Understanding user roles and access rights in QuickBooks

Primary Admin

The user who creates the QuickBooks account is the Primary Admin by default. This role has the highest level of access and is the only user who can edit their own permissions or transfer the Primary Admin role to another user.

Company Admin

A Company Admin has access to all areas of QuickBooks. They can manage other users' roles and permissions, with the exception of changing the Primary Admin's access.

• Full visibility and control across all parts of the account.
• Add, edit, and delete users.
• Manage user roles and permissions.
• Perform all other administrative tasks.

Standard All Access

This role provides comprehensive access to bookkeeping and financial tasks but without full administrative privileges. Users can:

• Manage customers, sales, suppliers, and purchases.
• Add, edit, and delete employees, accounts, and budgets.
• Manage VAT, currency, and multicurrency settings.
• View the activity log and all reports.
• Handle banking tasks like categorising feeds, making deposits, and reconciling accounts.
• Manage payroll (if enabled).

In-house Accountant (formerly Standard all access without payroll)

This user has access to all accounting tools and financial reports but cannot perform administrative tasks or manage payroll. Permissions include everything in the 'Standard all access' role except for payroll access and user management.

Accounts Receivable Manager (formerly Standard limited customers only)

This role focuses on customer and sales-related activities.

Users can:

• Create and manage sales transactions (estimates, invoices, sales receipts).
• Add, edit, and delete customers, products, and services.
• Receive customer payments and record bank deposits.
• Manage projects, including adding invoices, time, and estimates.
• View customer reports and manage VAT on sales transactions.

Users cannot:

• Access supplier or purchasing functions.
• Print cheques.
• View bank account histories or prepare VAT returns.
• See total income and expense figures on dashboards.

Accounts Payable Manager (formerly Standard limited suppliers only)

This role focuses on supplier and expense-related activities.

Users can:

• Enter and pay bills from suppliers.
• Enter cash and credit card purchases.
• Add, edit, and delete suppliers, products, and services.
• Write and print cheques.
• View supplier reports and manage VAT on purchase transactions.

Users cannot:

• Access customer or sales functions.
• Add, edit, or delete accounts and stock.
• View bank account histories.
• Set up new VAT agencies or multicurrency settings.

Note: The 'Standard limited customers and suppliers' role could not be assigned to new users after May 2024 and has been replaced by the separate Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable manager roles.

The following roles are available in QuickBooks Online Advanced to provide more granular control.

• Sales Manager: Access is restricted to sales transactions and customer management.
• Expense Manager: Access is restricted to expense transactions and supplier management.
• Stock Manager: Access is restricted to stock management and suppliers.
• Payroll Manager: Access is restricted to payroll functions, expenses, and payroll reports.

QuickBooks Online Advanced allows you to create custom roles with specific permissions. This gives you precise control over what each team member can access, allowing you to tailor roles to your business's unique structure and needs.

This user can view most reports but cannot see underlying transaction details or any sensitive payroll and contact information. They cannot access the audit log.

This user can only add and edit their own timesheets. They cannot access any other accounting features.

Note: This role is unavailable if your QuickBooks Online account is integrated with QuickBooks Time.