Setting QuickBooks Preferences to allow other software to access the data file

Only the QuickBooks Administrator can do this.

If you have installed a QuickBooks compatible add-in application that uses the QBXML interface to exchange data with QuickBooks, you'll need to set your QuickBooks preferences to allow the application to access your data file.

To ensure that your application can access your QuickBooks company file, verify that your QuickBooks preferences are set as follows:

1. Launch QuickBooks, open your company file. If your file has multiple users, log in as the Administrator.

2. Create a new user in your QuickBooks—for example, "Software Access"—and give this user full access to the company file.

3. Open the integrated applications preferences.

   1. Go to the Edit menu and click Preferences.

   2. In the Preferences window, click Integrated Applications in the list on the left.

   3. Click the Company Preferences tab.

4. Make sure the Don't allow any application to access this company file check box is cleared.

5. Click OK to save your preferences.

6. Leave QuickBooks open on the register computer and remain logged in as the Administrator.

7. Open your other application and give it whatever command is necessary to access the QuickBooks data file.

8. Switch to QuickBooks by pressing or choosing QuickBooks from the taskbar.

   If you see a message asking whether the other application should be allowed access to your company file, click Yes.

9. Open the integrated applications preferences.

   1. Go to the Edit menu and click Preferences.

   2. In the Preferences window, click Integrated Applications in the list on the left.

   3. Click the Company Preferences tab.

10. Highlight the other application's name in the list of applications to specify that you are allowing access.

11. Select Properties.

12. Select the Allow this application to login automatically check box.

13. Select the Software Access user (from step 2 above) and click OK. You can select any user with full access rights, such as "Admin".

14. Click OK to close the preference screen.

Now your add-in application will be able to access your company file data even if QuickBooks is not running.