Different Editor Pages for Different Users

It's a bit quiet round here so I thought I'd throw my cap into the ring and hopefully raise some ideas about a recurring issue I'm starting to run into with CMSB.

I've worked with CMSB for a few years now and I really like it. I've got to the point where I now offer it as a default product and only revert to standard static web designs when the client wants something very basic.

The only downside is that as I learn more about how to work with CMSB and PHP, so my projects grow ever more complex. The result is that whilst I can now provide my clients with very flexible systems bursting with tools and options, the editor pages (in the CMSB back end) are starting to grow and can look rather intimidating!

What I would like to do (in my mind's eye) is be able to provide different users with different editor pages. Eric the expert, for example, would be able to use the default editor page, complete with all the tools and options for controlling every facet of the output. Average Joe, on the other hand, would see a much simpler page, stripped back to show only one or two fields. The other fields are "hidden" in some way.

Currently, the only way of controlling access to a particular field is by means of the "Admin only" switch. I would like to propose we roll out a similar system for users.

Each user would be ranked (Beginner, Intermediate and Expert). Editor fields could then be assigned to those ranks. This would provide a neat way of controlling what the user sees when they log into the back-end.

I think we need to look at implementing a system like this sooner rather than later. As things stand I am left with a scenario in which different users with different levels of experience (and confidence) are required to use the same toolset.

I have no way of controlling this and that needs to be addressed.

:0/

Perchpole