Managing User Roles
To manage user roles, you must have one of the following roles:
- User Manager
- User Administrator
See also Configuring Role Profiles and Configuring Job Categories.
For convenience, circulation desk operators can be deleted, exported, or imported by running batch jobs (see Running Manual Jobs on Defined Sets).
Adding Roles to Users
You add a role to a user by:
- Assigning a job category to the user when creating the user (see Adding Users)
- Selecting a role profile that is defined on the Profiles List page (see Configuring Role Profiles)
- Selecting roles individually
To add roles to a user:
- On the Find and Manage Users page (Administration > User Management > Find and Manage Users), locate the user and select Action > Edit.
- Add roles to the user using one of the following methods:
- Click Add Role. The Add New Roles page appears. Add New Roles PageFor a list and description of the roles that can be configured for users, see User Roles – Descriptions and Accessible Components.The Add New Roles page provides details about the privileges associated with each role.Select the check boxes of the roles you want to assign to the user and click Add Role. The new roles are added to the User Roles section of the User Details page, as shown in the following example.User Roles Section on User Details Page
- Click Add from Profiles. The Profiles List page appears. Profiles List PageThe Profiles List page displays all the defined role profiles (predefined by a system administrator—see Configuring Role Profiles). Use the Role Filter to filter the list.Select the required role profile and click Select. The individual roles are added to the User Roles section of the User Details page.User Roles Area on User Details Page
- Click Add Role. The Add New Roles page appears.
- Click Save. If you selected multiple roles, the Find and Manage Users page appears. Roles that require additional configuration (such as selecting a scope) remain inactive until you configure them. If you selected a single role, the User Roles Details page appears; select the role details and click Save again. See Editing Roles Assigned to Users.
Editing Roles Assigned to Users
To edit a role assigned to a user:
- On the Find and Manage Users page (Administration > User Management > Find and Manage Users), locate the user and select Actions > Edit. The User Details page appears. User Details Page
- In the User Roles area, scroll to the role you want to edit and either click the role name link in the Role Name column or select Actions > Edit. The User Roles Details page appears. User Roles Details Page
- Edit the required information. Role Information Fields lists details of the fields on this page.
Role Information Fields Field Description Role name The name of the role (cannot be changed). Scope This field is mandatory, even though the field appears without a red asterisk. - For roles that always apply to the entire institution – Scope is set to the institution and cannot be changed.
- For roles set on the library/campus level – Scope appears as a drop-down list. Select the required campus/library (or the institution, if it is available) to which the role applies.
After selecting the scope, some roles require additional information in the Role Parameters section, such as a service unit or configuration desk. Configure these parameters, as described in User Roles – Descriptions and Accessible Components.To add multiple libraries/campuses, add the role to the user multiple times, selecting a different library/campus each time.If you reduce a user's scope to library-level from institution-level, or remove a library-level scope from a user, the user can no longer manage those entities that are assigned to him/her but are now out of scope.Status From the predefined drop-down list, select whether the status is Active or Inactive. Expiry date The date after which the user no longer has the role. Click the Expiry date box and select the required date from the Calendar dialog box. - Click Save Role. The edited role is saved, and the User Details page appears.
- Click Save. The user details are saved, and the Find and Manage Users page appears.
Removing Roles from Users
You can remove roles assigned to a user.
To remove roles from users:
- On the Find and Manage Users page (Administration > User Management > Find and Manage Users), locate the user for which you want to remove roles and select Actions > Edit.
- Remove a role using one of the following methods:
- Select Actions > Remove for the role you want to remove and click Confirm in the confirmation dialog box. The role is removed from the User Details page.
- From the list of roles in the User Roles area, select the check box for the roles you want removed, and click Remove Selected. The selected roles are removed from the User Details page.
- Click Save. The user details are saved, and the Find and Manage Users page appears.
User Roles – Descriptions and Accessible Components
The following table describes the roles that can be configured for users and the Alma components that each user role can access. All users can search the repository (Resource Management > Search > Repository Search) and view analytics subscriptions (Administration > Analytics > Subscribe to Analytics).
Module | Role | Accessible Components | Description | Scope |
---|---|---|---|---|
User Management | User Administrator | ADMINISTRATION:
| Manages all aspects of user management, including configuration aspects such as setting up and running user synchronization actions | Institution |
User Manager | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Manages user information, such as roles, blocks, and contact information | Institution | |
Acquisitions | Acquisitions Administrator | ACQUISITIONS:
| Manages acquisitions configurations, such as PO review rules, reporting codes, and running acquisitions related jobs | Institution |
Fiscal Period Manager | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Manages copy ledger, rollover jobs, and editing of fiscal period tables when assigned in conjunction with the Acquisitions Administrator role | Institution | |
Fund Manager | ACQUISITIONS:
| Manages all fund-related actions, including allocations and transactions, creating, updating, and closing funds | Institution / Library | |
Fund-Ledger Viewer | ACQUISITIONS:
| Views funds and ledgers only | Institution / Library | |
Invoice Manager | ACQUISITIONS:
| Manages invoice creation, review and approval activities, and assigning invoices to other operators | Institution / Library | |
Invoice Operator | ACQUISITIONS:
| Creates, edits, and reviews invoices | Institution / Library | |
Invoice Operator Extended | ACQUISITIONS:
| Has Invoice Operator privileges and can also delete invoices Must be combined with Invoice Operator. | Institution / Library | |
Ledger Manager | ACQUISITIONS:
| Enables creating and editing ledgers, adding funds and allocations, performing transactions, and updating ledgers and funds | Institution / Library | |
License Manager | ACQUISITIONS:
| Manages activities related to licenses and license amendments | Institution | |
Purchasing Manager | ACQUISITIONS:
| Manages authoritative purchasing operations, such as reviewing and approving POs, activating electronic resources, assigning PO lines to purchasing operators, and linking licenses to PO lines. Can also view vendor data, ledgers and funds, and invoices. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. | Institution / Library | |
Purchasing Operator | ACQUISITIONS:
| Manages all purchasing operations, including creating, reviewing, and updating PO lines, managing electronic resources, and linking licenses to PO lines. Can also view vendor data, ledgers and funds, and invoices. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. | Institution / Library | |
Purchasing Operator Extended | ACQUISITIONS:
| Can delete PO lines. Must be combined with Purchasing Operator. | Institution | |
Receiving Operator | ACQUISITIONS:
| Manages the arrival of both physical and electronic purchased items, and can delete orders. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. You must assign a service unit when configuring this role. | Institution / Library | |
Receiving Operator Limited | ACQUISITIONS:
| Has Receiving Operator privileges, but cannot delete orders. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. You must assign a service unit when configuring this role. | Institution / Library | |
Selector | ACQUISITIONS:
| Manages selecting new resources for acquisition | Institution | |
Selector Extended | ACQUISITIONS:
| Deletes patron purchase requests. | Institution | |
Trial Manager | ACQUISITIONS:
| Manages electronic resource trials and evaluations as part of preprocessing for acquisitions, and manages the Trial Operator. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. | Institution | |
Trial Operator | ACQUISITIONS:
| Manages electronic resource trials and evaluations as part of preprocessing for acquisitions. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. | Institution | |
Trial Participant | NONE | An individual invited to participate in an electronic resource trial | Institution | |
Usage Data Operator | For future use | Institution | ||
Vendor Manager | ACQUISITIONS:
| Manages all aspects of the institution’s vendor records | Institution / Library | |
Fulfillment | Circulation Desk Manager | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Manages circulation desk actions, such as loans, returns, and renewals, with block override options; can add, edit, and delete notes, change due and return dates, add and remove blocks, mark items as lost, and change items. You must assign a circulation desk when configuring this role. To configure this role for multiple circulation desks in the same scope, assign the desks as multiple parameters in the same role. | Library |
Circulation Desk Operator | FULFILLMENT:
| Manages circulation desk actions, such as loans, returns, and renewals; can add, edit, and delete notes, change due and return dates, mark items as lost, handle fines and fees, and perform offline circulation. You must assign a circulation desk when configuring this role. To configure this role for multiple circulation desks in the same scope, assign the desks as multiple parameters in the same role. | Library | |
Circulation Desk Operator – Limited | FULFILLMENT:
| Has Circulation Desk Operator privileges, but cannot perform deletion activities. You must assign a circulation desk when configuring this role. | Library | |
Course Reserves Manager | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Manages reserve and reading list assignments | Institution / Library | |
Course Reserves Operator | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Works with course reserves to create reading lists and move requests | Institution / Library | |
Fulfillment Administrator | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Manages fulfillment-related configurations, such as policies, terms of use, fulfillment units, and circulation desks | Institution | |
Fulfillment Services Manager | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Manages the library’s authoritative fulfillment service actions, such as course reading list assignments, assigns digitization requests, and assigns and handles resource sharing requests | Institution / Library | |
Fulfillment Services Operator | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Manages the library's fulfillment services related to course reserves and reading lists, as well as move requests. You must assign a service unit when configuring this role. | Institution / Library | |
Instructor | Does not operate with Alma directly. | Creates and manages reading lists using Leganto. | Institution / Library | |
Patron | USER MANAGEMENT:
| Receives services from the specified library (if the institution is specified, the patron receives services from all libraries in the institution). Services include receiving loans, placing requests for physical items, and digitization of items. | Institution / Library | |
Requests Operator | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Manages the request fulfillment steps, including creating requests, picking up items from shelves, and placing items in transit and on hold shelves. You must assign a circulation desk when configuring this role. | Library | |
Resource Sharing Partners Manager | FULFILLMENT:
| Manages resource sharing partners, to define the types of communication available between Alma and the resource sharing system. Also manages rota templates, to enable attaching a group of partners to a resource sharing request. | Institution / Library | |
Work Order Operator | ACQUISITIONS:
| Manages internal library requests, such as digitization activities. You must assign a service unit when configuring this role. | Institution / Library | |
Inventory | Collection Inventory Operator | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Can create and edit any sub-collection and move sub-collections between parent collections. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. | Institution / Library |
Collection Inventory Operator Extended | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Can create and edit top level collections, delete top level and sub-collections, and elevate a sub-collection to a top-level collection. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. | Institution / Library | |
Deposit Manager | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Manages deposit configuration. For more information, see Configuring Deposits. | Institution / Library | |
Deposit Operator | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Approves deposits. For more information, see Deposit. | Institution / Library | |
Deposit Operator Extended | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Approves and declines deposits. For more information, see Deposit. | Institution / Library | |
Digital Inventory Operator | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Manages the institution’s digital inventory, including adding digital representations to the repository, running and monitoring processes, and creating and managing sets.When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. The Metadata Types are not functional. | Institution / Library | |
Digital Inventory Operator Extended | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Can delete digital inventory. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. Must be combined with Digital Inventory Operator. | Institution / Library | |
Electronic Inventory Operator | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Manages the institution’s electronic inventory, including adding local electronic collections, and local portfolios, managing electronic resource activation, and creating and managing sets. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. | Institution | |
Electronic Inventory Operator Extended | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Can delete electronic inventory. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. Must be combined with Electronic Inventory Operator. | Institution / Library | |
Physical Inventory Operator | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Enables adding inventory records to the repository for the library and/or institution’s print materials, and creating and managing sets. A user cannot perform the following functions for libraries outside his or her defined scope: edit or withdraw an item from the physical items results on the Repository Search page, or edit, withdraw, duplicate, toggle missing, open predicted items, or bind items from the Items List page. A role's scope has no effect on physical inventory manipulation performed by a batch job. As a result, at an institution level, you must ensure that the physical item changing jobs are run only by users with higher privileges. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. | Institution / Library | |
Physical Inventory Operator Extended | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Can delete physical inventory. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. Must be combined with Physical Inventory Operator. | Institution / Library | |
Repository Administrator | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Manages institution and library configurations related to inventory. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. | Institution / Library | |
Repository Manager | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Manages authoritative inventory-related actions, including adding, editing and deleting notes, creating and removing blocks, managing inventory operators, assigning e-resource activation to operators, managing inventory, managing repository jobs, and adding, editing, deleting, and linking inventory in the MD Editor. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. | Institution / Library | |
Catalog | Catalog Administrator | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Manages administrative aspects of catalog management, including cataloging configuration; can perform cataloging activities for bibliographic and holdings records, including adding and monitoring import/export processes and creating and managing sets. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. | Institution |
Catalog Manager | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Manages the institution's catalog records, including cataloging activities for bibliographic and holdings records, adding and monitoring import/export processes, and creating and managing sets. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. | Institution | |
Cataloger | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Performs cataloging activities for bibliographic and holdings records only, and creates and manages sets. When deleting the last item associated with a bibliographic record, can also delete that bibliographic record. | Institution | |
Cataloger Extended | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Manages bibliographic records, holdings, and authority records. Can perform deletion on Cataloger activities. Must be combined with Cataloger. | Institution | |
Miscellaneous | API Analytics Read | Enables an external application to call the retrieve Analytics Object as XML Web service. For details on this Web service, see https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/alma/apis/soap/analytics. | Institution | |
API Fulfillment Read | Enables reading Alma fulfillment tables when using the Alma Software Development Kit (SDK). For details on APIs, see: | Institution | ||
API Fulfillment Write | Enables an external application to call all the fulfillment Web services. For details on APIs, see: | Institution | ||
API Infra Read | Enables an external application to call the Infra API. For details on APIs, see: https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/alma/apis | Institution | ||
API Label Printing Read | Enables creating a physical item label for printing when using the Get Label for Printing Web service. For details, see https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/alma/apis/soap/bib. | Institution | ||
API Resource Management Read | Enables an external application to call the Publishing MARC by MMS Id APIs. For details on APIs, see: https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/alma/apis | Institution | ||
API User Information Read | Enables an external application to call the Get User Details Web service, supplying the user name and password of a user with this role. For details on the user management Web services, refer to https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/alma/apis/soap/user. | Institution | ||
API User Information Write | Enables an external application to call all user management Web services, supplying the user name and password of a user with this role. For details on the user management Web services, refer to https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/alma/apis/soap/user. | Institution | ||
Designs Analytics | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
| Enables creating, revising, and updating Alma Analytics, and exposing analytics to other staff operators | Institution | |
Discovery - Admin | For future use | Institution | ||
General System Administrator | ACQUISITIONS:
| Acts as overall manager of all Alma system configurations | Institution | |
Letter Administrator | ADMINISTRATION:
| Manages letter configurations, such as Letter Activity and Letter processes | Institution | |
SDK Write | Enables writing and updating Alma tables when using the SDK (Alma Software Development Kit) for APIs. | Institution |
Managing Circulation Desk Operators
Circulation desk operator roles can be deleted, exported, or imported in Alma using batch jobs. For example, you can export a list of existing users, modify the list, and reimport it into Alma to streamline ongoing patron role assignments. This is often useful when managing a high turnover of part time or temporary student workers in the library.
Before choosing the Delete or Import options, you must prepare the necessary Excel files that contain details of the circulation desk operator roles you want to delete or import. For details of the structure of the Excel file, see Creating Excel Files for Import or Deleting Circulation Desk Operators.
To manage circulation desk operators:
- On the Load Desk Operators page (Administration > User Management > Load Desk/Department Operators), click Add Job. The Add Job page appears. Add Job Page
- Select the type of operation you want to run (Delete, Export, or Import). The Add Job page refreshes with different fields according to your selection. If you select Delete or Import, the Add Job page refreshes as follows.Add Job Page – Delete or Import OptionIf you select Export, the Add Job page refreshes as follows.Add Job Page – Export OptionThe fields shown in the above image appears after completing the first sub-steps in the step below.
- If you selected Delete or Import:
- Click
(Browse) and select the Excel file you want to delete or import.
- Click Update. The batch job runs and is listed on the Load Desk Operators page.
- Continue with step 4.
If you selected Export:- From the Library drop-down list, select the library from which you want to export circulation desk operators. The Add Job page refreshes to show the Desk drop-down list.
- From the Desk drop-down list, select the desk from which you want to export circulation desk operators.
- Click Export. The Opening File Export dialog box appears. Opening Export File Dialog Box
- Select whether you want to Open or Save the export file. If you select to save the file, it is saved in your default downloads folder. If you select to open the file, Excel opens, displaying the export file records as shown in the following example. Example of Exported Circulation Desk OperatorsAt the same time, details of the batch job are added to the Load Desk Operators page.
- Click
- Click Back. The Load Desk Operators page appears, showing a new batch job added to the list of jobs. To view the job details, select Actions > View for the job whose details you want to view.
The following is an example of a job report with no exceptions (failures).

Job Report Page – No Exceptions
The following is an example of a job report with exceptions (failures).

Job Report Page – With Exceptions
To view the job events, on the Load Desk Operators page, select Actions > Events for the job whose events you want to view.
The following is an example of an events report.

Events Report Page
Creating Excel Files for Import or Deleting Circulation Desk Operators
Before importing or deleting circulation desk operators in Alma, you must create an Excel file with the appropriate details of the circulation desk operators to be deleted or imported.
The Excel file must have the extension .xls.
Files with the .xlsx extension are not currently supported.
The Excel file must have the following column headings in row 1, columns A through E:
- User Identifier
- Role Type
- Library Code
- Expiry Date
- Desk Code
Enter the information for each circulation desk operator in the appropriate columns from row 2 and onward.
The following is an example of an Excel file created for importing or deleting.

Example of Delete/Import Excel File
To create an Excel file for deleting circulation desk operators:
- Export all the circulation desk operators for a particular library and desk to an Excel file.
- Edit the Excel file by removing all the circulation desk operators you do not want deleted.
- Save the file and use it as the deletions file as described in step a.
To create new circulation desk operators based on existing circulation desk operators:
- Export the existing circulation desk operators to an Excel file.
- Edit the file by removing any excess records of operators you do not want to import.
- Save the file and import it as described in step a.
Roles Managed at the Library Level
The following roles can be managed at the library level:
- Circulation Desk Manager
- Circulation Desk Operator
- Circulation Desk Operator - Limited
- Collection Inventory Operator
- Collection Inventory Operator Extended
- Course Reserves Manager
- Course Reserves Operator
- Deposit Manager
- Deposit Operator
- Deposit Operator Extended
- Digital Inventory Operator
- Digital Inventory Operator Extended
- Electronic Inventory Operator
- Electronic Inventory Operator Extended
- Fulfillment Services Manager
- Fulfillment Services Operator
- Instructor
- Invoice Manager
- Invoice Operator
- Patron
- Physical Inventory Operator
- Physical Inventory Operator Extended
- Purchasing Manager
- Purchasing Operator
- Receiving Operator
- Receiving Operator Limited
- Repository Administrator
- Repository Manager
- Requests Operator
- Resource Sharing Partners Manager
- Vendor Manager
- Work Order Operator