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How to Easily Manage Members in Circle with Access Groups

Doug

Tech Stack Integrator

If you’re running a community on Circle, you’ve probably felt the pain of managing member access. I sure have—hours spent tweaking permissions, uploading CSVs, and praying third-party tools would sync properly via Zapier. It was a mess. Then I discovered Circle’s access groups feature, and it’s been a total game-changer for my Convology+ community.

Let me walk you through what access groups are, how to set them up, and how you can automate them to save time and sanity.

What Are Access Groups and Why Should You Care?

Access groups are like magic buckets in Circle. You dump in all the spaces, courses, or event areas you want members to access, and anyone in that group gets everything inside—boom, done. Before access groups, I’d spend half a day updating permissions for 200 members when I added a new course. Now? I tweak the group once, and every member’s access updates instantly. It’s a lifesaver.

Why should you care? Because they kill the chaos of manual updates. No more retroactive permission headaches or endless CSV uploads. Plus, they play nice with automation tools like Zapier, which I’ll get to shortly.

Setting Up Your Access Group: A Step-by-Step Guide

Here’s how you can set up your own access group in Circle—it’s easier than you think:

  1. Log into your Circle community and head to Settings > Audience > Access Groups.
  2. Click Create Access Group and give it a name. I went with “Convology+” for my premium members.
  3. Add an optional description—like “Lifetime access to all content”—to keep it clear.
  4. Hit the Access tab and pick what goes in: spaces, courses, or events. You can even select “Add all” for full access.
  5. Add members manually or automate it (keep reading for that trick).

Once it’s set, any change—like adding a new space—updates for everyone in the group. No more one-by-one edits.

Key Takeaway: Name your group something memorable and tied to your offer. It’ll make automation and member management way smoother.

Automating Access Groups with Zapier and HighLevel

Now, let’s talk automation—because who has time to manually add members? I’ve rigged my Convology+ setup to add people automatically when they pay through HighLevel, and you can too. Here’s how:

Step 1: Trigger in HighLevel

  • Build a workflow with a “Payment Received” trigger. I use it for my Convology+ lifetime deal that I offer inside my workshop funnels.
  • Filter it by product so it only fires for the right purchase.
  • Send a webhook with the member’s name and email to Zapier.

Using ThriveCart or SureCart instead? Same idea: trigger on payment, push to Zapier.

Step 2: Zapier Setup

  • Create a new Zap and catch the webhook.
  • Add an action to invite the member to Circle (it skips this if they’re already in).
  • Search for them by email.
  • Add them to your access group—like my “Convology+” one.

Once it’s running, every new payment auto-adds the member. I set this up once, and it’s been hands-off ever since.

Key Takeaway: Automation isn’t just convenient—it’s a must if your community’s growing. Test your Zap with a dummy purchase to avoid hiccups.

Paywall Integration (and One Big Limitation)

Circle’s paywalls can link to access groups, which is awesome for new setups. Set a $47/month paywall, tie it to your group, and new subscribers get instant access. But here’s the catch: existing paywalls created before the existence of access groups don’t support access groups. I found this out the hard way when my old paywalls wouldn’t sync. You’ll need to create a new paywall or remake the old ones.

This split my system for a bit—access groups for funnels, space-based access for legacy paywalls. Removing a space meant editing both, which once ate up 30 minutes for 200 members. I’ve since remade all of my paywalls and automations as described above and I’m loving it.

Why Access Groups Are Worth It

Access groups have slashed my workload and made Convology+ a breeze to manage. One edit updates everyone, whether they joined via paywall or funnel. Pair it with Zapier, and you’ve got a system that scales without stress. I’ve locked in lifetime access for my members with this setup, and they love it.

If you’re on Circle, you need to try access groups. They’ll save you time, cut errors, and let you focus on growing your community. Want more tips like this? My Convology+ membership is packed with tutorials and resources for creators like you.