How to use QuickBooks on Multiple Computers at the Same Time?

QuickBooks provides an excellent option where a company can allow more than one of its employees to access QuickBooks from different computers. They can be authorized to log in and have access to the same QuickBooks data file by using the multi-user feature. This makes it easier for the employees to use the same QuickBooks data file even if their workstations change. 

Want to know how to use QuickBooks on multiple computers at the same time? We are here to help you out. Go through this blog. You will get to know about how to set up, install and use QuickBooks Desktop on multiple computers at the same time.

Read More : Set up and Install a Multi-user Network for QuickBooks Desktop

If you want multiple users to have access to the same company file, then you need to set up and install a multi-user Network for QuickBooks Desktop. 

How To Set Up And Install QuickBooks Desktop On Multiple Computers?

Before you can use QuickBooks data on multiple windows platforms, you require to establish a multi-user network. It will allow you to share QuickBooks company files among other systems. Here are the steps to do so-

Set Up QuickBooks Desktop on your Server

Your server would host your company files on a multi-user network. All the other workstations connected to the network would be able to access the company files , if authorized by the server. Here is how you can set up the QuickBooks desktop on your server.

• Download QuickBooks Desktop on the server
• To initiate installation, select the install type as ‘Custom and Network Install’
• If you need the full version of QuickBooks Desktop on the server, click ‘I’ll be using QuickBooks Desktop on this Computer’ option. If you just want the server to host your company files, click the option named ‘I’ll not be using QuickBooks Desktop on this Computer’
• Go by the instructions provided on your screen to complete the installation

Please note: Sharing your company files over the network will be easier if you keep them on the local hard drive of your server.

Set/Change Folder Permission

The folder that holds your company files should be having permissions to be on the network. Please note that all the versions of the QuickBooks components need to be updated. Then only QuickBooks can work on the multi-user platform. To reduce your efforts, QuickBoooks has provided a tool named ‘QuickBooks File Doctor’. It verifies if your system is properly set up for the multi-user mode. Here is how you can install and use this tool-

• Download ‘QuickBooks Tool Hub’  to an easily accessible location on your computer ( such as the downloads folder or the desktop)
• Install ‘QuickBooks Tool Hub’ by clicking on the file just downloaded.
•  After installing it successfully, open it and click on ‘Company File Issues’ placed on the left of your screen
• Click the tab named ‘Run QuickBooks File Doctor’. This tool willcheck firewall permissions and other settings to detect if there is any issues with your multi-user set up. If it specifies an issue, you will need to follow the steps prescribed by it to resolve the same.

Now, check that the following settings are changed to ‘Allowed’

• Read Data/ List Folder
• Execute File /Traverse Folder
• Read Attributes/ Read Extended Attributes
• Read Permissions
• Append Data/Create Folders
• Write Data/Create Files
• Write Attributes/ Write Extended Attributes

If any of these permissions are not set to ‘Allowed’, you can do as follows to change-

• Right click on the folder that contains your company file
• Click ‘ Properties’
• Click ‘Security’
• Select ‘Edit’
• Choose ‘ QBDataServiceUserXX’  that corresponds to your version and click ‘Full Control’
• Click ‘Allow’
• Click ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’

How to Set Access Permissions in Windows to Share Company Files

For Windows 7, 8 and 10

• Open File Explorer by pressing Windows +E
• Right click on the folder that contains your company file
• Click ‘ Properties’
• Go to ’Sharing’ and then to ‘Share Add’
• Choose ‘ QBDataServiceUserXX’ that corresponds to your version and click ‘Full Control’

For Windows 8.1

• You need to take ownership/control of the file. To do this, follow these steps-
• Select the folder you want to take ownership of
• Select ‘Share’
• Click ‘Advanced Security’
• Go to ‘Change’ and then to ‘Advanced’
• Click ‘Find Now’
• Select the particular user and click ‘OK’
• To grant full control, follow these steps-
  1. Click the folder you want to take ownership of
  2. Select ‘Share’
  3. Click ‘Advanced Security’
  4. Go to ‘Add’ and then to ‘Select a principal’
  5. Click ‘Advanced’ and then select ‘Find Now’
  6. Select the particular user and click ‘OK’
  7. Choose ‘Full Control’ and click ‘OK’

For Windows Server 2012

• You need to take ownership/control of the file. To do this, follow these steps-
• Open ‘Run Command’ by pressing CTRL+R
• Write ‘Server Manager’ and Click ‘OK’
• Go to ‘File’ and then to ‘Storage Devices’
• Click ‘Shares’
• Go to the ‘Task’ drop-down menu and choose ‘New Share’. The list of file share profiles would appear on your screen
• Go to ‘SMB Share’ and select ‘Quick’

Install Database Server Manager

You need to verify an existing group by using QuickBooks Desktop Manager. It will scan the company files in the system.

Set the Admin Rights

Make sure the Database Server Manager has admin rights. Also, the user account you are going to sign in should be assigned Windows admin rights.

Scan the Folder that Includes your Company file

After the Database Server Manager has been installed properly, scan the folder that contains your company file. After completing the scan, a prompt will appear with the message “QuickBooks Company Files Found”. From now onwards, you will be able to access the company files in this folder through a network from other systems.

Turn on Multi-user access on the server

To do this-

• Click ‘File Menu’, in QuickBooks desktop
• Click ‘Flutter Over Utilities’
• Click ‘Host Multi-User Access’
• Click ‘Yes’ to confirm

Now you will be able to host the company files on your network.

The QuickBooks multi-user ode has really made lives easier for organizations that use a network for their operations. Hope the above-mentioned discussion would help you install and use QuickBooks desktop on multiple computers. As you would discover, it would save you a lot of time and would enhance the productivity of your business.