# Changing member roles and account types

*Slack Administrator Study Guide · User Lifecycle Management · Last updated October 21, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/slack-administrator/user-lifecycle-management/changing-member-roles-and-account-types*

Who can promote and demote Owners and Admins, how to turn a member into a guest (and back) on Pro and Business+ versus an Enterprise org, and how to pick the narrowest role, such as a Channel Manager or system role, for a task.

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

**Official exam objective:**

> Identify the appropriate permission or role to give a user based on a scenario.

## What the exam expects

- Decide which administrative role can promote or demote a Workspace Owner, Workspace Admin, Org Owner or Org Admin.
- Change a regular member to a Multi-Channel or Single-Channel Guest, and a guest back to a member, on Pro and Business+ and in an Enterprise org.
- Recognise when an Enterprise org member must be deactivated and reactivated as a guest instead of changed in a workspace.
- Pick the narrowest role that meets a scenario (Channel Manager, a system role, Workspace Admin, Org Owner) instead of a broad admin role.

Key terms:
- **Change account type**: the menu action on the People or Manage members list that promotes, demotes or converts a person.
- **Account type**: Regular (Full) Member, Multi-Channel Guest or Single-Channel Guest; the guest roles themselves are taught in Account types: members and guest roles.
- **System role**: a predefined admin permission set, such as Analytics Admin, given to a full member without making them an Owner or Admin.
- **Channel Manager**: a person with administrative actions on only the channels they are assigned.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Workspace Admins promote Admins | Free, Pro and Business+: Admins can promote Workspace Admins and manage guest roles | [Change a member's role](https://slack.com/help/articles/218124397-Change-a-members-role) |
| Demoting a Workspace Admin | Workspace Owners or the Workspace Primary Owner only | [Change a member's role](https://slack.com/help/articles/218124397-Change-a-members-role) |
| Demoting a Workspace Owner | Workspace Primary Owner only; Org Owners can demote Workspace Owners but not the Workspace Primary Owner | [Change a member's role](https://slack.com/help/articles/218124397-Change-a-members-role) |
| Guest to Admin or Owner | Make them a regular member first, then promote | [Change a member's role](https://slack.com/help/articles/218124397-Change-a-members-role) |
| Multi-workspace member to guest | Org Owner or Admin deactivates, reactivates as a guest, adds to a workspace | [Change a member's role](https://slack.com/help/articles/218124397-Change-a-members-role) |
| Workspace Admins and billing | Cannot access the Billing page or manage billing details | [Types of roles](https://slack.com/help/articles/360018112273-Types-of-roles-in-Slack) |
| Channel Managers | Paid plans; up to 100 per channel; act only on assigned channels | [Channel Managers](https://slack.com/help/articles/8328303095443-Understand-Channel-Managers-in-Slack) |
| Analytics Admin | System role that views the analytics dashboard; not in the Business+ limited set | [Types of roles](https://slack.com/help/articles/360018112273-Types-of-roles-in-Slack) |
| Configure single sign-on | Org Owner permission on Enterprise plans | [Permissions by role](https://slack.com/help/articles/201314026-Permissions-by-role-in-Slack), [SAML SSO](https://slack.com/help/articles/203772216-SAML-single-sign-on) |

## Check yourself

- Why can't a Workspace Admin undo a mistaken Admin promotion they made?
- When does an Enterprise org Workspace Admin have to hand a member-to-guest change to the org?
- What must happen before a guest can be promoted to Workspace Admin?
- Why is an Org Admin unable to turn on SAML SSO for the org?

## Sources

- [Change a member's role](https://slack.com/help/articles/218124397-Change-a-members-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)
- [Understand Channel Managers in Slack](https://slack.com/help/articles/8328303095443-Understand-Channel-Managers-in-Slack)
- [Assign members to system roles](https://slack.com/help/articles/1500004132581-Assign-members-to-system-roles)
- [Set up SAML single sign-on for Slack](https://slack.com/help/articles/203772216-SAML-single-sign-on)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 5 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Slack Administrator pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams