Who this guide is for
Different people use the same site—editors, shop staff, admins—and you want each role to see a different top bar, sidebar baseline, and menu items.
Two tools that work together
- Role assignments — which layout preset each WordPress role gets.
- Role visibility matrix — which admin menu items each role may see (checked = visible).
How EdminBoost picks a layout for someone
When a user logs in, EdminBoost looks at their roles, finds the first role with a preset assignment, and applies that preset’s top bar and sidebar baseline.
Roles with no assignment use the global layout you saved on Top Bar and Menu Studio.
Step 1 — Pick or build layouts per role
Go to Layout Presets.
- Use by role presets (one template per editable WordPress role), or
- Use by use case presets (Client’s Website, Shop Manager, Power User, etc.), or
- Build your own on Top Bar + Menu Studio, then Save current layout as preset.
Step 2 — Assign presets to roles
On Layout Presets, find the role assignment rows.
- For each role (Administrator, Editor, Shop manager, …), choose a preset from the dropdown.
- Save.
Step 3 — Hide menu items per role
Scroll to the role visibility matrix.
- Rows = admin menu items (including submenus).
- Columns = roles.
- Checked = that role can see the item.
- Unchecked = hidden for that role.
Notes:
- Dashboard, Plugins, and EdminBoost (top level) stay visible and locked—you cannot accidentally hide them.
- Submenu rows show the parent menu name; hiding one submenu hides only that entry.
- Items the role cannot access by WordPress capability may appear restricted in the matrix.
Step 4 — Save and test
- Click Save on Layout Presets.
- Log in as each role (or use a user switching plugin) and confirm top bar + sidebar match expectations.
Custom sidebar links
Links you add in Menu Studio are kept when a role preset is applied—they merge back in at runtime. Hide them in the matrix if a role should not see them.
Top bar and capabilities
Even with a busy top bar configured, users only see links their WordPress capabilities allow. The matrix controls menu visibility; capabilities still apply.
Common setups
- Editors: Content Editor or Client’s Website preset; hide Plugins, Tools, Settings.
- Shop staff: Shop Manager preset; matrix limited to orders and products.
- Developers: Power User preset with drawer links to Plugins and Tools; full matrix for Administrators only.
Tips
- Change assignments before fine-tuning the matrix so checkboxes align with each preset’s baseline.
- After big plugin installs, reopen Layout Presets—new menu items appear in the matrix.
- Document which role gets which preset for your team or clients.