Working with the QuickBooks Login window

The QuickBooks Login window is displayed when users have been set up in the company file you are opening. user permissions, administrator password, .

If you see a Login window when you open a company file, it means there was at least one user set up in that company file at some time.

If the Login window only asks for a password, you must enter the administrator password to continue. user permissions, administrator password, . If the Login window asks for both a user name and a password, you can enter any user name/password that was set up in that company file. user permissions, administrator password, . User names and passwords are created for company files, not for the QuickBooks application itself. user permissions, administrator password, .

Some tasks require the administrator to log in, such as updating the file to a new version. user permissions, administrator password, .

Passwords are case-sensitive.

Troubleshooting password issues

• Forgotten passwords

  "Forgotten passwords"

• Known password is no longer working

  There are three main causes of known passwords not working:

  • The login screen is requiring the Administrator password and you are using a non-Administrator password

    In certain circumstances, QuickBooks will automatically display a Login window that only asks for a password and does not ask for a user name. user permissions, administrator password, . That password is the Administrator's password. user permissions, administrator password, .

    If you have been successfully logging in to a company file by typing your user name and password and now the Login window does not ask for a user name, you may not be set up as the administrator. user permissions, administrator password, . Therefore, your password will not work in this scenario. user permissions, administrator password, .

    To resolve this issue, determine if an administrator was set up in the file and use that password. user permissions, administrator password, . If you do not know the administrator's password, see Resetting forgotten administrator passwords.

  • You have accidentally opened a different company file

    The name of the company of the file you are opening is displayed in bold above the field to enter your user name or password. user permissions, administrator password, . Make sure that company name matches the name set up for the file you are trying to open:

    1. Verify that you are opening the correct company file by clicking Cancel on the login screen. user permissions, administrator password, .

    2. Go to the File menu and click "Open Previous Company". user permissions, administrator password, .

    3. Review the list of files you've previously opened. user permissions, administrator password, . Try opening the file from that list and see if your password works in that file.

    4. If that fails, see Resetting forgotten administrator passwords.

  • There is some list damage in the company file

    If you are certain you are using the administrator password when required, are using a valid user name and password for the correct file, yet QuickBooks is not accepting the password, you may have list damage in the file. user permissions, administrator password, .

    To resolve this issue, you will need to reset the administrator password. user permissions, administrator password, . See Resetting forgotten administrator passwords.

• Company file is suddenly requiring a password

  "Suddenly asking for password"

Tasks associated with the Login window

• Disabling the Login window in a company file

  If you know the administrator's password and would prefer not to have to log in to the file each time you open it, you can make changes to users and passwords so that the Login window does not display. user permissions, administrator password, .

  Important: Disabling the Login window will allow full, unprotected access to your company data.

  1. Log in to the company file as the administrator.

  2. Go to the Company menu and click Set Up Users.

  3. For each user that does not show (Admin) next to their user name, highlight the user in the list and click "Delete User". user permissions, administrator password, . Click Yes to verify you want to delete the user. user permissions, administrator password, .

  4. After all non-administrator users have been deleted, highlight the administrator and click "Edit User".

  5. Delete the password by removing the entry for both the "Password" and "Confirm Password" fields and click Next. user permissions, administrator password, .

  6. In the message that follows, click "No", that you do NOT want to set up a password, and then click Finish. user permissions, administrator password, .

  From now on, anytime you open this company file, QuickBooks will recognize that there is only an administrator set up without a password and will no longer display the Login window when you open the file. user permissions, administrator password, .

• Adding/removing user names and passwords

  "Setting up users"

• Changing passwords

  "Changing passwords"

Understanding users and passwords

• Understanding why and when QuickBooks asks for only a password

  If the Login window asks only for a password, it is the administrator password that is required. user permissions, administrator password, . This may be because you are performing a task that requires the administrator password or because you have set up only the administrator and no additional users.

• Understanding the difference between login passwords and closing date passwords

  If you are prompted for a password when you open a company file, you need to enter the user's password. user permissions, administrator password, . If you're prompted for a password when you're saving a transaction, you need to enter the closing date password. user permissions, administrator password, .

  The closing date password is set up separately from the login passwords. user permissions, administrator password, . To change the closing date password, see Changing the closing date password.

• The importance of the user "Administrator"

  "Importance of Administrator"

• Why passwords are important

  "Importance of passwords"

• User and password limitations

  "User and password limitations"

If you don't see your particular problem in the list above, check the QuickBooks Support site on the Web.