Goldenseal Passwords

This section explains how to use passwords in Goldenseal.

HINT-- The passwords in the Goldenseal accounting software allow you to control access for each employee.

USING PASSWORDS-- how to use passwords day to day
Signing On | Signing Off | Changing Your Password

Website Links-- useful info on our website
Accounting Software | Business Management Software | Estimating Software | Project Management Software

RELATED TOPICS
Audit Trail | Data Entry | Reports | Security

Entering Passwords

To create a new password for someone who uses Goldenseal only to enter payroll data, follow these steps:

Choose Passwords from the Options menu.
You'll see a list of passwords.
Click the New button.
Enter details for the password. When you are finished, click OK. You need to confirm the password as you leave.

Data Fields

Enter the following info for each password:

User Name-- Enter the name or title of the person using this password access level.
Comments-- Enter any comments you have about this password.
Password Text-- Enter the password text that must be entered to sign on with this password. You can use any text, numbers or punctuation, up to 23 characters.
Hint-- Enter a hint, that will help you to remember this password.
Time Lockout-- Enter the time lockout-- when Goldenseal will stop allowing access to records.
Allow Exports-- Turn on the checkbox to allow data exports, when using this password.
Allow Imports-- Turn on the checkbox to allow data imports, when using this password. Goldenseal only allows imports for passwords that have full password access.
Passwords Access-- Use the slider controls to set the level of access to the passwords for other users.
Audit Trail Access-- Use the slider controls to set the level of access to the audit trail.
Data Entry Access-- Use the slider controls to set the level of access to each type of company data.
Reporting Access-- Use the slider controls to set the level of access to reports.

HINT-- If you hold down the Shift key when you move a control, all the other controls in the same column will move to the same place.

Choosing a Safe Password

To be practical, a password must be simple enough so you can remember it without writing it down. It also needs to be complex enough that someone else can't deduce it.

NOTE-- Goldenseal passwords are not case sensitive (it doesn't matter whether you use uppercase or lowercase letters).

We suggest a nonsense phrase of items that only you know about (you have 23 characters to play with).

Here are some ways you can make a password that is secure, but that you can still remember yourself:

Combine several words and numbers that mean something to you, but that other people won't be able to figure out (flamingo25gargoyle)
Use common words but misspell them (flammeengo), reverse them (ognimalf) or scramble them (flagoming).
Combine words, numbers and punctuation marks into a nonsense phrase. You can put a number into the middle of a word (flam666ingo) or use spaces or punctuation to break up common words (fla,min go).
Use a number that you'll remember, but hold down the shift key so it comes out as punctuation (!$*^)
Use a simple cipher for a common word, for example the letter after each letter in a word (gmbnjohp).

Here are some items to avoid:

Common words or phrases
The name of pets or family members
Your social security number, birthday, place of birth or mother's maiden name
Any of the specific examples mentioned in this section!

Choosing a Safe Hint

Goldenseal lets you enter a hint, which you can view if you forget your password.

Anyone can see your hint when they sign on. That means that it is very important for you to enter text that will help you to remember the password, but that won't allow someone else to deduce your password from what they know about you, or from data that is stored in accessible records.

Keeping your Password Safe

Goldenseal stores password text in encrypted form, so it is not visible anywhere in the file's data.

If you don't want others to see (and change) your company data, it's important to be equally secure with your own use of the password.

Never write it down in a place that is accessible to others (desk, address book, file cabinets).
Don't store it on your computer, and never email it to someone else.
Don't give your password to anyone who may not respect its security.
Don't use the same password for different things.
Change your password every few months.

If you are concerned that someone else may be using your password, check the Audit Trail for access made with your user name.
HINT-- Use the Find command to locate Open Company File in the Action field, and your sign-on name in the User field. You can compare the dates and times to the times when you know you used Goldenseal.

Time Lockout

Use time lockout to restrict access to records that are older than a certain date.

A user with a password that has a lockout will not be able to change records that are older than the lockout date.

HINT-- Time lockout applies only to users that have write access. If a user has full access to a level, they'll be able to change records no matter how old the records are (or how old the user is, for that matter).

Password Access

Four levels of access are available when working with passwords for this user and other users:

No Access-- The user will not be able to view or change any passwords-- not even their own password.
Write Access-- The user can view and change their own password, but nobody else's.
Full Write Access-- The user can view and change their own password, and passwords for any users who have no access or write access. They can't view or change passwords for others that have full write access or full access.
Full Access-- The user can change the setup of any password.

Audit Trail Access

The audit trail can be set to No Access, View Access, or Full Access.
NOTE-- Even with full access, you can only change comments in the audit trail-- all other fields are permanently locked.

Data Entry Access

Four levels of access are available for data entry in each basic part of Goldenseal:

No Access-- The user will not be able to see or do anything.
View Access-- The user can look at records, but can't create new records or change existing ones.
Write Access-- The user can create new records or change existing ones. They can't delete records, and can't create or change list items, print forms or data entry forms.
Full Access-- The user can create records or change existing records. The user can also change list items, print forms or data entry layouts.

Reports Access

Three levels of access are available for each type of report:

No Access-- The user will not be able to view any reports.
Print Access-- The user can view and print records.
Full Access-- The user can view and print reports. The user can also change report layouts.

Access Areas

Goldenseal allows you to specify access to general areas within Goldenseal. You can set each employee's access to match the work that they do with Goldenseal.

Accounts Access-- Controls access to Account records, Account reports and related lists.
Banking Access-- Controls access to Bank Transactions, Banking reports and related lists.
Billing Access-- Controls access to the Billing command, Billing Records and related lists.
Contacts Access-- Controls access to the Address Book, Appointments, Contact Log , Document Log, Problem Log and related lists.
Estimates Access-- Controls access to Allowances, Bids, Estimates and related lists.
Financials Access-- Controls access to Cash Transfers, Info Log, Purchase & Work Orders, Financial reports and related lists.
Inventory Access-- Controls access to Assemblies, Cost Items, Inventory Transfers and Inventory reports.
Payroll Access-- Controls access to the Write Payroll command, Payroll Records, Payroll reports and related lists.
Projects Access-- Controls access to the Job Costs command, Change Orders, Chargebacks, Contracts, Project Log and related lists.
Purchases Access-- Controls access to the Pay Bills command, Cost Transfers, Material Purchases, Other Costs, Subcontractor Costs, Expense reports and related lists.
Rentals Access-- Controls access to Leases, Rental Transactions, Rental reports and related lists.
Sales Access-- Controls access to Sales, Income reports and related lists.
Time Logs Access-- Controls access to Equipment Hours, Labor Hours, and related lists.
Preferences-- Controls access to Preferences.

Signing On

Once you have created new passwords, Goldenseal will ask you for a password each time you open the company file.

Choose the password level that applies to you, and enter the password.
HINT-- Goldenseal passwords are not case sensitive. If your password is "Gargoyle", then you can type gargoyle or gArgOYLE.

If you enter your password incorrectly, you'll be allowed a few more tries to enter it correctly.

If you have forgotten your password, click the Hint button to see a hint that will help you to remember the password.

File Access

Some menu commands are not available to those whose password access is not high enough. When you open an account or transaction window, Goldenseal checks your password, and give you the type of access from the Password list.

No Access-- no records will be visible.
Read Access-- you can see records, but they are always locked and can't be changed.
Data Entry-- you can see records, and you can change them unless they are closed, or are older than the time lockout date.
Full Access-- you can see records, and you can change them unless they are closed.

If you are using passwords, Goldenseal displays your current level of access on the left side of the browser window.

Signing Off

When you are finished using Goldenseal, you can either Quit from the program, or sign off.
To sign off, choose Sign Off from the File menu.
HINT-- To prevent unauthorized use of Goldenseal in your name, it's a good idea to sign off whenever you leave the computer.

Changing Your Password

To change your password, choose Passwords from the Options menu.

If you have full password access, you can change your own password and anyone else's.
If you have "two pens" access, you can change your own password, and the password text only for users with lower password access.
If you have "one pen" access, you can change your own password.

Master Password

Goldenseal starts out with one password-- the Master password. It provides full access to all features in the program.

You cannot delete the master password.

Goldenseal starts out with a blank Master password, so anyone can use it. Once you assign a password to the Master password, you'll need to remember it to get full access.

WARNING-- Don't forget the master password! You might want to create a second Password that also has full access to all features, so you won't be in so much trouble if you forget the first one.

To assign a new password to the master password, follow these steps:

Choose Passwords from the Options menu.
You'll see a list of passwords.
Select Master Password from the list, and click the Edit button.
Type a password into the Password field.
Click OK. You need to confirm the password as you leave.

Open Access

When you first start with Goldenseal, it does not require passwords. Anyone can do anything, anywhere in the program. If you don't create any passwords, that is how the program will remain.
HINT-- If only one person uses the program, or if all users are trusted, you can probably avoid using passwords. However you might still want to use a password for protection against snoopy outsiders.

If you create passwords and want to go back to open access, delete all passwords but the Master Password.

Password Systems

It's usually easiest to create a separate Password for each person who will use Goldenseal. Then you can set their access to exactly what you want them to see.

Only give higher levels of access to employees whom you trust.

HINT-- If you are concerned about improper user actions, you can check the Audit Trail to see what each user has been doing. Goldenseal gives a special warning there when Passwords or Data Entry Preferences are changed.

Exports/Imports

For security reasons, Goldenseal does not let you export or import passwords. If you start a new company file, you'll need to re-enter all passwords.