Setting up 1C-Bitrix user groups

Configuring User Groups in 1C-Bitrix

On a site with multiple roles — buyers, wholesale customers, managers, partners — without configured user groups, chaos quickly ensues: everyone sees the same prices, one set of sections, and identical personal account functionality. User groups in Bitrix are the mechanism for differentiating permissions, prices, content, and functions.

Structure of Groups in Bitrix

Groups are stored in the b_group table. User-group relationship — b_user_group. System groups:

• ID 1 — "All Users" (includes unregistered users)
• ID 2 — "Administrators" (full access)

Other groups are created based on project needs. Each group has a set of parameters: name, description, administrative section access flag, module permissions, public part settings.

What is Configured at Group Level

Public Part:

• Access to site sections (via folder permissions in structure)
• Component visibility — via GROUPS parameter in template or condition in code
• Price groups in catalog (module catalog) — binding user group to price group

Administrative Part:

• Flag ADMIN_SECTION — access to /bitrix/admin/
• Module permissions: iblock, sale, catalog, fileman etc.
• Permissions for specific info blocks (via info block permissions)

Binding Groups to Catalog Prices

This is one of the most practically important settings. In the catalog module, each user group is assigned a price group:

Shop → Catalog → Price Groups → [edit] → User Groups

In table b_catalog_group price groups are stored, in b_catalog_group2user_group — binding to user groups. If a user belongs to multiple groups with different prices — the most favorable price is applied (depends on priority settings).

Automatic Group Assignment

Bitrix allows configuring automatic group assignment during registration and on events:

// Add user to group programmatically
$USER->Update($userId, ['GROUP_ID' => [5, 8]]); // overwrites all groups

// Add without overwriting other groups
CUser::SetUserGroup($userId, array_merge(
    CUser::GetUserGroup($userId),
    [5]
));

Via administrative section: Settings → Users → Registration Settings → Default Group.

Group Membership Term

In b_user_group there are fields DATE_ACTIVE_FROM and DATE_ACTIVE_TO — you can limit group membership by time. Used for temporary access, trial periods, seasonal promotions. Managed via administrative section or API CUser::SetUserGroup.

Recommended Group Structure for E-commerce

Execution Timeline

Configuring groups for a typical e-commerce store (3–5 groups, price binding, administrative permissions) — 3–5 hours. Complex scenarios with automatic group change rules and 1C integration — up to 1 working day.