Create an admin account on Drupal

To add Amabrik to a Drupal site, someone needs an account that can edit site configuration. On Drupal that means an account with the Administrator role (or the original install account, known as User 1). Only those accounts can change configuration, manage modules and blocks, and add the <script> tag the Amabrik snippet uses.

This guide covers how to confirm or create an admin account. If you sign in to your site’s admin and you can open People and Extend in the Manage menu, you already have what you need and can skip ahead to giving Amabrik access.

What the admin account is for

A Drupal administrator can change configuration, manage users and roles, install and uninstall modules, and add custom code such as a script in a block or your theme. Lower roles like Authenticated user or a basic Content editor can’t do any of that, so they can’t add the install code.

You need an administrator account for one of two things:

• To add the Amabrik snippet yourself (for example through a Block, a module that injects header code, or your theme).
• To create an Administrator user for Amabrik so we add the snippet for you. Creating that user is itself an admin-only action, so you, or whoever owns the site, must be an administrator first.

User 1 and the Administrator role

Drupal has two kinds of all-powerful access, and it helps to know the difference.

• User 1 is the very first account, created when the site was installed. It has the user ID 1 and can do everything on the site regardless of its roles. This is the account most site owners log in with.
• The Administrator role is a role you can assign to any account. It gives broad control over the site and is the recommended way to give administrative access to other people, because it’s safer than handing out the User 1 login.

Either one can add the Amabrik snippet. To grant access to Amabrik, you’ll create a normal account and assign it the Administrator role, rather than sharing User 1.

Confirm you’re an administrator

1. Go to your site’s login, usually yourdomain.com/user/login, and sign in.
2. Look for the Manage administration menu (the admin toolbar) across the top or side of the page.
3. Open People (yourdomain.com/admin/people). If you can see the list of users and an Add user button, you have administrative access.
4. To check a specific account’s roles, open People, click Edit on the account, and look at the Roles section. An administrator account has the Administrator role checked, or it’s User 1.

If you can sign in but you can’t see the Manage menu or open People, your account isn’t an administrator. Ask whoever set up the site to either assign your account the Administrator role or create an admin account for you.

No admin login at all?

If nobody has a working administrator login, your hosting provider or whoever built the site can usually help. With server access, a developer can reset the User 1 password using Drush (drush user:password and drush uli for a one-time login link) or promote an account to the Administrator role. Contact your host or developer directly. Amabrik can’t reset a Drupal login for you.

Next step

Once you have an administrator account, you can give Amabrik access so we add the snippet for you. The safest way is to create a separate Administrator user for us rather than sharing your own login. See Give Amabrik access to your Drupal site for the exact steps.

FAQ

Which access do I need, exactly?

Either the original install account (User 1) or an account with the Administrator role. Both can change configuration and add code. Lower roles can’t.

What’s the difference between User 1 and the Administrator role?

User 1 is the first account created at install and always has full control. The Administrator role is a role you assign to other accounts to give them broad control. For granting access to other people, use the Administrator role rather than the User 1 login.

I can log in but I don’t see the Manage menu. Why?

Your account has a lower role with no administrative access. Ask the site owner or your developer to assign your account the Administrator role, or to create an admin account for you.

Do I need an admin account if Amabrik installs the snippet for me?

Yes. To grant Amabrik access you create an Administrator user for us, and only an administrator can create that user. So you need admin access first.

Is the Administrator role safe to give out?

It has broad control of the site, so treat it carefully. That’s why we recommend creating a separate Administrator user for Amabrik instead of sharing your main login, and removing that user once the install is done.