# Permissions

> The two spheres of permissions in Cascade CMS: system-wide abilities granted by a Role, and Site-level access to what a user can see and do.

URL: https://www.hannonhill.com/cascadecms/latest/articles/cascade-administration/permissions/index.html
category: Cascade Administration
article-type: concept
content-kind: article
release-availability: all
tags: permissions
updated: 2026-10-06

## Overview

Permissions in Cascade CMS are best broken into two spheres: system-wide and site-specific. Permissions assigned at the system level affect abilities in the administration area. For example, granting the ability to create new sites, users, and groups are system-wide permissions. Typically, access to a specific set of abilities (Tools, Security, etc.) should be granted as needed to would-be administrators and administrator groups.

Site-level permissions, on the other hand, govern who can access a given site and what they can see and do in that site. For example, as Cascade CMS includes a stock Site Administrator and Site Contributor role, users are initially limited to one of those two access levels when granted access to a site. Of course, most organizations will have different levels of participation and duties to fulfill, and the creation of additional roles is encouraged as needed.

System-wide administrators have administrative-level access to all sites, while non-administrators must be assigned to a site (either individually or as part of a group) to be able to see it. Once assigned to a site, their site-level role assignment will determine their abilities within the site.

## When users can't see or do something

## Checking and granting access