---
title: Permission Groups
description: "**Permission Groups** is the Set up screen where you build and manage your divisions. Older articles call this area **Groups**. This article explains what's on the screen and where to go for each task. **Note:** **Applies to:** system administrators (`admin`…"
url: "https://support.symbiant.co.uk/kb/permission-groups/"
updated: "2026-10-30"
category: System Setup
---

# Permission Groups

**Permission Groups** is the Set up screen where you build and manage your divisions. Older articles call this area **Groups**. This article explains what's on the screen and where to go for each task.

**Note:** **Applies to:** system administrators (`admin` role).

## What a Permission Group Is

A permission group holds one division tree, for example your company, its regions and its departments. Users and records are assigned to divisions in the tree, and a user can only see records in the divisions they're assigned to (and below, for divisional roles).

Most organisations need just one group, usually called **Divisions** or **Departments**.

## Opening Permission Groups

1. Click the spanner (**Set up**) at the bottom left.
2. Under **Account**, click **Permission Groups**.

![Permission Groups in the Set up menu](https://support.symbiant.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/permission-groups-01-setup-menu-permission-groups.png)

The list shows each group with its root divisions. Click a group to open it.

![The list of permission groups](https://support.symbiant.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/permission-groups-02-pg-list-divisions.png)

## Inside a Group

On the left are the group's **Name** and **Info**. On the right is the **Divisions** tree.

![A group with its Name and Info on the left and the division tree on the right](https://support.symbiant.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/permission-groups-03-pg-group-open.png)

Hover over a division to see its icons: **add a sub-division**, **edit**, **move** and **delete**.

![The icons next to a division](https://support.symbiant.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/permission-groups-04-pg-move-icons.png)

The three dots (⋮) at the top right give you **Bulk add...** (paste in many divisions at once) and **Export...** (download the tree as a CSV file).

![The permission group menu](https://support.symbiant.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/permission-groups-05-pg-menu-export.png)

## What Do You Want to Do?

| Task | Article |
| --- | --- |
| Create a group and build the tree | [Creating/Adding Divisions](https://support.symbiant.co.uk/kb/creating-adding-divisions/) |
| Add many divisions at once | [Importing Divisions](https://support.symbiant.co.uk/kb/importing-divisions/) |
| Download the tree | [Exporting Divisions](https://support.symbiant.co.uk/kb/exporting-divisions/) |
| Move a division or a whole branch | [Moving Divisions (Restructuring)](https://support.symbiant.co.uk/kb/moving-divisions-restructuring/) |
| Give users divisions | [Assigning Roles and Divisions](https://support.symbiant.co.uk/kb/assigning-roles-and-divisions/) |
| Put a record in a division | [How do I assign a specific Record to a specific Division?](https://support.symbiant.co.uk/kb/how-do-i-assign-a-specific-record-to-a-specific-division/) |
| Understand how divisions limit access | [Limiting Access of Users in Symbiant](https://support.symbiant.co.uk/kb/limiting-access-of-users-in-symbiant/) |

**Critical:** Deleting a division removes it from every record it's on. Move divisions instead of deleting and recreating them.