might be an editor in Webarea A and a member in Webarea B.
    • You might even have more than one role inside a single web area. For example, an editor could also be an approver.
    • A webmaster is an editor and approver and does not need additional roles assigned.
  2. No matter what your role, if you do things in Code View that are not allowed by the system (inline styles), that code will simply be filtered out when the page is saved. When back in Edit mode, you'll see the code you saved, but it will never be published.
  3. The System Webmaster (WebCMS Global Role)  creates all web areas and assigns people roles within web areas. 
  4. Your role in a web area determines when and how often you will be notified of content that is scheduled for review and unpublishing. See Review timeline and who is notified.

Comparison of Capabilities for Different Roles

Capability Watcher Approver Member Editor Group Administrator
(Webmaster)		 System Webmaster
Global WebCMS role
Receive notifications about new published pages X          
Approve content for publication   X   X X *
Publish immediately (skip approval workflow)   X   X X *
Access code view   X X X X *
Edit content that others have created   X X X X *
Create basic pages     X X X *
Upload images, PDFs, and other files     X X X *
Delete your own files     X X X *
Delete your own pages     X X X *
Create and edit webforms       X X *
Create and edit a side bar navigation       X X *
Add JavaScript       X X *
Reassign content to another web area       X X X
Build, update and publish the homepage       X X *
Add or remove users         X X
Change roles of users         X X
Delete other users pages         X X
Re-assign the author of pages           X
Create web areas           X
Update the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) or other contact
for a web area		           X
* System Webmasters don't do content.

How Can I Tell What My Role is?

On the web area's Group Dashboard Members page, you will see a list of all users, including their roles, for that group.

How Can I Tell Who Can Publish in a Web Area that I belong to?

On the web area's Group Dashboard Members page, you can filter to show all group members who have publishing rights in that web area.

Blocked Members

Under the "Members" tab you will see who is active or blocked. If a member is blocked, email Web_CMS Support (web_cms_support@epa.gov) to re-instate them. The blocked user must be included on the email request.

Questions and Answers About EICs and Who Owns Content

  • Who is allowed to do what on EPA's website (not just in the WebCMS)?
  • Who owns a web area?
    • The Editor-in-Chief (EIC) is the overall owner of content in the web area, and is responsible for that content and its maintenance. An EIC still needs a WebCMS role if they want to edit content in their web area.
  • Who owns a web page?
    • An EIC may designate someone else as the owner of a particular page within the EIC's web area. The EIC specifies the rights and responsibilities of that owner over the page:  
      • If the page owner is designated as an author, they might be responsible for the page content, but the EIC will still need to publish the page and any edits to it.  
      • If the page owner is an editor or webmaster, they can edit and publish the page they are responsible for, AND ANY OTHER page in the web area. 
      • WebCMS roles limit people by web area, but it is up to EICs to limit people by page.
  • What is the role of an EIC?
    • The role of EIC is completely separate from the web area roles. It's a content management position, not a "who can edit or publish in that database" role.
    • An EIC might not have any role in the WebCMS; the EIC might not be an author, editor, or webmaster. More often than not, an EIC does have a role in the WebCMS specific to the web area.
    • We strongly recommend that EICs have the Watch Publication role, so they are aware of pages being published and edited in their web area.
  • How can I find the name of a web area's EIC?  The EICs page provides a list of all EICs. You can also filter the search by web area, email, and publisher.

Global Roles in the WebCMS (not Specific to Individual Web Areas)

  • Administrator
    • Top level access and system management
  • System Webmaster
    • Help desk
    • Creates web areas
    • Adds users to web areas and assigns web area roles
  • Layout Builder
    • Manages the arrangement of blocks or panes of content on a page.
    • Required to take Microsite training to receive role.
    • It's a global role.  If you have the layout builder role in any web area, you will have the layout builder role in every web area that you're a member.
    • Manage Web Area homepages
    • Layout builder can only be applied to web area homepages and basic pages.
  • Authenticated User
    • Able to log into the WebCMS system
      • Must have a valid id and password
    • Is not a member of a web area
    • Can view both unpublished and published content
    • Cannot create or edit content
      • Must have a role in a web area to be able to create and edit content
  • Anonymous User
    • Unable to log into the system
    • Can read published pages at www.epa.gov
    • Any member of the public using our website
  • Beta Tester
    • Gets priority access to new WebCMS features
    • Includes access to Editoria11y
    • Contact WebCMS Support (Web_CMS_Support@epa.gov) to request this role
  • Reusable Paragraph Contributor

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Last updated on June 12, 2024