diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8ff779f5..61f63502 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ You can use older versions of SciCat Live by checking out specific tags using `g
 
 `v1.0` - the first stable version
 
-Note: older versions might not contain certain functionality (e.g. archival mock in `v1.0`). Be sure to take a look at that version's `README.md` as well. 
+Note: older versions might not contain certain functionality (e.g. archival mock in `v1.0`). Be sure to take a look at that version's `README.md` as well.
 
 ## Steps
 
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ Note: older versions might not contain certain functionality (e.g. archival mock
 
 ## Default setup
 
-By running `docker-compose up -d` these steps take place: 
+By running `docker-compose up -d` these steps take place:
 1. a [mongodb](./services/mongodb/) container is created with some intial data.
 2. a [rabbitmq](./services/rabbitmq/) container is created.
 3. the SciCat [backend v3](./services/backend/) container is created and connected to (1) and (2).
@@ -33,27 +33,33 @@ By running `docker-compose up -d` these steps take place:
 7. a reverse [proxy](./services/proxy) container is created and routes trafic to (2), (3), (4) and (5) through localhost subdomains, in the form: `http://${service}.localhost` (for the ones of need). The frontend is available at simply `http://localhost`.
 
 
-Here below we show the dependencies (if `B` depends on `A`, then we visualize as `A --> B`): 
+Here below we show the dependencies (if `B` depends on `A`, then we visualize as `A --> B`):
 
 ```mermaid
-graph TD;
-   subgraph services;
-      rabbitmq --> archivemock;
-      rabbitmq --> backend;
-      mongodb --> backend;
-      backend --> archivemock;
-      backend --> frontend;
-      backend --> searchapi;
-   end;
-   proxy -.- backend;
-   proxy -.- frontend;
-   proxy -.- searchapi;
-   proxy -.- rabbitmq;
+graph TD
+   subgraph services
+      subgraph backends
+         backend
+         backend-next
+      end
+
+      rabbitmq --> archivemock
+      rabbitmq --> backend
+      mongodb --> backends
+      backend --> archivemock
+      backend --> frontend
+      backend --> searchapi
+   end
+
+   proxy -.- backends
+   proxy -.- frontend
+   proxy -.- searchapi
+   proxy -.- rabbitmq
 ```
 
 ## Select the services
 
-The user can selectively decide the containers to spin up and the dependencies will be resolved accordingly. The available services are in the [services](./services/) folder and called consistently. 
+The user can selectively decide the containers to spin up and the dependencies will be resolved accordingly. The available services are in the [services](./services/) folder and called consistently.
 
 For example, one could decide to only run the `backend` by running (be aware that this will not run the `proxy`, so the service will not be available at `backend.localhost`):
 
@@ -63,26 +69,26 @@ docker-compose up -d backend
 
 (or a list of services, for example, with the proxy `docker-compose up -d backend proxy`)
 
-This will run, from the [previous section](#default-setup), (1), (2) and (3) but skip the rest. 
+This will run, from the [previous section](#default-setup), (1), (2) and (3) but skip the rest.
 
 Accordingly,
 ```sh
 docker-compose up -d frontend(/searchapi)
 ```
 
-Will run, from the [previous section](#default-setup), (1), (2), (3) and (4/(5)) but skip (5/(4)), (6) and (7). 
+Will run, from the [previous section](#default-setup), (1), (2), (3) and (4/(5)) but skip (5/(4)), (6) and (7).
 
 ## Custom configure a service
 
 Every service folder (inside the [services](./services/) parent directory) contains its configuration and some instructions, at least for the non third-party containers.
 
-For example, to configure the [frontend](./services/frontend/), the user can change any file in the [frontend config](./services/frontend/config/) folder, for which instructions are available in the [README](./services/frontend/README.md) file. 
+For example, to configure the [frontend](./services/frontend/), the user can change any file in the [frontend config](./services/frontend/config/) folder, for which instructions are available in the [README](./services/frontend/README.md) file.
 
 After any configuration change, `docker-compose up -d` must be rerun, to allow loading the changes.
 
 ## Add a new service
 
-To add a new service: 
+To add a new service:
 1. create a dedicated folder in the [services](./services/) one
 2. call it as the service should be named
 3. create the `docker-compose.yaml` file with the required dependencies (if any)
diff --git a/services/backend-next/README.md b/services/backend-next/README.md
index 44d2af09..a28b0ee6 100644
--- a/services/backend-next/README.md
+++ b/services/backend-next/README.md
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ The SciCat backend-next is a rewrite of the original backend, built on top of th
 
 The backend-next service is mainly configured via environment variables. For an extensive list of available options see [here](https://scicatproject.github.io/documentation/Development/v4.x/backend/configuration.html).
 
+It can also serve the frontend theme and configuration by mounting the files in `/home/node/app/dist/config/frontend.theme.json` and `/home/node/app/dist/config/frontend.config.json`.
+
 ### Functional Accounts
 
 There are a few functional accounts available for handling data:
diff --git a/services/backend-next/config/.env b/services/backend-next/config/.env
index 11e43e51..1c9f851c 100644
--- a/services/backend-next/config/.env
+++ b/services/backend-next/config/.env
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 MONGODB_URI=mongodb://mongodb:27017/dacat-next
 SITE=FACILITY
 JWT_SECRET=secret
-JWT_NEVER_EXPIRES=true
 EXPRESS_SESSION_SECRET=secret
+
+ADMIN_GROUPS=admin
+DELETE_GROUPS=jerk
+CREATE_DATASET_GROUPS=ingestor
+PROPOSAL_GROUPS=proposalingestor
+SAMPLE_GROUPS=ingestor
diff --git a/services/backend-next/config/functionalAccounts.json b/services/backend-next/config/functionalAccounts.json
index 0b329992..51934f4b 100644
--- a/services/backend-next/config/functionalAccounts.json
+++ b/services/backend-next/config/functionalAccounts.json
@@ -3,15 +3,13 @@
     "username": "admin",
     "password": "2jf0TPNZsS",
     "email": "scicatadmin@your.site",
-    "role": "admin",
-    "global": true
+    "role": "admin"
   },
   {
     "username": "ingestor",
     "password": "aman",
     "email": "scicatingestor@your.site",
-    "role": "ingestor",
-    "global": true
+    "role": "ingestor"
   },
   {
     "username": "archiveManager",