Update User Role

Change user roles for access control and membership management.

Overview

The Update User Role action changes a user’s role in WordPress. This is essential for membership sites, access control, and automated permission management.

Configuration

Required Fields

Field	Type	Description
User	select/integer	User to update
Role	select	New role to assign

Optional Fields

Field	Type	Default	Description
Add Role	boolean	false	Add to existing roles
Remove Role	string	-	Role to remove

Roles

Standard WordPress roles:

Role	Capabilities
`administrator`	Full site access
`editor`	Manage all content
`author`	Publish own content
`contributor`	Write drafts only
`subscriber`	Read only

WooCommerce roles:

Role	Description
`customer`	Can purchase and manage orders
`shop_manager`	Can manage shop

Custom roles from membership plugins work too.

Example Configurations

Upgrade Membership

User: {{Trigger.user_id}}
Role: premium_member

Downgrade on Expiry

User: {{Trigger.user_id}}
Role: subscriber

Add Role (Keep Existing)

User: {{Trigger.user_id}}
Role: content_creator
Add Role: true

Conditional Upgrade

Based on purchase:

User: {{Trigger.customer_id}}
Role: customer_vip
Condition: Order total > 500

Output Data

Variable	Type	Description
`{{Action.user_id}}`	integer	User ID
`{{Action.old_role}}`	string	Previous role
`{{Action.new_role}}`	string	New role

Multiple Roles

WordPress supports multiple roles per user:

Add Additional Role

User: {{Trigger.user_id}}
Role: contributor
Add Role: true
# User keeps existing role AND gets contributor

Replace All Roles

User: {{Trigger.user_id}}
Role: editor
Add Role: false
# User's only role is now editor

Common Workflows

Purchase-Based Upgrade

Trigger: Order Completed
Condition: Product is membership
Action: Update User Role
- User: {{Trigger.customer_id}}
- Role: premium_member

Subscription Expiry

Trigger: Subscription Expired
Action: Update User Role
- User: {{Trigger.user_id}}
- Role: subscriber

Manual Approval

Trigger: Application Approved (custom)
Action: Update User Role
- User: {{Trigger.applicant_id}}
- Role: approved_member

Best Practices

Log all role changes for auditing
Use conditions to prevent unintended changes
Test role transitions thoroughly
Consider notification emails for role changes

Security Notes

Never auto-assign administrator role
Review custom role capabilities
Monitor role change activity
Implement approval workflows for sensitive roles