diff --git a/src/GroupRings.jl b/src/GroupRings.jl
index f733533..1db09a2 100644
--- a/src/GroupRings.jl
+++ b/src/GroupRings.jl
@@ -12,51 +12,6 @@ import Base: convert, show, hash, ==, +, -, *, ^, //, /, length, getindex, setin
 
 export GroupRing, GroupRingElem, complete!, create_pm, star, aug, supp
 
-###############################################################################
-#
-#   Basic manipulation && Array protocol
-#
-###############################################################################
-
-function hash(X::GroupRingElem, h::UInt)
-   return hash(X.coeffs, hash(parent(X), hash(GroupRingElem, h)))
-end
-
-function getindex(X::GroupRingElem, n::Int)
-   return X.coeffs[n]
-end
-
-function getindex(X::GroupRingElem, g::GroupElem)
-   return X.coeffs[parent(X).basis_dict[g]]
-end
-
-function setindex!(X::GroupRingElem, value, n::Int)
-   X.coeffs[n] = value
-end
-
-function setindex!(X::GroupRingElem, value, g::GroupElem)
-   RG = parent(X)
-   if !(g in keys(RG.basis_dict))
-      g = (RG.group)(g)
-   end
-   X.coeffs[RG.basis_dict[g]] = value
-end
-
-Base.size(X::GroupRingElem) = size(X.coeffs)
-Base.IndexStyle(::Type{GroupRingElem}) = Base.LinearFast()
-
-dense(X::GroupRingElem{T, A}) where {T, A<:DenseVector} = X
-
-function dense(X::GroupRingElem{T, Sp}) where {T, Sp<:SparseVector}
-   return parent(X)(Vector(X.coeffs))
-end
-
-SparseArrays.sparse(X::GroupRingElem{T, Sp}) where {T, Sp<:SparseVector} = X
-
-function SparseArrays.sparse(X::GroupRingElem{T, A}) where {T, A<:Vector}
-   return parent(X)(sparse(X.coeffs))
-end
-
 ###############################################################################
 #
 #   String I/O
@@ -151,8 +106,6 @@ end
 #
 ###############################################################################
 
-length(X::GroupRingElem) = count(!iszero, X.coeffs)
-
 LinearAlgebra.norm(X::GroupRingElem, p::Int=2) = norm(X.coeffs, p)
 
 aug(X::GroupRingElem) = sum(X.coeffs)
diff --git a/src/misc.jl b/src/misc.jl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bdcceda
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/misc.jl
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+###############################################################################
+#
+#   Array protocol
+#
+###############################################################################
+
+### getindex for GroupRing
+
+function Base.getindex(RG::GroupRing, i::Integer)
+    @assert hasbasis(RG)
+    return RG.basis[i]
+end
+
+function Base.getindex(RG::GroupRing{R,G,El}, g::El) where {R,G,El<:GroupElem}
+    @assert hasbasis(RG)
+    return RG.basis_dict[g]
+end
+
+Base.length(RG::GroupRing) = hasbasis(RG) ? length(RG.basis) : maximum(RG)
+
+### Array protocol for GroupRingElem
+
+Base.eltype(::Type{<:GroupRingElem{T}}) where T = T
+Base.size(X::GroupRingElem) = size(X.coeffs)
+Base.IndexStyle(::Type{GroupRingElem}) = Base.LinearFast()
+
+Base.@propagate_inbounds function Base.getindex(X::GroupRingElem, i::Integer)
+    return X.coeffs[i]
+end
+
+Base.@propagate_inbounds function Base.setindex!(X::GroupRingElem, val, i::Integer)
+    return X.coeffs[i] = val
+end
+
+Base.similar(X::GroupRingElem) = GroupRingElem(similar(X.coeffs), parent(X), check=false)
+
+function Base.similar(X::GroupRingElem, ::Type{T}) where T
+    RG = change_base_ring(parent(X), parent(T()))
+    return GroupRingElem(similar(X.coeffs, T), RG)
+end
+
+### indexing via group elements
+
+Base.@propagate_inbounds function Base.getindex(X::GroupRingElem, g::GroupElem)
+    RG = parent(X)
+    @assert hasbasis(RG)
+    return X.coeffs[RG[g]]
+end
+
+Base.@propagate_inbounds function Base.setindex!(X::GroupRingElem, val,  g::GroupElem)
+    RG = parent(X)
+    @assert hasbasis(RG)
+    return X.coeffs[RG[g]] = val
+end
+