We've updated how staff permissions work in BrightAccountsProduction to give you better control and consistency when managing your team's access across your practice.

Key Changes

• Default Permissions for New Staff: New team members automatically receive appropriate permissions based on their role
• Default Staff Permissions: The permissions screen now shows the default permissions that apply across all businesses
• AP vs BrightBooks Permissions: Accounts Production permissions are now marked with an asterisk (*) to distinguish them from BrightBooks permissions
• Better Permission Visibility: See at a glance when permissions vary across different businesses with the new "Indeterminate" state
• Automatic Updates: Permission changes automatically apply to non-bookkeeping businesses, with separate control for bookkeeping businesses

Understanding the Permission System

Master vs. Business Permissions

Master Permissions are the default permissions set at your organization level. These apply when a staff member doesn't have specific permissions set for an individual business.

Business Permissions are specific overrides for individual businesses. When set, these take priority over the master permissions.

The Rule: If a business has specific permissions set for a staff member, those are used. Otherwise, the master permissions apply.

Permission Types: AP vs BrightBooks

In the permissions list, you'll notice some permissions have an asterisk (*) next to them:

• Permissions with * (asterisk): These are Accounts Production permissions
• *Permissions without : These are BrightBooks permissions

This distinction is important when working with businesses that use both products.

Permission States

When you view staff permissions, you'll see three possible states:

• ✓ Checked: The permission is granted in ALL associated businesses and matches the master setting
• ☐ Unchecked: The permission is NOT granted in ANY associated business and matches the master setting
• -- Indeterminate: The permission differs across businesses, or the master setting differs from some business settings

When Staff Are Added

New Staff Members

When you add a new staff member to your organization, they automatically receive default permissions based on their role:

Owner/Administrator Role:

• Receives ALL permissions (both AP and BrightBooks)
• Full access to all features and functions

Regular User Role:

• Receives most permissions EXCEPT:
  • Staff Permissions (cannot manage other users)
  • Practice Details (cannot modify organization settings)
  • Delete functions (cannot delete critical data)
  • Other sensitive administrative functions

These defaults are set once when the user is created and are never automatically changed later.

Adding Staff to a New Business

When you give a staff member access to a new business, the system copies their master permissions as a starting point. You can review and adjust these permissions before saving.

Changing Staff Permissions

How to Update Permissions

1. Navigate to Staff > Staff Permissions
2. Select the staff member whose permissions you want to change
3. The form heading will show "Default Staff Permissions"
4. Review the informational message at the top explaining the three permission states
5. Make your changes by checking or unchecking permissions
6. Click Save

The Two-Step Save Process (Important!)

BrightAccountsProduction uses a different save process than BrightBooks:

Step 1: Update Master and Non-Bookkeeping Businesses (Automatic)

• Your changes are saved to the master permission set
• Changes are automatically applied to ALL non-bookkeeping businesses
• No confirmation is required for this step

Step 2: Apply to Bookkeeping Businesses (Optional)

• You'll be asked: "Default permissions have been updated and applied to non-bookkeeping businesses. Would you like to apply the same permissions to bookkeeping businesses as well?"
• If you choose Yes: Select which bookkeeping businesses should receive the updated permissions
  • All businesses are unselected by default for safety
  • Use "Select All" if you want to update all bookkeeping businesses
• If you choose No: Only master and non-bookkeeping businesses are updated; bookkeeping businesses remain unchanged

Important: If the staff member has no associated bookkeeping businesses, Step 2 is automatically skipped.

Understanding Indeterminate Permissions

What Does Indeterminate Mean?

An indeterminate checkbox (shown as "--" or grayed out) means one of two things:

1. The permission is granted in some businesses but not others
2. The master permission setting differs from one or more business-level settings

How to Handle Indeterminate Permissions

• To grant the permission everywhere: Check the box and save. This sets the master permission and automatically applies to non-bookkeeping businesses, then you can choose bookkeeping businesses.
• To remove the permission everywhere: Uncheck the box and save. This removes it from the master and non-bookkeeping businesses, then you can choose bookkeeping businesses.
• To leave it as-is: Don't change it. The indeterminate permission will remain unchanged unless you explicitly check or uncheck it.

Important Rules and Restrictions

SME Business Permissions

For SME businesses that use both Accounts Production and BrightBooks:

When you change both AP and BrightBooks permissions for an SME business:

• Only the Accounts Production permission changes will be applied
• BrightBooks permission changes will be ignored for SME businesses

This is indicated in the message: "Accounts Production permissions are displayed with an * asterix, when Accounts Production and BrightBooks permission changes are both selected for an SME business, only the Accounts Production change will be applied."

Permission Priority

When both master and business-level permissions exist:

• Business-level permissions ALWAYS take priority
• Master permissions only apply when business-level permissions are empty or not set

Common Scenarios

Scenario 1: Granting a New Permission to All Staff

Goal: Give all your staff access to a new Accounts Production feature

Steps:

1. Open Staff Permissions for the staff member
2. Check the new permission (look for the * to confirm it's an AP permission)
3. Save - the permission automatically applies to master and all non-bookkeeping businesses
4. In Step 2, select Yes to apply to bookkeeping businesses
5. Click Select All to include all bookkeeping businesses
6. Confirm the changes

Result: The permission is added to master AND all businesses

Scenario 2: Updating Non-Bookkeeping Businesses Only

Goal: Change a permission but keep bookkeeping businesses as they are

Steps:

1. Open Staff Permissions for the staff member
2. Make your permission changes
3. Save - changes automatically apply to master and non-bookkeeping businesses
4. In Step 2, select No - do not apply to bookkeeping businesses

Result: Master and non-bookkeeping businesses are updated; bookkeeping businesses remain unchanged

Scenario 3: Distinguishing Between AP and BrightBooks Permissions

Goal: Grant Accounts Production access but restrict BrightBooks access

Steps:

1. Open Staff Permissions for the staff member
2. Check the permissions marked with * (asterisk) - these are AP permissions
3. Leave BrightBooks permissions (no asterisk) unchecked
4. Save and proceed through both steps as needed

Result: Staff member has AP access but limited or no BrightBooks access

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What's the difference between bookkeeping and non-bookkeeping businesses?
A: Non-bookkeeping businesses are typically those using Accounts Production for compliance and accounts production work. Bookkeeping businesses use the bookkeeping features and may have different permission requirements, which is why they're handled separately.

Q: Why do some permissions have an asterisk (*)?
A: The asterisk indicates Accounts Production permissions. This helps you distinguish between AP and BrightBooks permissions, especially important when managing businesses that use both products.

Q: What happens if I change permissions for an SME business that uses both AP and BrightBooks?
A: For SME businesses, Accounts Production permission changes take priority. If you change both AP and BrightBooks permissions, only the AP changes will be applied to SME businesses.

Q: Can I apply changes to only specific non-bookkeeping businesses?
A: No, Step 1 automatically applies to ALL non-bookkeeping businesses. If you need granular control, you should manage permissions at the individual business level separately.

Q: What happens if I change a staff member's role from User to Administrator?
A: The role change doesn't automatically update their permissions. You'll need to manually update their permissions if you want to grant them full administrative access.

Q: What if I make a mistake when saving changes?
A: Step 1 automatically updates master and non-bookkeeping businesses. Step 2 lets you choose which bookkeeping businesses to update. If you click "No" in Step 2, only master and non-bookkeeping businesses are affected. You can always go back and update permissions again if needed.

Q: Will permission changes affect staff who are currently logged in?
A: Permission changes take effect immediately. Staff members may need to refresh their browser or log out and back in to see the changes reflected in the interface.

Q: Can I give different permissions to the same staff member in different businesses?
A: Yes. While we recommend keeping permissions consistent for simplicity, you can set specific permissions for individual businesses by managing them separately at the business level.

Key Differences from BrightBooks Bureau

If you also use BrightBooks Bureau, note these important differences in how permissions work in Accounts Production:

1. Automatic Updates: AP automatically updates non-bookkeeping businesses in Step 1 (Books requires selection)
2. Bookkeeping Focus: Step 2 only shows bookkeeping businesses (Books shows all businesses)
3. Permission Marking: AP permissions are marked with * (Books doesn't use this)
4. SME Handling: For SME businesses using both products, AP permissions take priority

Need More Help?

If you have questions about managing staff permissions or encounter any issues, please contact our support team for assistance.