17   Managing user accounts and company files

Your company's accounting information is kept in a single file called a company file. This includes your accounts list, details about your customers, suppliers, your list of items and all your transactions. To open the company file, you need to log in with a user ID and password.

This chapter explains how you can perform maintenance tasks on your company file (including optimising) and how to control access to your company file using user accounts.

Managing user accounts

If several people enter transactions into the same company file, you can control which command centres, windows and transactions they can access with user accounts. The ability to limit users? access can help to minimise fraud. For example, you can prevent a person who places orders with suppliers from also being able to pay suppliers, minimising the likelihood of paying false bills.

User accounts A user can only open a company file by completing the Sign-on window. The user must enter a user ID and password to gain access to the user account. Then, whenever a user enters a transaction, it is labelled with the user ID. This allows you to keep track of who entered particular transactions, which is useful when following up disputes with suppliers or customers and pinpointing fraudulent transactions.

TIP : Restrict access to employee information User IDs can be set up to restrict access to employee payroll, banking and contact information stored in the card file and on reports. You can select the full restrictions, such as disallowing access to the employee card file, or you can set specific restrictions, such as viewing employee banking details. If you want to prevent a user from editing and viewing all payroll details, you need to restrict access to payroll reports as well as to employee card information and payroll command centre functions.

Administrator account The Administrator account is a default user account always present in all company files and cannot be deleted. This special user account is the only one with access to all command centres, functions and windows.

The person logged on as Administrator is able to create, edit and delete ordinary user accounts. For that reason, as soon as you create a company file, you should supply a password for the Administrator account; otherwise, any user can log in and enter, edit and delete transactions without leaving a trace. For more information, see 'Set a password for the Administrator user ID'.

Simultaneous users Your MYOB software allows more than one user to access a company file. Though your MYOB software provides you with a single network licence at the time of purchase, you can buy additional licences (also known as workstation seats) whenever the need arises.

To create a user account

  1. Log in to your MYOB company file as Administrator.
  2. Go to the Setup menu and choose Preferences.
  3. In the Preferences window, click the Security tab and then click User IDs. The User Access window appears.
  4. Click New to open the New User Details window.
  5. Type the user?s name in the User ID field, then type the password in the Password and Confirm Password fields.
  6. If you want to copy the restrictions you have set up for another user, type or select an existing user account in the Copy Restrictions field.
  7. Click OK. The new user account appears in the User ID column of the User Access window.
  8. Click the new user account in the User ID column, then click in the Not Allowed column next to those command centres or functions to be denied to the user.
  9. Click OK.

[MYOB Premier range only] To obtain additional workstation licences

When the volume of transactions is too large for one person to process, you can purchase extra workstation licences to allow additional users simultaneous access to the company file.

Before you begin

  1. Start your MYOB software and open the company file requiring extra workstation licences.
  2. Go to the Setup menu and choose Company Information.
  3. In the Company Information window, click License.
    • Click Enable Licenses and your additional workstation licenses added.

Confirming activated company files

After a company file is activated, once or twice a year you must confirm its activation for the life of the file. The confirmation verifies to MYOB that you are running a legal installation of MYOB software. When confirmation is due and you attempt to open an activated company file, the Company File Confirmation window appears.

You have a period of grace in which to confirm the company file, indicated under the Confirm Your Company File heading. If you do not want to confirm immediately, click the I want to confirm my company file later button and click Continue to open the file. After the period of grace expires, the company file can only be opened in read-only mode, in which you can still view transactions, print reports or export data, but will not be able to enter any data.

NOTE : Confirming a read-only file If you have elected to open a company file overdue for confirmation in read-only mode, but then change your mind, go to the Help menu and choose Confirm Company File. The Company File Confirmation window appears.

These procedures show you how to confirm an activated company file or set up automatic confirmation:

To confirm a company file online

  1. Ensure you are connected to the Internet
  2. In the Company File Confirmation window, click I want to confirm my company file online.
  3. Click Continue. Your serial number and company file code are sent to the MYOB confirmation server, which returns a confirmation code and extends the file activation.

    4. The Company File Confirmation Confirmed window appears.

  4. If you prefer your MYOB software to perform subsequent confirmations automatically, select the I want to use Automatic Confirmation option.
  5. Click OK and in subsequent windows choose the options relevant to your business needs until the command centre appears. The company file has been confirmed and you can continue to enter transactions.

    6. NOTE : Frequent requests to confirm If, after confirming a company file, MYOB software asks you within a short time to confirm it again, Singtel Help Centre, see 'Troubleshooting activated company files'. Under normal circumstances, confirmation only occurs once or twice a year.

Troubleshooting activated company files

The activation and confirmation of company files is sensitive to date changes in your computer's system clock.

In some circumstances, changes or discrepancies in the system date start an immediate confirmation process.

Workstations out of synchronisation If multiple users on different workstations are accessing a company file simultaneously and the dates in the system clocks of one or more workstations differ, you will need to synchronise clocks and confirm the company file the next time you open it.

Date changed while company file is open If you open a company file and change the date in your computer's system clock while the file is open, then close the file, you may need to confirm the company file next time you open it.

Servicing your company file

Checking your company file for errors

By checking your company file for errors, you can identify minor problems in the file before they cause serious problems.

To check your company file for errors

CAUTION : Single-user access required [MYOB Premier range only] Checking a company file for errors requires single-user access. If you normally have multiple users accessing a shared company file on a host computer, verify the company file from the host computer when no other users are logged on. See 'Single-user file locking for special tasks'.

  1. Go to the File menu and choose Verify Company File. A confirmation window appears.
  2. Click OK to confirm that you want to verify your company file. Your company file is scanned for errors. When the file verification process is complete, a message appears describing the results of the process.

    3. If no errors were found, click OK to end the verification process.

    If your company file is corrupted, you can:

Optimising your company file

Over time, your company file will grow considerably in size. As you enter transactions, then remove or purge them, the file will have unused areas that once contained these transactions. These unused areas can affect the efficiency with which operations are performed in the company file. We recommend that you use the Optimisation Assistant to remove the unused areas in the company file and keep your accounting software running efficiently.

To optimise a company file

CAUTION : Optimising multi-user company files [MYOB Premier range only] If multiple users are accessing a shared company file on a host computer, optimise the company file on the host.

  1. Open the company file to be optimised.
  2. Go to the File menu, choose Optimise Company File. An information window appears.
  3. Click OK to continue.
  4. If an optimisation file exists, we recommend that you click Yes to retain a copy of it.
  5. Click OK.

Purging information that is no longer needed

Purging is the process of removing data from your company file. After you have used your MYOB software for a long time, you will notice that the size of your company file has grown considerably.

The procedure for purging information (below) applies if you are purging:

  • journal entries
  • sales
  • purchases
  • business contacts
  • contact logs
  • activity slips
  • sales history figures

When your company file has grown larger than you want it to, you can purge, that is remove information, that is no longer needed. After transactions are purged, they will no longer appear on any report.

Special considerations for purging activity slips [MYOB Premier range only]

  1. When purging activity slips, note the following:
    • If you have billed an activity slip on an invoice, you can purge that activity slip only if the invoice on which it was billed has been purged.
    • If you purge activity slips, any slips with hours on timesheets are not purged. You must purge timesheets to purge those activity slips.
    • If you purge a timesheet, any activity slips on the timesheet are also purged (only if an employee payment for the timesheet?s hours has been made using the Process Payroll assistant).

To purge information

CAUTION : Purging multi-user company files [MYOB Premier range only] Purging a company file requires single-user access. If you normally have multiple users accessing a shared company file on a host computer, purge the company file on the host computer when no other users are logged on. See 'Single-user file locking for special task'.

  1. Open the company file to be purged
  2. Create a backup file.
  3. Go to the command centre to be purged. The information you can purge is dependent upon the command centre you are in. For example, if you are in the Sales command centre, you can only purge closed invoices.
  4. Go to File menu and choose Purge [...].
  5. Click Continue and follow the instructions in the Purge [...] wizard.

Troubleshooting file-locking problems

When a company file is open, a temporary file called a lock file is created in the folder where the company file is stored. This file, called Lock000*.flk, keeps track of who is using the company file. When you log out of the company file, the lock file is deleted automatically.

Sometimes, however, the lock file is not deleted. This can happen if your computer crashes or an error causes your company file to close unexpectedly. Lock files can accumulate in the company file folder, resulting in error messages appearing when you try to access your company file again.

To resolve these error messages, you must exit your MYOB software. Open the folder that contains the company file and delete any lock files. You should then be able to open your company file without an error.

Special considerations for multi-access company files

NOTE : MYOB Premier range only The following networking information is only applicable to MYOB Premier and MYOB Premier Plus users.

When multiple users access a company file over a network, you need to be aware of factors that affect the way you work that are not present when only a single user accesses the company file. See:

Preferences in a network environment

Some of the choices in the Preferences window of your MYOB software can affect how everyone works with your company file. These preferences are clearly marked System-wide.

Multi-user file locking for daily transactions

Multi-user file locking ensures that changes cannot be made in some windows while related data is being changed by another user in another window.

For example, a situation could arise where a user is recording information in a sales transaction window while another user is changing details of the customer card being used in the sales transaction. In such a situation, multi-user file locking prevents changes being saved in one of the windows until the changes have been saved in the other window.

If you would like to know when another user has changed data in a window, go to the Setup menu, choose Preferences, click the System tab, and select the Automatically Refresh Lists When Information Changes option. Now, if another user changes information you are viewing, your MYOB software closes your window. When you reopen it, the data is updated.

TIP : View a list of users If you have been prevented from accessing the company file, you can identify which user is locking you out. To do this, go to a computer that has access to the company file and view the list of active users (by going to the File menu and choosing Active Workstations).

Single-user file locking for special tasks

Although several users must be able to share a company file for entering daily transactions, there are times when only one user should have access. Many of these tasks are file maintenance procedures such as checking and optimising the company file. For example, optimising a company file rearranges its internal structure, so you do not want someone else accessing the file while this process is taking place. Other single-user tasks are part of bookkeeping practice. For example, when you print a report, you do not want anybody to change data that will appear in the report while it is being printed.

TIP : View a list of users To check whether any other users are currently using the company file, before you set a single-user lock, go to the File menu and choose Active Workstations.

Single-user file locking prevents all but the first logged-in user from accessing a shared company file?other users cannot even log in. To enable single-user access after starting your MYOB software, click Single-user access in the Sign-on window.

The tasks that require single-user file locking include:

  1. company file verification
  2. purging data
  3. starting a new financial year
  4. creating, changing or deleting report batches
  5. optimising a company file
  6. setting up, changing or removing user accounts

Problems with lock files

To let you know when another user is already accessing a shared company file, your MYOB software displays the File is busy; access denied message when you try, at the same time, to save a transaction or otherwise write data. When you see this message, wait a few moments for the other transaction to finish and for your MYOB software to delete the lock file, and then click Retry.

If the power fails, or you switch off your computer while you MYOB software is running, or your system crashes, your MYOB software is unable to delete the lock file and you need to delete the locked file manually. See 'To delete lock file'. The following situations can cause lock files to accumulate in the folder where the company file is kept, resulting in various error messages when you try to open a company file:

  • Someone else is currently signed on with the same User ID Someone else is using the company file with your user ID or a lock file from an irregularly ended session is present.
  • No more than ten company files in any folder may be opened at one time

    • There are more than ten lock files, the maximum permitted?in the folder where the company files are kept. This can occur legitimately if there are more than ten company files in the folder, ten of which are open simultaneously, so that an eleventh open file would create an (illegal) eleventh lock file.

    It is unlikely that ten company files in a single folder will be open simultaneously. More likely, ten lock files have accumulated in the folder owing to crashes and other problems.

  • You have reached the maximum number of simultaneous users allowed under your MYOB software Workstation Licence

    • If you know this is incorrect, the problem may be a lock file.

To delete lock files

Any of the above messages may mean that there are old lock files cluttering the folder where you store the company file. You need to delete the lock files before your MYOB software will function correctly.

  1. Ask all users to close the shared company file and log out of your MYOB software
  2. Go to the File menu and choose Active Workstations to check whether any users are still logged in. If there are, ensure they have logged out before continuing.
  3. Log out of your MYOB software
  4. Navigate in Windows Explorer to the folder where you keep the shared company file.
  5. Delete all lock files.
  6. Restart your MYOB software and re-open the shared company file.

Preventing data entry while generating reports

If there are multiple users accessing a company file simultaneously and you want to print or view a report, we recommend that you prevent data changes being made during report generation. If you do not, other users will be able to continue making entries in the company file and your report may not be accurate. If another user changes information that affects the report while it?s being printed or displayed, that particular entry may be indicated by zeros or blank spaces on the report. In addition, new entries that other users make might affect the total amounts on some reports. For this reason, consider printing or displaying the report at a time when you know that no entries are being made that will affect its accuracy.

Before you print or display a report, open the Report Customisation window for the report and select the Prevent Data Changes During Report Generation option (on the Finishing tab of the Report Customisation window). This activates multi-user file locking and prevent other users from adding, changing or removing any information from the company file while your MYOB software is generating the report. When you print or display the report while this option is selected, the report will be up-to-date and accurate.

A few reports take some time to be generated. Consider printing these lengthy reports at times when other users won?t have to wait for the report to be generated before they can resume making entries in the company file.

Storing custom reports on a network

When you create custom reports and forms, information about them is stored on your workstation's hard disk and not on the network. Other users of the same company file won't be able to use your custom reports or forms unless you copy them to the appropriate locations on their workstations. (Your system administrator may need to perform this task.)

Custom reports are stored in the Custom folder and custom forms in the Forms folder. Both these folders are located under the folder where your MYOB software is installed on your workstation.

  1. The file is named Lock####.flk, where #### represents a number from 0001 to 0010. If there is more than one company file in the same folder, the number allows MYOB software to create a different named lock file for each company file.

Displaying up-to-date information

Each time you open a list window (such as the Find Transactions window) or display a report in the Report Display window, the information that is displayed matches the contents of the company file as of the moment you opened the list or displayed the report.

However, if you keep the list or report displayed on your computer screen for some time, the data that other users entered during that time will not be included in your list or report. You can update the information automatically or manually:

  • Automatic update Go to the Setup menu, choose Preferences and then click the System tab. Select the Automatically Refresh Lists when Information changes option.

    • NOTE : Automatic refreshing slows response Consider whether you need to have on-screen information refreshed automatically. If you choose this option, your MYOB software will operate more slowly for everyone who is accessing the company file. If speedier data entry is a priority, we recommend that you choose to manually refresh information regularly.

  • Manual update Go to the Window menu and choose Refresh All. To update an on-screen report in the Report Display window, click Redisplay.

Improving performance

The following list outlines a number of ways in which you can get the most out of your MYOB software:

  • Use single-user access whenever possible.
  • Optimise your company file frequently, see 'Optimising your company file'.
  • Do not select the Automatically Refresh Lists when Information Changes option in the Preferences window
  • Do not select the Warn for Duplicate [...] Numbers on Recorded Purchases option in the Purchases tab of the Preferences window.
  • Use Easy-Fill when entering card names, account names, and item numbers or names.
  • Avoid leaving list windows open.
  • Use only a few linked accounts for inventory items.
  • Combine line-item quantities on sales and purchases
  • Generate large reports when you're the only person using the company file.

Print reports by choosing a specific month instead of by entering a date range.