In short: A user's role decides what they can do in Zeal. Operational roles behave the same whether they're held by Corsearch analysts or your own, while Validator is client-only and Manager and Admin are Corsearch-only.
Understanding user roles
In Zeal, a role defines what a user can do on the platform, so each team member gets the right level of access and control.
Most of the day-to-day work (moderation, quality assurance, validation and enforcement) is carried out by a Corsearch team of analysts, which most organisations rely on. If your organisation has its own analysts or apprentices, you can assign them these same operational roles.
A few roles belong to one side only:
Validator is your organisation's administrator role (client side only).
Manager (Brand Partner) and Admin are Corsearch roles.
1. Roles at a glance
Use this table to see who can hold each role and what it's for.
Role | Who can hold it | What it's for |
Validator | Your organisation (admin) | Reviews, validates and enforces content; manages keywords and KPIs |
Read-Only | Corsearch analysts or your own analysts | View-only access |
Moderator | Corsearch analysts or your own analysts | Identifies and moderates potentially infringing content |
QA | Corsearch analysts or your own analysts | Reviews and checks moderated content before takedown |
Enforcer | Corsearch analysts or your own analysts | Carries out takedowns of validated content |
Investigator | Corsearch analysts or your own analysts | Researches high-value targets and seller networks |
Manager (Brand Partner) | Corsearch | Your Customer Success contact; manages settings and users |
Admin | Corsearch | Zeal technical support; highest level of access |
Learn more: Manage Users · Understanding the Zeal Workflow
2. Administrator role (your organisation)
This is the role to give the person who owns your brand protection decisions on the client side.
Validator
The Validator is your organisation's administrator on the client side. This role has full access to the content workflow, from reviewing content through to approving it for takedown.
Permissions:
Moderate posts, accounts and websites.
Approve content for enforcement, i.e. validate posts, accounts and websites for takedown.
Enforce (carry out takedowns of) validated posts and accounts.
Use all filters and the analytics dashboard.
Add and update KPIs.
Add keywords and hashtags for crawling.
Learn more: Validating with Tasks · Keywords & Hashtags Configuration
3. Operational roles
These function-based roles make up the moderate-to-takedown workflow. They can be assigned to Corsearch's analyst team and/or to your organisation's own analysts and apprentices.
Note: The role determines the permissions: the same role behaves identically whether it's held by a Corsearch analyst or one of your own.
Read-Only
Provides view-only access to the platform, typically used for training. Users can browse listings and content but can't perform any action that changes or affects data.
Restrictions:
Cannot upload images, accounts or listings.
Cannot moderate images, posts, accounts or websites.
Cannot update product categories.
Cannot tag listings.
Moderator
Moderators identify potentially infringing content and apply moderation actions in line with the Brand Moderation Manual.
Permissions:
View and moderate images, posts, accounts and websites.
View settings.
Upload images, accounts and listings.
Update the product category of reviewed/checked posts.
Restrictions:
Cannot review/check items.
Cannot edit settings.
QA
QAs review posts that have already been moderated and update their status for validation. Most items proceed to takedown once QA-checked, unless further client validation is required.
Permissions:
All Moderator permissions.
Check moderated post, account and website labels.
View organisation settings.
Update crawling configuration.
Update the product category of Validated posts.
Unvalidate items.
Create/edit auto-moderation rules.
Restrictions:
Cannot validate items.
Cannot manage users.
Enforcer
Enforcers carry out takedowns for posts and accounts that have already been approved for enforcement.
Permissions:
Filter, tag and comment on items.
View items (posts, accounts, websites).
Update the IP Portfolio.
Update organisation settings (for uploading LOA/PoA documents).
Create/edit enforcement rules.
Restrictions:
Cannot invite new users or edit user permissions.
Cannot moderate posts, accounts or websites.
Investigator
Investigators identify and research high-value targets, such as vendors with multiple accounts or large volumes of counterfeit listings.
Permissions:
Add infringing accounts into the platform.
Create and modify clusters / seller networks.
Learn more: Understanding Moderation · Understanding Enforcement · Seller Network
4. Corsearch roles
These roles are held by the Corsearch team only and are not assigned to client users.
Manager (Brand Partner / Success Lead / Senior Brand Partner)
The Manager role is held by your Brand Partner, who acts as the primary Customer Success contact for your organisation. Managers have all QA permissions plus additional control over organisation settings and user management.
Permissions:
All Moderator permissions.
All QA permissions.
All Enforcer permissions.
Mark items for Enforcement.
Unvalidate validated posts, accounts and websites.
Update all organisation settings.
Manage users (invite, edit and remove).
Upload images, accounts, posts and websites.
Create/edit auto-moderation and auto-enforcement rules.
Admin
Admins are Zeal technical support / application administrators with the highest level of access. They can update restricted settings, manage cross-organisation features, and support configuration beyond a single organisation.
Permissions:
All Validator permissions.
Manage organisations.
Create new organisations.
Manage clusters / seller network.
Learn more: Programs & Organizations · Organization Features
Quick reference
If you want to know… | Look at… |
Who can hold each role | 1. Roles at a glance |
What your organisation's administrator can do | 2. Administrator role (your organisation) |
Which role to give your own analysts | 3. Operational roles |
What your Brand Partner can change | 4. Corsearch roles |
How to invite or edit users |