Setting up Users and Access Levels in QuickBooks Pro and Premier:

QuickBooks allows you to have multiple people working on your file at once. However, if more than one person will be using QuickBooks, you will want to set up additional users, passwords and access levels for every person who will be logging onto your company file. By doing this, you can track who is doing what and you can tell QuickBooks to limit certain users to do only certain things. The business owner, for example, may have a password that allows them to do anything but an accounts payable clerk might only by allowed to record bills into the system. Only the QuickBooks Administrator can set up new users.

To set up additional users follow these steps:

1. From the Main Menu, Select Company > Set Up Users and Passwords > Set Up Users. QuickBooks displays the User List dialog box. The User List window identifies any users for whom QuickBooks access has previously been set up.

2. Tell QuickBooks that you want to add a user by clicking the Add User button.

Note: You can also Edit a User, Delete a User or View User permissions in this window. The only user you cannot delete or change is the Admin user.

3. Identify the user and supply a password. You do this by entering a short name, perhaps the user’s first name, into the User Name box. After you identify the user, enter the user’s password into both the Password text box and the Confirm Password box. Then click Next.

4. Choose whether this person will have access to all or selected areas of QuickBooks.

What do these choices mean?

• Selected areas of QuickBooks: Lets you choose which areas (sales, purchases, payroll, and so on) the user can access in QuickBooks. A sequence of questions helps you select the areas.
• All areas of QuickBooks: Gives the user access to all areas. The user can do everything except a few special activities reserved exclusively for the QuickBooks Administrator. Activities the user won’t be able to do are setting up passwords and permissions, importing and exporting data, changing company setup information and changing company-specific preferences.

5. Click Next. If you granted access to all areas of QuickBooks, you have no more selections to make. Click Yes to confirm that you want this person to have full access. Click Finish to complete the setup process. If you are selecting the areas the user has access to, make your selections in the next seven windows. Click Next to move through each window. You will select access levels for Sales and Accounts Receivable, Purchases and Accounts Payable, Checking and Credit Cards, Time Tracking, Payroll and Employees, Sensitive Accounting Activities and Sensitive Financial Reporting.

What do the access levels mean?

• No access: Denies access of any kind to the area.
• Full access: Provides general access to the area, letting the user do everything except edit and delete transactions. You’ll be asked near the end of the setup process if you also want the user to edit and delete transactions.
• Selective access: Provides a more limited access to the area than full access. Select this option if you want the user to have access, but not be able to do a particular activity. For example, you can allow someone to enter transactions but prevent them from printing them.

6. When the Changing or Deleting Transactions window appears, select Yes/No to the first question if you want the user to be able to edit and delete transactions in addition to creating them. Also indicate whether you want the user to have access to transactions from prior accounting periods.

7. When the last screen appears, review the table that summarizes the access rights you granted. If you need to make a change, click Back to return to the appropriate screen.

8. Click Finish to complete the setup process.