Managing Users
User management requires the Admin role.
User management controls who has access to Heelr and what they can do. Admins can create user accounts, assign roles, send invitations, and manage access.
Overview
From the User Management page, admins can:
- Create new users with a name, email, and role
- Send magic link invitations so users can securely access the system
- Assign and change roles to control permissions
- Activate or deactivate users to manage access
- Search and filter the user list
Roles
Every user is assigned one of three roles, each with progressively increasing permissions:
| Role | Description |
|---|---|
| Volunteer | Entry-level access. Can view Level 1 dogs and log activities. Read-only for most features. Volunteers with Special Handling Certification can also access Special Handling dogs. |
| Staff | Shelter staff. Can add/edit dogs, upload photos, manage notes, and handle all dogs including isolation and PPE. |
| Admin | Full control. Everything staff can do, plus user management, audit logs, and all administrative features. |
See Permissions for a detailed breakdown of what each role can do.
User Statuses
Each user has a status that indicates their current state in the system:
| Status | Badge Color | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Green | User has logged in and can access the system |
| Pending | Blue | User has been invited but hasn't logged in yet |
| Manual | Gray | User was created without system access (manual entry for tracking purposes) |
| Inactive | Red | User has been deactivated by an admin and cannot access the system |
The User Management Page
The user management page is accessible from the navigation menu (admin only). It includes:
- Search bar -- Find users by name
- Status filter -- Filter by All, Active, Pending, Inactive, or Manual
- "Add User" button -- Create a new user
- User cards -- Each showing name, email, role badge, status badge, and an edit button
- "View Audit Logs" link -- Navigate to the audit log for user-related actions
Adding a User
To add a new user:
- Click "Add User" on the User Management page
- Enter the user's name (required)
- Optionally enter their email address
- Select a role (Volunteer, Staff, or Admin)
- For Volunteers, optionally toggle Special Handling Certified to grant access to Special Handling dogs
- If an email was provided, check "Send Invite" to send a magic link
- Click Create
If you send an invite, the user's status will be set to Pending until they click the magic link and log in for the first time. If no email is provided, the user is created with Manual status.
Editing a User
To edit an existing user, click the Edit button on their user card. You can change:
- Name
- Role
- Active/Inactive toggle -- Deactivating a user prevents them from logging in
For users with Manual status who now have an email, you can send them a magic link invitation to grant system access.
Magic Link Invitations
Instead of creating passwords, Heelr uses magic links -- secure one-time login links sent via email. When a user clicks the link, they're automatically logged in and their status changes from Pending to Active.
You can resend invitations if a user hasn't received or has lost their original link.
Rate Limiting
To prevent abuse of the invitation system, there is a limit of 3 invitations per user within a 24-hour period. If you reach this limit, wait 24 hours before sending another invite to that user.
Audit Trail
All user management actions are logged in the audit system, including:
- User creation
- Role changes
- Activations and deactivations
- Invitation sends
Admins can review these events from the Audit Logs page.