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Contributor vs Light Agent Default Role

Learn why Zendesk defaults to Contributor instead of Light Agent when upgrading users.

Why is the default role set to Contributor instead of Light Agent?

The default role is set to Contributor instead of Light Agent for several reasons. Contributors do not take up an agent seat, which helps manage license usage effectively.

Moreover, Light Agents have more permissions than Contributors, so defaulting to Contributors ensures that the user does not have more access than intended. Additionally, since Light Agents are not available in all accounts, setting the default to Contributors provides a more consistent experience across different accounts.


More related questions

How can I upgrade an end user to an agent in Zendesk?

To upgrade an end user to an agent in Zendesk, you need to have an extra agent seat available. An administrator can perform this upgrade. To do this, search for the end user in Zendesk Support, open their user profile page, and under 'User type',…

What happens to the default role when upgrading an end user to an agent?

When you upgrade an end user to an agent, the default role is set to Contributor. This is expected behavior and is hardcoded into the system. The reason for this is that Contributors do not take up an agent seat, which helps prevent unexpected…

Can the default role be changed when upgrading an end user to an agent?

Currently, the default role when upgrading an end user to an agent is set to Contributor and this cannot be changed. This is a hardcoded feature in Zendesk. The decision to default to Contributor is based on the fact that Contributors do not take…

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