Trilobita

Documentation

Learn how to use Editor Remit.

Editor Remit restricts editors and authors to specific categories. Lightweight, focused, and enforced server-side.

Getting Started

Installation

  1. Install from WordPress.org (Plugins -> Add New, search “Editor Remit”), or upload the plugin zip
  2. Activate the plugin
  3. Go to Users and open an Editor or Author profile
  4. Assign permitted categories in Category Restrictions
  5. Click Update User

Requirements

  • WordPress 6.0 or higher
  • PHP 7.4 or higher

Which users are affected?

Restrictions apply to users with the Editor or Author role only. Administrators are always unrestricted. Contributors and Subscribers are not affected.

If a user has no categories assigned, no restriction is applied.

Assigning Categories to Users

From the User Profile

  1. Go to Users and edit a user
  2. Scroll to Category Restrictions
  3. Tick the categories the user is allowed to work in
  4. Click Update User

Categories are shown hierarchically. Use Select all and None to speed up assignment.

From Users -> Category Restrictions

For faster management, use Users -> Category Restrictions to edit multiple users from one screen.

  1. Find the user row
  2. Click Edit
  3. Tick or untick categories
  4. Click Save

Only one row is expanded at a time, keeping the table easy to scan.

Screenshots

These screenshots show the core workflow and expected behavior for restricted users.

1) User profile: Category Restrictions

Editor profile showing Category Restrictions with hierarchical checkboxes and selected categories.
Category Restrictions on a user profile, including hierarchical category checkboxes and quick Select all / None links.

2) Settings page

Settings page showing Enable categories for pages option.
Settings -> Editor Remit with the optional Enable categories for pages setting.

3) Filtered post list for restricted user

Posts list showing only posts from permitted categories for a restricted editor.
Posts -> All Posts for a restricted user, showing only content in permitted categories.

4) Block editor category panel

Block editor category panel showing only permitted categories for the restricted user.
In Gutenberg, restricted users only see permitted categories in the category panel.

What Restrictions Apply

When a user has permitted categories assigned, Editor Remit:

  • Filters post and page lists to show only permitted content
  • Filters category choices in the block editor to permitted categories
  • Blocks publishing outside permitted categories (server-side enforcement)
  • Allows access to uncategorised content so existing content is not hidden unexpectedly

Drafts vs Published Posts

Users can save drafts without assigning a permitted category. A permitted category is required when publishing.

Uncategorised Content

Content with no category (or only default Uncategorised) remains visible to restricted users. Before publishing, they must select at least one permitted category.

Block Editor (Gutenberg)

Editor Remit fully supports the block editor. For restricted users:

  • The category panel shows only permitted categories
  • If a non-permitted category appears, it is removed and a notice is shown
  • Saves are validated server-side through the REST layer

Classic Editor

Classic editor is also supported. If a restricted user attempts to publish outside permitted categories:

  • The post remains a draft
  • An admin notice explains what happened
  • A link back to the post is provided so editing can continue

Settings

Go to Settings -> Editor Remit.

Enable Categories for Pages

WordPress pages do not use categories by default. Enable this option to add categories to pages and apply the same restrictions to page content.

  1. Go to Settings -> Editor Remit
  2. Check Enable categories for pages
  3. Click Save Changes

Once enabled, categories can be assigned to pages the same way as posts, and the same per-user restrictions apply.

FAQ

Does this affect administrators?

No. Administrators are always unrestricted.

What happens if a user has no categories assigned?

No restriction is applied. The user behaves normally.

Can restricted users see uncategorised posts?

Yes. Uncategorised content remains visible. A permitted category is still required before publishing.

Restrictions are not applying to a user – what should I check?

Check all of the following: the user role is Editor or Author, at least one permitted category is assigned, and you are testing while logged in as that restricted user.

A restricted user can still see posts they should not see

Check whether those posts are uncategorised (or only in default Uncategorised). That behavior is intentional.

Saving a post is blocked unexpectedly

A permitted category is required for publishing. Assign one of the user’s permitted categories, then publish again.

Page restrictions are not working

Go to Settings -> Editor Remit and confirm Enable categories for pages is enabled.

Does it support custom post types or custom taxonomies?

No. Editor Remit supports posts, and optionally pages, using the built-in category taxonomy only.

Does it work on multisite?

Multisite is not officially supported in the current version.

What data does the plugin store?

Permitted category IDs are stored as user meta (_trem_categories). The plugin integrates with WordPress privacy tools for export and erasure.

What happens when I uninstall the plugin?

Uninstall removes _trem_categories user meta and plugin settings. Posts, pages, and categories are not deleted.

Need Help?

Cannot find what you are looking for? Our support team is here to help.

Contact Support