About rights and the default site groups

The Guest site group is used to give guest users access to a specific list, without giving them access to the entire site. In addition to belonging to the Guest site group, you can use per-list permissions to grant access to a specific list. The Guest site group cannot be customized or deleted.

The Reader site group allows a user to view items in lists and document libraries, view pages in the site, and create sites if the site creation feature is enabled.

The Contributor site group allows a user to interact with Web Parts and lists and document libraries. They can also create and manage personal views and cross-site groups, and personalize Web Part Pages.

The Web Designer site group allows a user to customize the Web site using the HTML tools or a Web page editor compatible with Windows SharePoint Services, such as Office FrontPage 2003.

The Administrator site group allows a user to have complete control over a Web site. They can configure settings, manage users and site groups, and view usage analysis data.

Grants permission to create pages for a Web site by using ASP.NET, ASP, and HTML .

Grants permission to add items to lists or files and folders to libraries. Adding items to lists includes participating in discussion boards and responding to surveys.

Grants permission to add and remove Web Parts to personalize Web Part Pages.

Grants permission to apply a style sheet to the entire Web site.

Grants permission to apply a theme or border to an entire Web site.

Grants permission to browse the directory structure of a Web site.

Grants permission to cancel the check-out action performed by another user.

Grants permission to create or delete cross-site groups, or to change the membership of a cross-site group.

Grants permission to create a new subsite or Workspace site, such as a Document Workspace or Meeting Workspace.

Grants permission to delete list items and files and folders from libraries. This right also grants permission to delete previous versions of files from libraries that save version information for files.

Grants permission to edit existing list items and files in libraries. This right also grants permission for the following:

• Checking files in and out of libraries
• Changing the order of items in a list that allows custom ordering
• Attaching files to list items and removing attachments from list items
• Editing properties of files in libraries
• Merging forms in a form library
• Removing a Meeting Workspace site from a list item
• Restoring files to previous versions in libraries that save version information

Grants permission to create, edit, or delete lists and libraries and change their settings. This right grants permission for the following:

• Allowing users with the Edit Items right to change the order of items in a list
• Specifying whether a library tracks version information for files
• Adding, editing, and removing columns in a list or library
• Creating public views for lists
• Setting the default view for a list
• Relinking forms to form libraries

Grants permission to change permissions for a list or library.

Grants permission to create, edit, or delete personal views on lists.

Grants permission to create, delete, and edit site groups, both by changing the rights assigned to the site group and by changing which users are members of the site group.

Grants permission to perform administration tasks for a particular site or subsite.

Grants permission to update Web Parts to display personalized information.

Grants permission to use the Self-Service Site Creation feature to create a top-level Web site.

Grants permission to view items in lists, files in libraries, and Web discussion comments. This right also grants permission for the following:

• Choosing display style in picture libraries
• Downloading pictures from picture libraries
• Adding, editing, and deleting alerts
• Filtering and sorting items and files in lists and libraries
• Viewing properties for files in libraries
• Viewing files attached to list items
• Viewing previous versions of files in libraries that track version information

Grants permission to browse pages in the Web site.

Grants permission to view reports on Web site usage.