# Set up departments and levels

> Create departments, add levels, and grant permissions so Members get the right access before you invite the team.

URL: https://www.agencytitan.com/help/getting-started/set-up-departments-and-levels/

Create departments and levels before you invite Members. A department is a team. A level is the access band inside that team. Member access comes from the permissions granted to their assigned level, not from the Owner or Admin role.

Owner and Admin already have full product access. They do not need a department assignment to use the app.

## Who this is for

Owners and users with the **Admin** role who set up team structure. Opening **Departments** requires **View Departments**. Adding a department requires **Create Departments**. Adding levels and granting permissions requires **Edit Departments**. Assigning people to a level requires **Manage Department Members**.

## Before you begin

- You are signed in to the correct agency.
- Decide the teams you need, such as support, delivery, or account management.
- For each team, decide at least one level name, such as Agent or Lead.

Department **levels** are not the same as Owner, Admin, and Member. Those three are agency roles. See [Core Concepts](/help/getting-started/core-concepts/).

## Open Departments

1. Open **Settings**, then **Team & Access**, then **Departments** ([/settings/agency/departments](https://app.agencytitan.com/settings/agency/departments)).
2. Confirm the page heading is **Departments**.

If the agency has no departments, the page says **No departments yet**. Use **Create First Department** in that empty state, or **Create Department** in the header.

![Departments page with department cards, Manage Levels and Permissions, and Create Department](/docs/screenshots/departments-setup-v1/departments-list.png)

## Create a department

1. Select **Create Department**.
2. Enter **Department Name**. This field is required.
3. Optionally enter **Description**, choose **Icon**, and set **Department Color**.
4. Select **Create Department**.

![Create Department modal with Department Name, Icon, Description, Department Color, and Create Department](/docs/screenshots/departments-setup-v1/create-department-modal.png)

The new department appears as a card. Each card shows how many levels and users it has.

## Add levels

1. On the department card, select **Manage Levels & Permissions**.
2. Confirm the **Roles & Levels** tab is selected.
3. Select **Add Level**. If the department has no levels, the empty state says **No levels yet**. Use **Add Level** there.
4. Enter **Level Name**. This field is required.
5. Optionally enter **Description**.
6. Optionally enter **Hourly Cost** if you track department cost and have **Edit Compensation**.
7. Select **Add Level**.

![Department detail on the Roles and Levels tab showing Total Users, Add Level, and level cards](/docs/screenshots/departments-setup-v1/department-levels.png)

![Add Level modal with Level Name, Description, Hourly Cost, and Add Level](/docs/screenshots/departments-setup-v1/add-level-modal.png)

Add every level this department needs before you invite Members into it.

You can drag a level to change its order. Lower numbers are usually earlier in the path, such as Agent before Lead.

## Grant permissions

1. Select the **Permissions** tab.
2. If you see **No levels defined**, return to **Roles & Levels** and add a level first.
3. Use **Search permissions (e.g. time tracking, inbox, PTO)...** to find a permission, or expand a group such as **Team Management**.
4. For each level column, turn on only the permissions that level should have.
5. Where a row offers a scope, choose **All data** or **Assigned only**.

![Department Permissions tab with Search permissions and a matrix of permission rows by level](/docs/screenshots/departments-setup-v1/department-permissions.png)

A grant applies to every user assigned to that level. Owners and Admins keep full access even when a department level does not include a permission.

:::caution[Review the level before you grant]
Granting a permission to a level gives it to every member assigned to that level. Check both the level and who sits in it before you turn a permission on.
:::

## Optional: copy permissions to another level

1. In a level column, select **Copy**.
2. In **Copy Permissions**, choose **Copy To** to apply this level to other levels, or **Copy From** to overwrite this level from another source.
3. Select the destination or source levels.
4. Select **Copy Permissions**.

Use this when two levels should start from the same baseline, then tighten or widen one of them.

## Optional: add people already in the agency

You can assign existing teammates from the department, or wait and assign them during invite. See [Invite your team](/help/getting-started/invite-your-team/).

1. On **Roles & Levels**, select **Add Users** on a level with no members, or **Manage** on a level that already has members.
2. In **Manage Users**, under **Add User to Level**, choose the person.
3. Optionally turn on **Set as primary department for this user**.
4. Select **Add User**.

## Expected result

- **Departments** lists each team you created.
- Each department has the levels you added.
- Each level grants only the permissions its members need.
- You can invite Members into those department levels.

## Troubleshooting

| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Departments** is missing | You lack **View Departments** | Ask an Owner or Admin to grant **View Departments** |
| **Create Department** is missing | You lack **Create Departments** | Ask an Owner or Admin to grant **Create Departments** |
| **Add Level** is missing | You lack **Edit Departments** | Ask an Owner or Admin to grant **Edit Departments** |
| **Permissions** shows **No levels defined** | This department has no levels yet | Open **Roles & Levels** and select **Add Level** |
| **Add Users** or **Manage** is missing | You lack **Manage Department Members** | Ask an Owner or Admin to grant **Manage Department Members** |
| A Member cannot see a page or button | Their department level does not grant that permission | Open **Permissions** for that department and review the level |
| **Delete** stays unavailable for a level | Users are still assigned to it | Reassign those users, then delete the empty level |

## Related articles

- [Invite your team](https://www.agencytitan.com/help/getting-started/invite-your-team/): Invite agency teammates from Users so they can sign in to the agency app. This is not a client portal invite.
- [Core Concepts](https://www.agencytitan.com/help/getting-started/core-concepts/): Learn the AgencyTitan product model: workspace, clients, tasks, tickets, escalations, chat, SOPs, training, views, automations, programs, and settings.
- [Agency settings](https://www.agencytitan.com/help/settings/agency-settings/): Update agency identity and branding, and understand how users, roles, departments, and department-level permissions work together.
- [Welcome to AgencyTitan](https://www.agencytitan.com/help/getting-started/welcome/): Sign in, find the main areas of the agency app, and choose a first-week path.