diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceHelpContentManager.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceHelpContentManager.java
index f0e6968c..b0e618ce 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceHelpContentManager.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceHelpContentManager.java
@@ -149,8 +149,7 @@ public class QInstanceHelpContentManager
          }
          else if(StringUtils.hasContent(widgetName))
          {
-            processHelpContentForWidget(key, widgetName, slotName, helpContent);
-
+            processHelpContentForWidget(key, widgetName, slotName, roles, helpContent);
          }
       }
       catch(Exception e)
@@ -252,7 +251,7 @@ public class QInstanceHelpContentManager
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   private static void processHelpContentForWidget(String key, String widgetName, String slotName, QHelpContent helpContent)
+   private static void processHelpContentForWidget(String key, String widgetName, String slotName, Set<HelpRole> roles, QHelpContent helpContent)
    {
       QWidgetMetaDataInterface widget = QContext.getQInstance().getWidget(widgetName);
       if(!StringUtils.hasContent(slotName))
@@ -265,22 +264,14 @@ public class QInstanceHelpContentManager
       }
       else
       {
-         Map<String, QHelpContent> widgetHelpContent = widget.getHelpContent();
-         if(widgetHelpContent == null)
-         {
-            widgetHelpContent = new HashMap<>();
-         }
-
          if(helpContent != null)
          {
-            widgetHelpContent.put(slotName, helpContent);
+            widget.withHelpContent(slotName, helpContent);
          }
          else
          {
-            widgetHelpContent.remove(slotName);
+            widget.removeHelpContent(slotName, roles);
          }
-
-         widget.setHelpContent(widgetHelpContent);
       }
    }
 
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/dashboard/QWidgetMetaData.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/dashboard/QWidgetMetaData.java
index 03688222..e7793b03 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/dashboard/QWidgetMetaData.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/dashboard/QWidgetMetaData.java
@@ -24,11 +24,15 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.dashboard;
 
 import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Set;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.instances.QInstanceHelpContentManager;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.dashboard.widgets.WidgetType;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.code.QCodeReference;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.help.HelpRole;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.help.QHelpContent;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.layout.QIcon;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.permissions.QPermissionRules;
@@ -61,7 +65,7 @@ public class QWidgetMetaData implements QWidgetMetaDataInterface
 
    protected Map<String, QIcon> icons;
 
-   protected Map<String, QHelpContent> helpContent;
+   protected Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> helpContent;
 
    protected Map<String, Serializable> defaultValues = new LinkedHashMap<>();
 
@@ -691,10 +695,11 @@ public class QWidgetMetaData implements QWidgetMetaDataInterface
    }
 
 
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Getter for helpContent
     *******************************************************************************/
-   public Map<String, QHelpContent> getHelpContent()
+   public Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> getHelpContent()
    {
       return (this.helpContent);
    }
@@ -704,7 +709,7 @@ public class QWidgetMetaData implements QWidgetMetaDataInterface
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Setter for helpContent
     *******************************************************************************/
-   public void setHelpContent(Map<String, QHelpContent> helpContent)
+   public void setHelpContent(Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> helpContent)
    {
       this.helpContent = helpContent;
    }
@@ -714,11 +719,49 @@ public class QWidgetMetaData implements QWidgetMetaDataInterface
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Fluent setter for helpContent
     *******************************************************************************/
-   public QWidgetMetaData withHelpContent(Map<String, QHelpContent> helpContent)
+   public QWidgetMetaData withHelpContent(Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> helpContent)
    {
       this.helpContent = helpContent;
       return (this);
    }
 
 
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for adding 1 helpContent (for a slot)
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public QWidgetMetaData withHelpContent(String slot, QHelpContent helpContent)
+   {
+      if(this.helpContent == null)
+      {
+         this.helpContent = new HashMap<>();
+      }
+
+      List<QHelpContent> listForSlot = this.helpContent.computeIfAbsent(slot, (k) -> new ArrayList<>());
+      QInstanceHelpContentManager.putHelpContentInList(helpContent, listForSlot);
+
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** remove a helpContent for a slot based on its set of roles
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void removeHelpContent(String slot, Set<HelpRole> roles)
+   {
+      if(this.helpContent == null)
+      {
+         return;
+      }
+
+      List<QHelpContent> listForSlot = this.helpContent.get(slot);
+      if(listForSlot == null)
+      {
+         return;
+      }
+
+      QInstanceHelpContentManager.removeHelpContentByRoleSetFromList(roles, listForSlot);
+   }
+
 }
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/dashboard/QWidgetMetaDataInterface.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/dashboard/QWidgetMetaDataInterface.java
index 1c702e39..ed8af4e3 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/dashboard/QWidgetMetaDataInterface.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/dashboard/QWidgetMetaDataInterface.java
@@ -25,10 +25,12 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.dashboard;
 import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Set;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QInstance;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.TopLevelMetaDataInterface;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.code.QCodeReference;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.help.HelpRole;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.help.QHelpContent;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.permissions.MetaDataWithPermissionRules;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.permissions.QPermissionRules;
@@ -235,7 +237,7 @@ public interface QWidgetMetaDataInterface extends MetaDataWithPermissionRules, T
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   default Map<String, QHelpContent> getHelpContent()
+   default Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> getHelpContent()
    {
       return (null);
    }
@@ -244,11 +246,29 @@ public interface QWidgetMetaDataInterface extends MetaDataWithPermissionRules, T
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   default void setHelpContent(Map<String, QHelpContent> helpContent)
+   default void setHelpContent(Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> helpContent)
    {
       LOG.debug("Setting help content in a widgetMetaData type that doesn't support it (because it didn't override the getter/setter)");
    }
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   default QWidgetMetaDataInterface withHelpContent(String slot, QHelpContent helpContent)
+   {
+      LOG.debug("Setting help content in a widgetMetaData type that doesn't support it (because it didn't override the getter/setter)");
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** remove a helpContent for a slot based on its set of roles
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   default void removeHelpContent(String slot, Set<HelpRole> roles)
+   {
+      LOG.debug("Setting help content in a widgetMetaData type that doesn't support it (because it didn't override the getter/setter)");
+   }
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/frontend/QFrontendWidgetMetaData.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/frontend/QFrontendWidgetMetaData.java
index 4d5e5725..4312949f 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/frontend/QFrontendWidgetMetaData.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/frontend/QFrontendWidgetMetaData.java
@@ -59,9 +59,9 @@ public class QFrontendWidgetMetaData
    private boolean showReloadButton = false;
    private boolean showExportButton = false;
 
-   protected Map<String, QIcon>        icons;
-   protected Map<String, QHelpContent> helpContent;
-   protected Map<String, Serializable> defaultValues;
+   protected Map<String, QIcon>              icons;
+   protected Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> helpContent;
+   protected Map<String, Serializable>       defaultValues;
 
    private final boolean hasPermission;
 
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ public class QFrontendWidgetMetaData
     ** Getter for helpContent
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   public Map<String, QHelpContent> getHelpContent()
+   public Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> getHelpContent()
    {
       return helpContent;
    }
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceHelpContentManagerTest.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceHelpContentManagerTest.java
index 6e52c49d..1015412c 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceHelpContentManagerTest.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceHelpContentManagerTest.java
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ class QInstanceHelpContentManagerTest extends BaseTest
       // now - post-insert customizer should have automatically added help content to the instance //
       ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
       assertTrue(widget.getHelpContent().containsKey("label"));
-      assertEquals("i need somebody", widget.getHelpContent().get("label").getContent());
+      assertEquals("i need somebody", widget.getHelpContent().get("label").get(0).getContent());
    }