> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.peakcommerce.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.peakcommerce.com/product/using-peakcommerce/profiles-and-permissions/comparing-profiles.md).

# Comparing Profiles

The **Permissions Grid** shows every profile side by side, so you can answer "how do these profiles differ?" without opening each one in turn.

Open it from **Settings → Profiles → Permissions Grid**.

Profiles run across the top as columns; permissions run down the left as rows. Each cell is what that profile is granted for that permission. The grid is **read-only** — make changes by opening the profile itself.

## What the rows cover

The rows are grouped into three blocks:

* **Sidebar Sections** — whether each navigation group (CRM, Commerce, Content, and so on) appears in that profile's sidebar.
* **Resource Permissions** — the access level and record scope for each resource, grouped by the section it lives in.
* **Capabilities** — the named actions a profile can perform, such as *Change Customer Subscriptions* or *Place Order on Behalf of Customer*.

## Reading a cell

Access levels are shaded by how much they grant, from View through to Full. See [Permission Levels & Record Access](/product/using-peakcommerce/profiles-and-permissions/access-levels-for-permissions.md) for what each level means.

Two cells look empty but mean different things, and the difference matters:

| Cell           | Meaning                                                                                         |
| -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **None**       | The profile's role *could* hold this permission, but it has not been granted. You can grant it. |
| **—** (shaded) | Not available to that role at all. It cannot be granted, no matter what you do.                 |

For example, Quotes is available only to Admin, CSR, and Sales profiles — so on a Partner profile it shows as unavailable, not as "None".

**Click any cell** for the detail: what the level allows, what the record scope means, or — for an unavailable cell — exactly which roles *can* hold it.

## Comparing

The **Rows** control is the main tool for comparison:

* **All** — every row.
* **Granted only** — hides rows no visible profile has.
* **Differences only** — keeps just the rows where the profiles actually disagree.

**Differences only** is usually the fastest way in: it takes a grid of a hundred-odd rows down to the handful that genuinely differ. Outside that mode, rows that differ are tagged **DIFFERS** so you can spot them while browsing normally.

Cells that are unavailable to a role are ignored when working out whether a row differs — a row is never flagged just because the profiles have different roles.

## Narrowing what you see

* **Search** — matches the permission name, its description, and its underlying key, so searching *discount* finds **Offers** even though the word is not in its name.
* **Role** — limits the columns to a single role. This is also what makes the Capabilities block useful: capabilities belong to one role each, so they only compare meaningfully within a role.
* **Compact** — tightens the rows to fit more on screen.

## Exporting

**Export CSV** downloads exactly what is on screen, with whatever filters are active — useful for an access review, or for attaching to a change request.

## Related

* [Profiles Overview](/product/using-peakcommerce/profiles-and-permissions/user-profile-overview.md)
* [Permission Levels & Record Access](/product/using-peakcommerce/profiles-and-permissions/access-levels-for-permissions.md)
* [Creating a Profile](/product/using-peakcommerce/profiles-and-permissions/creating-a-profile.md)


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