User Roles
MentorKit LMS Pro adds three custom roles to WordPress, each designed for a specific level of access. This guide explains what each role can do and when to use them.
Role Overview
| Role | Access | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|
| LMS Manager | Full LMS admin | Manage all courses, groups, certificates, enrollments, and settings |
| Course Creator | Own courses only | Create and manage assigned courses and certificates |
| Group Leader | Frontend only | Manage enrollments and invite users for assigned groups |
| Subscriber | Frontend only | Access enrolled courses and view progress |
These roles are in addition to standard WordPress roles. WordPress Administrators and Editors automatically receive full LMS capabilities.
LMS Manager
The LMS Manager role has full access to all LMS features — courses, groups, certificates, analytics, email management, and user invitations. However, unlike a WordPress Administrator, an LMS Manager cannot manage WordPress settings, themes, or plugins.
What they can do:
- Create, edit, and delete all courses and groups
- Manage certificates (create templates, issue, revoke)
- View analytics and export reports
- Invite users and manage enrollments
- Configure email notifications and theming
- Assign group leaders and course creators
What they cannot do:
- Access WordPress Settings, Appearance, or Plugins menus
- Manage non-LMS content (posts, pages)
Best for: Dedicated LMS administrators who shouldn't have access to the broader WordPress site.
Course Creator
The Course Creator role can create and manage courses, but only courses they're assigned to. They have limited WordPress admin access — just enough to work on their courses.
What they can do:
- Create new courses and upload SCORM packages
- Edit and publish their assigned courses
- Create and manage certificate templates
- View analytics for their own courses
- Export reports
What they cannot do:
- Edit courses created by others (unless assigned)
- Create or manage groups
- Manage enrollments or invite users
- Access email or theming settings
Best for: Subject matter experts or instructional designers who build courses but don't manage the platform.
To assign a course creator to specific courses, see Assigned Course Creators.
Group Leader
The Group Leader role works entirely from the frontend — no WordPress admin access at all. Group leaders manage their assigned groups through the My Groups dashboard page.
What they can do:
- View enrolled learners and their progress
- Invite new users (as subscribers or group leaders)
- Promote subscribers to group leader
- View group-level analytics
What they cannot do:
- Access the WordPress admin panel
- Create or edit courses or groups
- Manage certificates or settings
Best for: Team leads, managers, or coordinators who need to manage learners in their group without platform admin access.
To assign group leaders to a group, see Group Leaders.
Subscriber
The Subscriber is the default WordPress role used for learners. Subscribers access courses through the frontend and have no admin capabilities.
What they can do:
- View and complete enrolled courses
- View their progress on the My Profile page
- Download earned certificates
- Edit their profile and change their password
Best for: All learners and end users.
WordPress Built-in Roles
MentorKit LMS Pro also extends standard WordPress roles with LMS capabilities:
| WordPress Role | LMS Capabilities |
|---|---|
| Administrator | Full LMS access — same as LMS Manager, plus all WordPress admin capabilities |
| Editor | Full LMS access — same as LMS Manager, plus standard editorial capabilities |
| Author | Limited LMS access — can manage their own courses, groups, and certificates only |
This means you don't need to assign a custom role if a user already has an appropriate WordPress role. For example, an Editor can manage the entire LMS without being assigned the LMS Manager role separately.
Creating Users with Roles
You can create users with any of these roles through:
- Invite User — invite from the admin panel with role selection
- Group Leader Dashboard — group leaders can invite subscribers and other leaders from the frontend
- WordPress Users → Add New — standard WordPress user creation with role dropdown
What's Next
- Inviting Users — invite new users with a specific role
- Group Settings — assign group leaders to groups
- Course Access — assign course creators to courses