User Roles: Why They Matter and How They Protect Your Organization

When new users are set up — or when responsibilities change — we don’t treat every account the same. Instead, we assign specific roles and approval flags to each user.

These flags define who can approve what, who can request changes, and who can make decisions — helping avoid delays, mistakes, and security issues.

This post explains the most common user flags we use, what they mean, and why they’re important.

Why user roles and flags exist

Clear roles help ensure:

  • The right people make the right decisions

  • Requests don’t get delayed waiting for approval

  • Unauthorized changes aren’t made accidentally

  • Security and compliance expectations are met

  • Everyone understands their authority and responsibility

Without clear roles, IT teams are often forced to guess — which can slow things down or create risk.

Change Approver

What this role means
A Change Approver is authorized to approve changes to IT systems and infrastructure.

This may include:

  • System or network changes

  • Security policy changes

  • Access changes with broad impact

  • Configuration changes affecting multiple users or systems

Why this matters
IT changes can have wide-reaching effects. This role ensures that:

  • Changes are reviewed intentionally

  • Business impact is considered

  • Accountability is clearly defined

Not every technical contact is automatically a change approver.

HR Approvals

What this role means
Users with HR Approvals authority can submit and approve:

  • New hire requests

  • Terminations (offboarding)

  • Role or access changes tied to employment status

By default, this role also includes:

  • Approval of costs associated with onboarding or offboarding (licenses, equipment, access changes)

Why this matters
Hiring and termination actions affect:

  • Security

  • Access to sensitive systems

  • Licensing costs

  • Compliance requirements

This role ensures HR-driven changes are handled quickly and correctly, without delays or guesswork.

Local PC Administrator

What this role means
A Local PC Administrator can have administrative rights on their workstation.

This can be configured in two ways:

  • Admin rights on their daily-use account, or

  • A separate administrator account used only when elevated access is needed

Why this matters
Administrative access allows software installation and system changes, but it also increases risk.

Using a separate admin account:

  • Reduces exposure during normal work

  • Aligns with security best practices

  • Helps limit the impact of phishing or malware

Admin access is granted intentionally, not by default.

Spend Limit

What this flag means
A Spend Limit defines how much a user can approve for IT-related expenses without additional approval.

Examples:

  • Software subscriptions

  • Licensing changes

  • Hardware replacements

  • One-time services

Spend limits help:

  • Avoid approval bottlenecks

  • Maintain budget control

  • Ensure clarity around purchasing authority

Requests above the spend limit automatically require additional approval.

Technical Contact

What this role means
A Technical Contact is someone who can:

  • Discuss technical issues

  • Make technical decisions

  • Approve technical approaches or solutions

This role does not automatically include:

  • Spending authority

  • HR approvals

  • Change approval authority

Why this matters
This allows organizations to:

  • Separate technical decisions from financial or HR decisions

  • Ensure the right expertise is involved

  • Prevent delays caused by unclear responsibility

Why not everyone gets every role

Assigning roles intentionally:

  • Reduces security risk

  • Prevents unauthorized changes

  • Keeps approvals moving smoothly

  • Supports compliance and audit requirements

These roles align with common best practices and expectations found in frameworks such as HIPAA, CMMC/NIST, PCI-DSS, and general governance standards.

How this helps everyone

Clear user flags:

  • Speed up approvals

  • Reduce back-and-forth

  • Prevent misunderstandings

  • Create accountability

  • Make onboarding and offboarding smoother

They protect both the organization and the individuals involved.

Our recommendation

We recommend reviewing user roles periodically to ensure they:

  • Still match job responsibilities

  • Reflect current authority levels

  • Align with security and business needs

If you’re unsure which roles are appropriate for a user — or if responsibilities have changed — we’re happy to review and make recommendations.

Clear roles lead to faster support, stronger security, and fewer surprises.

Al Davis