How to Add and Manage Users in QuickBooks Online
As your business grows, you may need other people to work inside your QuickBooks Online account. This might include an employee, office manager, payroll person, accountant, or bookkeeper.
QuickBooks allows you to give people their own access and control what they are allowed to see and do. This is much better than simply giving someone your own username and password.
Here is a simple explanation of how QuickBooks Online user access works and how to manage it.
Why Add Separate Users to QuickBooks?
Not everyone working with your business needs access to everything.
For example, an employee who only tracks time may not need to see your complete financial information. Someone helping with bookkeeping may need broader access to transactions and reports.
QuickBooks lets you assign different user roles and permissions, so you can decide what each person can access.
Giving each person their own access also makes it easier to manage users later if someone's responsibilities change or they stop working with your business.
How to Add a User in QuickBooks Online
According to QuickBooks, you can add a new user from the Manage Users section of your account.
Start by signing in to QuickBooks Online.
Then:
Select the Settings ⚙️ icon.
Select Manage users.
Select Add user.
Enter the person's name and email address.
Choose the appropriate role from the Roles menu.
Review what that role allows the person to access.
Adjust any available account-management permissions if necessary.
Select Send invitation.
QuickBooks will send an invitation to the person's email address.
What Happens After You Send the Invitation?
The new user receives an email inviting them to your QuickBooks company.
They select the link in the invitation and either:
sign in with an Intuit account they already have, or
create an Intuit account if they don't already have one.
Once the invitation is accepted, they can access your QuickBooks company according to the permissions you assigned.
Choose User Permissions Carefully
This is an important step.
Before sending an invitation, take a moment to review exactly what the selected role allows the person to do.
Someone may only need access to a small part of QuickBooks, while another person may need much broader access.
A good general rule is:
Give someone the access they need to perform their job, but don't automatically give everyone full administrative access.
QuickBooks shows the features available for each role when you are setting up the user, making it easier to review the permissions before sending the invitation.
Giving Your Bookkeeper or Accountant Access
If you hire someone to help maintain your books, don't simply send them your QuickBooks username and password.
QuickBooks provides ways to give accountants access to a company's books, and the Manage Users system is designed so different people can have their own access and permissions.
This keeps your own login separate and makes access easier to manage later.
If your bookkeeper uses QuickBooks Online Accountant, they may ask you to send an accountant invitation rather than adding them as a regular company user.
How to Change a User's Access
Business responsibilities change.
Someone who originally had limited access may later need additional permissions. You may also decide that someone should have less access than they currently have.
To change a user's role:
Go to Settings ⚙️.
Select Manage users.
Find the person you want to change.
Select Edit in the Action column.
Change the person's role or available account-management settings.
Select Save.
QuickBooks recommends asking the user to sign out and sign back in after the change so the updated permissions appear.
One exception is certain time-tracking roles. QuickBooks says these roles cannot simply be edited; the user may need to be removed and added again with the correct role.
How to Remove a User
If an employee leaves your company, a contractor finishes a project, or someone simply no longer needs access, you should review whether they should remain a QuickBooks user.
To remove a user:
Go to Settings ⚙️.
Select Manage users.
Find the user.
Select the three-dot menu next to the user.
Select Delete.
Confirm by selecting Delete user.
Deleting the user removes their access, but QuickBooks states that their previous activity can still be viewed through the Audit Log.
How Many Users Can You Add?
The number of users you can add depends on your QuickBooks Online subscription.
As of Intuit's current 2026 usage limits:
Simple Start: 1 billable user
Essentials: 3 billable users
Plus: 5 billable users
Advanced: 25 billable users
Some user types do not count toward these limits. Accountant users and certain limited-access users may be treated differently depending on your QuickBooks plan.
Because QuickBooks plans and features can change, check your current subscription before adding users.
You can see your account's usage limits by going to:
Settings ⚙️ → Account and settings → Usage.
A Simple Habit: Review Your QuickBooks Users Regularly
Many business owners add someone to QuickBooks and then forget about it.
Every few months, open Manage users and ask:
Does this person still work with my business?
Do they still need QuickBooks access?
Do they have more access than they need?
Is an old employee, contractor, or bookkeeper still listed?
Does my current bookkeeper or accountant have the correct access?
It only takes a few minutes, but it is a useful part of keeping your business information organized and controlled.
Final Thought
QuickBooks user management doesn't have to be complicated.
The important thing is to avoid treating your QuickBooks login like a password that gets passed from person to person. Instead, give each person the appropriate access for the work they need to perform.
And if you're working with a bookkeeper or accountant, ask them what type of QuickBooks invitation they need before giving them access. Setting it up correctly from the beginning can make working together much easier.
