# Understand platform accounts, app sign-in, and business roles

Your platform account gives you access to IdeaMade, where you manage projects and build apps. App users visit the app's address and sign in when required. The app's access rules and business roles determine which content and actions are available to them.

## Understand the different entry points

| What you want to do                | Entry point and access                                                               |
| ---------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Create, change, or publish an app  | Sign in to IdeaMade and work in Projects and Builder, using your project permissions |
| Use a published app                | Open its published address and follow its sign-in and access requirements            |
| Manage app members' business roles | The project creator uses Project settings → App members and roles                    |

The app creator already has management access. Other members use the app according to their assigned roles, such as working with their own clients or viewing authorized records. Role names and allowed actions depend on the app's requirements and implementation.

## Check the app's roles and environment

As the project creator, open Builder, select “Project settings” beside the app name, and find “App members and roles.” Choose the environment you want to manage:

- “Published App”: assign roles to users of the live app. Available roles come from the current published version.
- “Preview”: assign roles for preview use. Available roles come from the saved app version.

[![App members and roles set to Published App, with the app's business role available](https://ideamade.ai/help/en/setup-roles-production.jpg)](https://ideamade.ai/help/en/setup-roles-production.jpg)

_The example app uses the role identifier actor-freelancer. Each app displays its own roles._

Preview and Published App keep separate member assignments. Check the actual users' roles under Published App before opening the app to them.

## Assign roles to an account

Have the member’s account user ID (UUID) ready, then follow these steps.

1. Select the environment to configure.
2. Enter the account's ID in “User ID (UUID).”
3. Select the “Business roles” to assign.
4. Select “Save roles.”

[![A demonstration user UUID entered in Preview with actor-freelancer selected](https://ideamade.ai/help/en/setup-roles-form.jpg)](https://ideamade.ai/help/en/setup-roles-form.jpg)

_Enter the member’s user ID, then select their business roles._

After saving, the page shows “App permissions updated,” and the member list shows the user ID and assigned roles. Reopen settings and select the same environment to read the saved assignment.

[![The saved member entry displays the demonstration UUID and assigned role](https://ideamade.ai/help/en/setup-roles-saved.jpg)](https://ideamade.ai/help/en/setup-roles-saved.jpg)

_The assignment applies to the selected app and environment._

## Change or revoke roles

Select “Edit roles” beside an existing member. The form fills in their user ID and selects their current roles. Adjust the selection and choose “Save roles.”

[![Edit roles fills the member's UUID and current role back into the form](https://ideamade.ai/help/en/setup-roles-edit.jpg)](https://ideamade.ai/help/en/setup-roles-edit.jpg)

_Check the account and environment before changing the selection._

To remove all of a member's business roles in this environment, select “Revoke roles.” The member then shows “No assigned roles.”

[![After revocation, the demonstration member remains listed with no assigned roles](https://ideamade.ai/help/en/setup-roles-revoked.jpg)](https://ideamade.ai/help/en/setup-roles-revoked.jpg)

_The member entry remains visible so you can see its current assignment state._

Revoking roles removes the permissions they granted. Features that the app makes available to all signed-in users or to the public continue to follow those access rules.

## Check access with the intended account

After configuration, have the actual user sign in at the published address and try their intended tasks. For example, check that they can open the appropriate client records, perform authorized edits, and receive the expected result for restricted actions. Check preview assignments in the preview environment.

See [Check access and key workflows before publishing](https://ideamade.ai/help/pre-publish-checks) for a practical access check.

## Common questions

### I have the person's email address. What should I enter for User ID?

The current member form uses the account's UUID. Contact IdeaMade support to confirm the intended account's user ID, then enter it in User ID (UUID).

### Why are there no roles to select?

The selected environment needs an app version with business roles. Check that the role-related features have been generated. For Published App, publish a version containing those roles. An app designed for public access can continue to use its existing access rules.

### Why can't I see App members and roles?

This section is available to the project creator. If you collaborate on building the app, ask the creator to update app member assignments.

### How do I assign a newly added role?

Complete the app update, then check the available roles in Preview. To make the role available in the published app, publish the version that includes it, select Published App, and save the member's updated roles.

## Next steps

- [Manage project details and delete a project](https://ideamade.ai/help/manage-projects)
- [Check access and key workflows before publishing](https://ideamade.ai/help/pre-publish-checks)