# Primary Owner, Owner and Admin responsibilities

*Slack Administrator Study Guide · Fundamentals · Last updated October 21, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/slack-administrator/fundamentals/primary-owner-owner-and-admin-responsibilities*

What only the Primary Owner can do (delete, transfer, demote Owners, the billable members report, approve migration), how ownership transfers when the Primary Owner is present or gone, how Owners differ from Admins on billing and data, and what Org Owners and Org Admins do in an Enterprise org.

- Certification: Salesforce Slack Administrator
- Exam section: Fundamentals
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/slack-administrator

**Official exam objective:**

> Identify the common responsibilities of Slack Admin and Owner roles.

## What the exam expects

- Identify what only the Workspace Primary Owner or Org Primary Owner can do, and what a former Primary Owner becomes after a transfer.
- Choose the transfer path: the self-serve page for a workspace, Slack's form for an org, Slack Support with senior-leader authorization when the Primary Owner is gone.
- Separate Owner and Admin defaults (billing, demotions, exports, member names) and give billing visibility through billing contacts.
- Name Org Admin powers, explain why an org-level app decision overrides a Workspace Owner, and apply Slack's Primary Owner best practices.

Key terms:
- **Workspace Primary Owner:** the single person who can delete the workspace or transfer its ownership.
- **Org Primary Owner:** the single person who can transfer ownership of an Enterprise org.
- **Workspace Owner:** Primary Owner permissions except deleting or transferring the workspace.
- **Workspace Admin:** manages members and admin tasks but can't access billing.
- **Billing contact:** receives billing emails but can't change billing details.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Delete or transfer a workspace | Workspace Primary Owner only | [Types of roles](https://slack.com/help/articles/360018112273-Types-of-roles-in-Slack) |
| After a transfer | Immediate; former Primary Owner becomes an Owner | [Transfer ownership](https://slack.com/help/articles/204401633-Transfer-ownership-of-a-workspace-or-org) |
| Org transfer | Org Primary Owner contacts Slack through the form | [Transfer ownership](https://slack.com/help/articles/204401633-Transfer-ownership-of-a-workspace-or-org) |
| Missing Primary Owner | Legal-entity workspace, senior staff authorization, company-domain member | [Transfer ownership](https://slack.com/help/articles/204401633-Transfer-ownership-of-a-workspace-or-org) |
| Demote Workspace Owners | Workspace Primary Owner only (Free, Pro, Business+) | [Change a member's role](https://slack.com/help/articles/218124397-Change-a-members-role) |
| Billable members report | Workspace Primary Owner (Pro, Business+); Org Primary Owner (Enterprise) | [Manage billing](https://slack.com/help/articles/218915087-Manage-your-Slack-plan-and-billing-details) |
| Billing contacts | Get billing emails; can't change billing details | [Manage billing](https://slack.com/help/articles/218915087-Manage-your-Slack-plan-and-billing-details) |
| Org Admins | Deactivate accounts and create workspaces; SSO is Org Owner only | [Permissions by role](https://slack.com/help/articles/201314026-Permissions-by-role-in-Slack) |
| New workspace in an org | Org Primary Owner auto-assigned | [Create a workspace](https://slack.com/help/articles/115001344007-Create-a-workspace-in-an-Enterprise-organization) |
| Migration approval | Workspace Primary Owner approves or denies | [Migrate workspaces](https://slack.com/help/articles/115002532808-Migrate-workspaces-to-an-Enterprise-organization) |

## Check yourself

- Why can't a Workspace Owner delete a workspace?
- When will Slack Support consider reassigning a workspace's Primary Owner?
- Which two org tasks can an Org Admin do without being an Org Owner?
- Why does the Org Primary Owner appear in a brand-new workspace?

## Sources

- [Understand the Primary Owner role](https://slack.com/help/articles/360038161033-Understand-the-Primary-Owner-role)
- [Types of roles in Slack](https://slack.com/help/articles/360018112273-Types-of-roles-in-Slack)
- [Permissions by role in Slack](https://slack.com/help/articles/201314026-Permissions-by-role-in-Slack)
- [Transfer ownership of a workspace or org](https://slack.com/help/articles/204401633-Transfer-ownership-of-a-workspace-or-org)
- [Change a member's role](https://slack.com/help/articles/218124397-Change-a-members-role)
- [Manage your Slack plan and billing details](https://slack.com/help/articles/218915087-Manage-your-Slack-plan-and-billing-details)
- [Create a workspace in an Enterprise organization](https://slack.com/help/articles/115001344007-Create-a-workspace-in-an-Enterprise-organization)
- [Migrate workspaces to an Enterprise organization](https://slack.com/help/articles/115002532808-Migrate-workspaces-to-an-Enterprise-organization)
- [Create custom roles](https://slack.com/help/articles/29800891169939-Create-custom-roles)
- [Use channel management tools](https://slack.com/help/articles/360047512554-Use-channel-management-tools)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 14 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Slack Administrator pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams