Creating and Managing User Roles and Terms

Josh Patton
Josh Patton

 

What are Roles and Terms in OnBoard?

Many organizations limit how long a board or committee member can serve in a specific role. These limits are usually defined by:
  • Term Duration (how long one term lasts), and
  • Maximum Number of Terms (how many terms a person can serve).
The Roles and Terms feature in OnBoard helps you define these limits, assign them to users, and track upcoming expirations.
Explore the Roles and Terms course and others in OnBoard Academy - link: Roles and Terms

Examples:

Board of Directors

Finance Committee
Role: Director Role: Member

Maximum Number of Terms: 3

Maximum Number of Terms: 3

Term Duration: 3 Years

Term Duration: 2 Years
Role: Chair Role: Chair

Maximum Number of Terms: 2

Maximum Number of Terms: 1

Term Duration: 2 Years

Term Duration: 1 Year

How Do I Set Up Roles for My Organization?

Step 1 — Open Roles and Terms Settings

  1. You must be an Organization Admin.
  2. Go to Settings in the main navigation.
  3. Select the Features tab.
  4. Scroll to Roles and Terms Settings.

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Note: You’ll see several pre-loaded role names. Use or edit them as needed.

Step 2 — Add, Edit, or Delete Roles

  1. Select Configure Roles.

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  1. To add a role: type the new role name → click Add.

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  1. To edit or delete a role: open the 3‑dot menu next to a role → choose Rename or Delete.

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  1. Select Done when finished.

How Do I Configure Term Lengths and Limits?

Term limits must be defined for each combination of:
  • Group (Board, Committee, etc.)
  • Role (Chair, Director, Member, etc.)
This allows different groups to assign different term requirements for the same role.

Steps to Configure Term Limits

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Select the Features tab.
  3. Select Configure Term Limits.

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  1. Pick a Group (e.g., Finance Committee). 
  2. Pick a Role (e.g., Chair). 
  3. Enter:
    • Maximum Terms Allowed
    • Length of Each Term
  4. Click Add to save.

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Editing Existing Term Limits

  • Open the 3‑dot menu next to a term limit to edit or delete.

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  • Use the filters at the top of the page to sort by group or role.

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  • Once Terms limits are configured, Group members can view the Term Limits within the Group.

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How Do I Assign Users to Roles and Terms?

Once roles and term limits are set, assign them to members.

Option A — Add Roles by Group (Best for First-Time Setup)

  1. Go to Directory → Roles and Terms.
  2. Choose Add By Group.

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  1. Select the Group (e.g., Board of Directors).

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  1. All group members will appear in a list. 
  2. For each user, select:
    • Role
    • Current Term Number
    • Term Start Date
    • Term End Date
  3. Click Save.

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If you need to add a new role, select 2023-03-23_15-10-25.png next to the Role header, then Configure Roles from this page.

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Option B — Add Roles by Member (Best for Users with Multiple Roles)

  1. Select Add By Member.
  2. Choose the user.
  3. Click on Select Member.

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  1. Review all groups they belong to. 
  2. Assign:
    • Role
    • Term number
    • Start and end dates
  3. Click Save.

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Option C — Manual Entry (After Initial Setup)

Once data exists, the large purple buttons disappear.
To manually add new entries:
  1. Go to Directory → Roles and Terms.

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  1. Select Table View.

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  1. Choose Add Manually.

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  1. Add entries one row at a time by selecting:
    • Member
    • Group
    • Role
    • Term details
Manual entry does not require all users to be from the same group.

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Can I Also Add Terms from the Table View?

To add future terms directly from the table view in the Roles and Terms tab of the Directory:

  1. Select the three-dot menu to the right of a member's row in the table.
  2. Select Add Next Term.
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How Do I Delete Roles and Terms from the Table View?

To delete a role or term directly from the table view in the Roles and Terms tab of the Directory:

  1. Select the three-dot menu to the right of a member's row in the table.
  2. Select Delete.
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Can I Add Historical Roles and Terms for Past Members?

Yes. OnBoard allows you to add historical role and term data for former members.
This helps maintain accurate organizational records.
 
NOTE: You can also add Previous Terms by selecting "Add Next Term" as outlined above, then choosing a date range that includes past dates.
For instructions, see: Tip on how to add Historical Roles and Terms Data for Past Members.

What Is the Recommended Actions Panel?

Admins will see automated alerts for:
  • Users newly added to a group who need roles
  • Users with missing role information
  • Roles ending within 180 days
  • Recently expired terms
  • Recently expired final terms
These alerts help you stay ahead of expirations.
Note:
  • Only Admins see Recommended Actions.
  • Alerts do NOT send notifications.
Each Recommended Action includes a button you can click to quickly resolve the issue by adding roles and terms for the selected member or group.

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Use the expand arrow to view full details and action buttons.

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What Is the Roles and Terms Chart?

The chart is a visual timeline of all term activity.
You can:
  • Filter by user, group, timeframe, and more
  • Export the data (export respects your selected filters)

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Where Can I View Roles and Terms?

On the User Profile

Profiles display all roles and terms for that user.
Admins see every user’s roles.
Group Members only see roles for groups they share.

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On the Group Page

Group pages list all members and their roles.
  • Admins can edit roles.
  • Group Members can view term information but cannot edit.

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What Happens When a Member Is Deleted or Deactivated?

OnBoard keeps all roles and terms for deactivated or removed users so your historical records remain intact.
You can still add historical entries later if needed.

Review our Tips & Tricks post for Adding Historical Roles and Terms for Past Members. 

Plan Requirements

Roles and Terms is available on:
  • Premium Plan
  • Ultimate Plan
  • Or as an add‑on
Contact your Account Manager to enable it.

OnBoard Group Trainings:

If you are interested, we do offer further education. You can find the calendar and register for OnBoard Admin group training sessions by clicking here. 

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Comments

3 comments

Date Votes
  • Comment author
    Theresa Hazard
    • Edited

    Very helpful article, thank you. How would I edit the term information after it has been saved?

    0
  • Comment author
    Barbara Nicholls

    Hi, Theresa.  This is now I edit them:

    1) Settings \ Feature \ Roles & Terms Settings \ Roles -- and/or -- Term Limits.  (Overarching rules.)

    2) Directory \ Table \ Three Dots to the far right of individual's info to be updated \ Update Roles & Terms.  (For individuals.)

    There may be other ways, as well, but these are my current go-to's.

    Barbara 

    0
  • Comment author
    Shirissee Morgan

    Is there a way to avoid term limits for staff members when adding roles?  For example, I have a group named President's Leadership Team and are not trustees but members of the president's office.  There wouldn't be a limit

    0

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