--- title: "A mandatory read before you begin: Understand Ziik's structure" description: Before you dive into our step by step guide, here are a few good-to-knows that will help you understand Units & Roles, and how to use them to structure your Ziik platform 👇 --- [Skip to content](https://help.ziik.io/before-you-begin#main-content) [![Ziik\_White.png](https://help.ziik.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Ziik_White.png?height=45&name=Ziik_White.png)](https://help.ziik.io/?hsLang=en) Open main navigation Close main navigation Advice and answers from the Ziik team - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Help Center](https://help.ziik.io/?hsLang=en) 2. [Getting Started](https://help.ziik.io/getting-started?hsLang=en) 3. [Getting-Started in 5 Steps](https://help.ziik.io/getting-started?hsLang=en#getting-started-in-5-steps) # A mandatory read before you begin: Understand Ziik's structure ## Before you dive into our step by step guide, here are a few good-to-knows that will help you understand Units & Roles, and how to use them to structure your Ziik platform 👇 ### 🔐 Permissions are based on both Units & Roles - Ziik’s permission system combines **where someone is** **located** (their Unit) and **what they can do** (their Role). - Units and Roles also act as **communication channels**, allowing you to **reach people** both based on their **Unit** and their **Role.** This way you can easily share an update with, for example, all Store Managers in Denmark in just a few clicks. ### 📍Units reflect your organisational structure - Think of Units as mirroring your real life structure: offices, locations, regions, or departments. - Each user belongs to at least one unit in Ziik, but can be assigned to multiple. - Units are **hierarchical**, which means you can nest them - like this: **Head Office ├── Denmark │     ├── Copenhagen │     └── Aarhus └── Sweden         └── Stockholm** **        └── Gothenburg** - Users are empowered with the permissions defined by their **Role** from their location in your organisation. - You can think of the unit-based permissions as following a waterfall logic, where users' role-permissions are valid for their own unit and sub-units. - To use the **unit structure above** as an example: - Users in the unit *Head Office* with permission to Manage manuals can share Manuals with people in any or all units in your entire organisation.  ![organisation-top](https://help.ziik.io/hs-fs/hubfs/organisation-top.png?width=294&height=177&name=organisation-top.png) - Users in the unit *Sweden* with permission to Manage manuals can share Manuals only with people in the units *Sweden*, *Stockholm*, and *Gothenburg.* ![Organisation-Middle](https://help.ziik.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Organisation-Middle.png?width=297&height=182&name=Organisation-Middle.png)   - Users in the unit *Stockholm* with permission to Manage manuals can share Manuals only with people in the unit *Stockholm.* *![Organisation-Local](https://help.ziik.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Organisation-Local.png?width=287&height=171&name=Organisation-Local.png)* - This means that **local content stays local**, while the **Head Office can share content with the entire organisation**.  > **💡** Tip: If you don't have multiple branches or are less than ≈30 people, a single unit might be enough 🧑‍💼 Roles Control What People Can Do Roles define **permissions**, like who can create checklists, manage users, or publish manuals. - **Roles** are assigned to users per **Unit**, meaning someone can have **one role in Head Office** and a **different Role in a local branch.** - Users can have one or more roles per unit. - You’re in control of what exactly each role is permitted to do > 💡 *Tip: Start with 3–5 core roles and expand if needed* ### 📣 Units & Roles as distribution channels When users **share content** in Ziik, they can share it with **selected roles** in their **own unit** and **sub units.** Below, a manager in HQ shares a post with all Regional- and Restaurant Managers in Denmark. ![2025-07-23\_15-50-16-1](https://help.ziik.io/hs-fs/hubfs/2025-07-23_15-50-16-1.gif?width=495&height=279&name=2025-07-23_15-50-16-1.gif) ### 👉 Next step Once you you feel ready, hop on over to our **step by step guide for getting started (link)**           - [Getting Started](https://help.ziik.io/getting-started?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Introduction to Ziik](https://help.ziik.io/getting-started?hsLang=en#introduction-to-ziik) - [Getting-Started in 5 Steps](https://help.ziik.io/getting-started?hsLang=en#getting-started-in-5-steps) - [Been invited to join Ziik?](https://help.ziik.io/been-invited-to-join-ziik?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Login](https://help.ziik.io/been-invited-to-join-ziik?hsLang=en#login) - [Profile setup and personal settings](https://help.ziik.io/been-invited-to-join-ziik?hsLang=en#profile-setup-and-personal-settings) - [How to use Ziik](https://help.ziik.io/how-to-use-ziik?hsLang=en) - [Organisation & Permissions](https://help.ziik.io/organisation-permissions?hsLang=en#main-content) - [About Permissions](https://help.ziik.io/organisation-permissions?hsLang=en#about-permissions) - [Manage Units & Roles](https://help.ziik.io/organisation-permissions?hsLang=en#manage-units-roles) - [Manage Users](https://help.ziik.io/organisation-permissions?hsLang=en#manage-users) - [Site Admin](https://help.ziik.io/organisation-permissions?hsLang=en#site-admin) - [Site Admin Settings](https://help.ziik.io/site-admin-settings?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Admin Panel](https://help.ziik.io/site-admin-settings?hsLang=en#admin-panel) - [Handling Billing and Invoices](https://help.ziik.io/site-admin-settings?hsLang=en#handling-billing-and-invoices) - [Integrations](https://help.ziik.io/site-admin-settings?hsLang=en#integrations) - [FAQ](https://help.ziik.io/faq?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Common questions](https://help.ziik.io/faq?hsLang=en#common-questions) - [Troubleshooting](https://help.ziik.io/faq?hsLang=en#troubleshooting) ## Ziik The social intranet software                                                **[Talk to Support?](https://www.ziik.io/support)** Copyright © 2025, Ziik