Learn about the different options for user roles and access permissions.
When you add a user in QuickBooks Online, you can manage their roles which will help you limit their access to specific tasks and data within QuickBooks Online.
Note: The QuickBooks Online mobile app supports admin and standard all access role users. Users with other roles will need to use the web version instead.
Learn more about user roles
QuickBooks user roles are customizable permissions you can give your team. User roles are either billable or non-billable. Billable users count toward your user limit, while non-billable users don’t. Learn more about user limits for your subscription.
You can also invite your accountant as a firm user so they can review your QuickBooks company file.
Learn more about the different user roles available in QuickBooks Online
| Role name | Billable or Non-billable | Access details |
| Primary admin | Billable | The primary admin is the main user who has access to every part of the QuickBooks account. They can manage all users and other admin tasks. By default, the primary admin is the person who initially set up the account. If you need to assign a new primary admin, you can transfer the role to another user. |
| Company admin | Billable | A company admin has access to every part of the QuickBooks account. They can do everything the primary admin can do, except edit or remove the primary admin's access. |
| Standard all access | Billable | Users added to this role can access everything under customers and sales as well as vendors and purchases. They can also: • Add, edit, and delete employees • Change preferences • View activity log • Create, edit, and delete budgets • Add, edit, and delete accounts • View and categorize online bank feeds • Make deposits and transfer funds • Reconcile accounts and make journal entries • View all reports • Manage sales tax data and settings. • Access and manage aspects of currency and multicurrency • Manage payroll if QuickBooks Online payroll is enabled |
| In house accountant | Billable | Note: This role was earlier called the ‘Standard all access without payroll’ role. It has been renamed since May 2024. Users added to this role can access all bookkeeping and accounting tools as well as financial reports. They can’t access payroll and can’t do admin tasks like managing users. They can access everything under customers and sales as well as vendors and purchases. They can also: • View activity log • Create, edit, and delete budgets • Add, edit, and delete accounts • View and categorize online bank feeds • Make deposits and transfer funds • Reconcile accounts and make journal entries • View all reports except payroll reports • Manage sales tax data and settings. • Access and manage aspects of currency and multicurrency |
| Accounts receivable manager | Billable | Note: This role was earlier called the ‘Standard limited customers only’ role. It has been renamed since May 2024 and updated to have access to record bank deposits. Users added to this role can see and do everything with sales, customers, and accounts receivable (A/R) reports. They can: • Enter estimates, invoices, sales receipts, credit memos, and refunds • Enter charges and credits • Create and delete statements • Receive payments from customers • Fill out timesheets for anyone • Add, edit, and delete customers, products, and services • Enter bank deposits • View customer and A/R reports • View tax rates and agency settings • Use and adjust sales tax in sales transactions and general journal entries (i.e. manually overriding calculated tax amounts) • Add, edit, and delete currencies • Edit exchange rates • Add, edit, and delete projects • Add invoices, time, project estimates, and receive payments to projects They can't: • Print checks (including refunds) • Make bills and purchases billable to customers • Add, edit, and delete accounts and quantity on hand • View bank registers • See total income and expenses on Home, Vendor, and Customer pages • Prepare and file a sales tax return and record sales payments • Set up multicurrency • Perform home currency adjustments • Add expenses, bills, and purchase orders to projects |
| Accounts payable manager | Billable | Note: This role was earlier called the ‘Standard limited vendors only’ role. It has been renamed since May 2024. Users added to this role can see and do everything with expenses, vendors, and accounts payable (A/P) reports. They can: • Enter bills from vendors • Enter cash and credit card purchases • Pay bills, write checks, and view check detail reports • Print checks (except refunds) • Add, edit, and delete vendors, products, and services • View vendor and A/P reports • View tax rates and agencies • Use/adjust sales tax on purchase, card, and banking transactions, including overriding calculated sales tax amounts) • Run tax reports or view tax history • Prepare and file sales tax returns and record sales tax payments • Add, edit, and delete currencies • Edit exchange rates They can't: • Add, edit, and delete accounts and quantity on hand • View bank registers • Set up new tax agencies or change tax settings or change existing tax rates, tax method, or agency settings • Set up multicurrency • Perform home currency adjustments |
| Standard no access | Billable | This user can't use any of the accounting features in QuickBooks Online. They can only submit timesheets. |
| Standard limited customers and vendors | Billable | Note: This role is discontinued and is not available to assign to new users from May 2024. However, for existing users who have been assigned this role, the role will continue to function as before. Users added to this role can see and do everything with Customers and Sales, and Vendors and Purchases. They can: • Enter estimates, invoices, sales receipts, credit memos, refunds, charges, and credits • Create and delete statements • Receive payments from customers • Fill out timesheets for anyone • Add, edit, and delete customers, vendors, products, and services • View customer registers • View customer and A/R reports • View vendor and A/P reports • Enter bills from vendors • Pay bills, write and print checks, and view check reports • Make bills and purchases billable to customers • Enter cash and credit card purchases • Add, edit, and delete projects • Add invoices, expenses, bills, time, purchase orders, project estimates, and receive payments to projects They can't: • Add, edit, and delete accounts and quantity on hand • View bank registers • See total income and expense amounts on Home, Vendor, and Customer pages |
| Custom user | Billable | Custom roles allow you to create your own roles and define access to specific areas in QuickBooks Online. This gives you even more control on what your team can see or do. Learn more about adding customer users in QuickBooks Online Advanced. |
| Sales manager | Billable | Users added to this role have access only to sales transactions and customers. This role is available only in QuickBooks Online Advanced. |
| Expense manager | Billable | Users added to this role have access only to expense transactions and vendors. This role is available only in QuickBooks Online Advanced. |
| Inventory Manager | Billable | Users added to this role have access only to inventory and vendors. This role is available only in QuickBooks Online Advanced. |
| Payroll manager | Billable | Users added to this role have access only to payroll, expenses and payroll reports. This role is available only in QuickBooks Online Advanced. |
| View reports | Non-billable | A reports-only user can see all reports, except reports that show payroll or contact info. These users can’t access the audit log. Reports only users can create custom reports and add report groups, but can't view the actual transactions. |
| Track time only | Non-billable | Suitable for employees or vendors that need to track time. They can only enter timesheets for themselves, and only have access to timesheets and time reports. This user role isn't available to QuickBooks Online accounts that are connected to QuickBooks Time. The time tracking only user role is removed when QuickBooks Time is integrated. Note: Time tracking only users can’t be vendors who track payments for 1099. If you need to track time for 1099 vendors, you can enter timesheets for them. Or you can add them as a user with a different email address. Learn how to enter vendors you need to track for 1099s. |
| Expense submitter | Non-billable | This role can be used for employees who only need to submit expense claims. This role is available only in QuickBooks Online Advanced. |
| Take payments only (GoPayment only) | Non-billable | If you have QuickBooks GoPayment, you can give a user access to take payments without giving them access to QuickBooks. They can take payments through GoPayment that sync in real time with your QuickBooks account. |
QuickBooks Bill Pay roles
The following roles are available with QuickBooks Online Essentials, Plus, and Advanced when also subscribed to a QuickBooks Online Bill Pay Elite plan.
| Role name | Billable or Non-billable | Access details |
| Bill approver | Billable | Users with this role can only approve bills. They can not pay bills or take any other action related to bills or payments. |
| Bill clerk | Billable | Users with this role can add bills and mark bills as paid, but can not approve or pay bills. |
| Bill payer | Billable | Users with this role can view and pay bills, and edit vendor info. They can not add bills or take any other action related to bills. |