Restrictions when two companies are open

I'll share information about user access and permissions in QuickBooks Desktop, @Deadwood Al.

The user access depends on how you set them up or the access rights you have given to each user.

Users 1,2 & 3 can fully utilize Company A if you have given them full access. 

For User 4, you can set up a folder sharing to let him access Company A.

Here's how to share an existing folder:

1. Locate and right-click the folder you want to share. Then select Properties.
2. On the Sharing tab, select Share this folder. You can change the name of the shared folder by entering a new name in the Share Name field.
3. Go to the Security tab or select Permissions to set permissions for each user who will access your folder.
4. Click Apply and OK.

Here is an article for the complete details: Set up folder sharing.

See these articles to learn more about user access in QuickBooks Desktop:

• Create and manage users and roles in QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise.
• QuickBooks Desktop users and restrictions.

Let me know if you have questions about multi-user in QuickBooks Desktop. I'm always here to help. Have a great day.

On the first page of the help doc "Open and use a secondary company file in QuickBooks Desktop", middle of the page it says "Listed below are the restrictions when opening a Secondary company file. Note that user permissions can't override them."

This seems to say the opposite of what you are describing????

Allow me to join this thread and add more details about accessing a secondary company file in QuickBooks (QB) Enterprise, Deadwood.

When you open two company files simultaneously, some features are restricted to both opened company files regardless of whether it's a primary or a secondary one. They're as listed in the article you have reviewed: Open and use a secondary company file in QuickBooks Desktop.

The restrictions when opening a secondary company file are a proactive measure to safeguard the core features and functionalities of the software. It's important to note that any restrictions associated with opening a secondary company only affect users who opened both companies.

Going back to the example, users 1, 2, and 3 who only accessed company A won't be impacted by the limitations. They can continue to utilize the file.

Finally, when you need to manage and control some user's access in a company file, you can check this article as your guide: Create and manage users and roles in QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise. This feature could help you handle what specific task or data your team can view and modify.

Should you have additional questions regarding opening a secondary file in QB Enterprise, kindly comment on them in this thread. Our team is always open to assist you.

Thank you both for responding to my question, but it seems I must not have phrased the question correctly:  what I was trying to get at is when two users are in a company file (B) and one of those users also previously was in company file (A) ... meaning that this user has restrictions on what he can do in company file (B), does that affect the OTHER user who was also in company file (B) and this was the ONLY company file this user was in? 

Maybe I'm asking ....  If company file (B) is the second company file for some user, do the restrictions on company file (B) now affect ALL users who happen to be in (B), or do the restrictions only impact the user who is in company (B) in a secondary position? The users in (B) didn't have restrictions that the other user had when opening (B) as the second file open. Do those users also then face the same restrictions, or are they able to do whatever they were previouslys allowed to do in (B)?

I'm sorry if that still isn't clear ... I don't know how else to ask the question.

Hi there, Deadwood Al,

Let me chime in on this conversation to share some information about company file restrictions in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT).

It is important to note that if you have restricted a specific user's access to Company A and you have full access to Company B, this restriction will not affect other users unless you have also imposed similar restrictions on all users.   

This means that each user's access to a company file is independent of another user's access. Therefore, you must assign specific permissions to each user per company file.

In conclusion, the level of access granted to each user is crucial, and it depends on your discretion and the company's needs. It is essential to ensure that each user has the appropriate level of access to carry out their work effectively without compromising the integrity of the company's data.

Additionally, for detailed information about the restrictions when opening two company files in QBDT. Feel free to visit this article: Open and use a secondary company file in QuickBooks Desktop.

Rest assured that I'm always here to lend a helping hand if you have more questions about restrictions per user in QBDT.

Well, I don't know how to ask the question I guess.  I understand that each user can have different permission levels, and that is NOT what I'm asking about. Let me try one last time.  And I ask that you please read the question a couple times in order to answer the question asked.

You are user A, I am user B. We both have full permission rights in Company X and Company Y.

You are active in company Y. I am active in company X. 

For some reason, I also decide I want to view something in company Y. so I open that as well.  Now, the system recognizes company X as my Primary company and Company Y as my secondary company, and as such, Y now has some restrictions on what I am able to do regardless of my permission level as a user. The restrictions in company Y are present without any regard for my permissions as being full.

OK, so do the restrictions on me (user B) in company Y (my secondary company) now apply to you (user A) even though you only have company y open.?? Company Y is not your secondary company, it is your only company.

I am trying to find out if secondary restrictions created when one user opens two companies affect and perhaps even change the rights other users may have in the company that becomes the secondary company for another user.

I honestly do not know how else to ask the question, and I didn't think it was that complex, but .....

Hello, Deadwood AI,

I understand that you're trying to open two companies at the same time to view some tasks in QuickBooks. You're on the right path, let me help you with this.

When working with two company files, the initially opened file becomes the primary window, while the subsequently opened one becomes the secondary. Importantly, restrictions associated with opening a secondary company file only apply to the user who opened both files (User B). User A, who solely accessed company Y, remains unaffected by these limitations.

To know more about this setup, visit this guide: Open and use a secondary company file in QuickBooks Desktop.

In addition, you learn how to manage access rights and permissions through this article: Create and manage users and roles in QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise.

If you still have other questions regarding restrictions when two companies are open. Feel free to add a reply below. I'll be glad to answer them for you.