How to create and manage database Users in Act!

Note: When adding new users to your database, it is necessary to ensure that you have enough licenses in the database to allow those users to become active. If you do not have enough licenses, it will be necessary to purchase additional licenses. If you have additional licenses which have not been entered into the database, you can enter them using the instructions in the following knowledgebase article:

How do I add additional licenses or remove existing licenses from my Act! database?
Answer ID How do I add additional licenses or remove existing licenses from my Act! database?

You can create users out of existing contact records in your database or you can create a completely new user, which will in turn create a contact in the database. Refer to the set of instructions below that applies to which method you would like to use to create your new user:

Create User from Contact:

1. Click Tools &gt Manage Users.
2. In the Manage Users window, select Create New User under User Tasks.
3. Select the Create User from Contact option.
4. In the Choose Contact window, select the contact you are creating a User for then click Next.
5. The Enter User Information window appears:
   • Contact Name - The name for the contact. This will appear in the Contact field of the My Record for this User.
   • User Name - By default, this will be the same as the Contact Name. You may change this if desired.
   • Security Role - By default, the Standard role is selected. Select the desired role for this user utilizing the drop-down menu.
   • New Password and Confirm Password - No password is required, but is recommend that you use one.
   • User must change password at next log on - Enabling this option will require the User to change their password upon their next log on.
   • User cannot change password - Enabling this option will not allow User to change their password. This will only allow an Administrator User TO change or reset the User’s password.
   • Password never expires - Enabling this option allows the User’s password to never expire.
6. Click Next when finished.
7. In the Specific Access window, you can select the User to be Active or Inactive. Click Next when finished.
8. In the Add Permissions window, you can select which additional permissions you would like the user to have.
   
   Note: For more information about the available permissions, refer to the following knowledgebase article:
   
   Security Roles in Act!
   Answer ID Security Roles in Act!
   
   
9. Click Finish and your new user will be created.

Note: When you create a new user the status in Manage Users will display as Active Pending until the user has logged on to the database with their username.


To Create a New User

1. Click Tools &gt Manage Users.
2. In the Manage Users window,select Create New User under User Tasks.
3. Select the Create new User option.
4. The Enter User Information window appears:

• Contact Name - The name for the contact. This will appear in the Contact field of the My Record for this User.
  
• User Name - By default, this will be the same as the Contact Name. You may change this if desired.
  
• Security Role - By default, the Standard role is selected. Select the desired role for this user utilizing the drop-down menu.
• New Password and Confirm Password - No password is required, but is recommend that you use one.
  
• User must change password at next log on - Enabling this option will require the User to change their password upon their next log on.
  
• User cannot change password - Enabling this option will not allow User to change their password. This will only allow an Administrator User TO change or reset the User’s password.
  
• Password never expires - Enabling this option allows the User’s password to never expire.

Click Next when finished.

In the Specific Access window, you can select the User to be Active or Inactive. Click Next when finished.

In the Add Permissions window, you can select which additional permissions you would like the user to have.

Note: For more information about the available permissions, refer to the following knowledgebase article:

Security Roles in Act!
Answer ID Security Roles in Act!

Click Finish and your new user will be created.

Note: When you create a new user the status in Manage Users will display as Active Pending until the user has logged on to the database with their username.

Users of your database can be Active or Inactive. Inactive users do not use a database license. This is useful in situations where, for example, an Act! user leaves your company and someone else will take their place as a user in the database, but you wish to retain history recording for the user who left the company. Rather than deleting the old user, you can set them to Inactive and then create a new Active user for the new member of your company.

If you need to change a user from Inactive to Active (or vice versa), follow the steps below

1. Click Tools > Manage Users.
2. In the Select a User window, double-click the User that you want to change.
3. Click Next in the Edit User Information window.
4. In the Specify Access window, select to make the User Active or Inactive.
5. Click Finish.

You can select to hide inactive users from the Schedule With and Record Manager drop-down lists. To control this option follow the steps below:

1. Click Tools > Manage Users
2. Checkmark the option for Hide Inactive users from Schedule With and Record Manager drop-down lists.
3. Click Close.

You can add or remove permissions from your Manager or Standard level users. To do this:

1. Click Tools > Manage Users...
   
2. Select the desired User, then click edit User Information
   
3. Under Manage User Tasks, click Add Permissions
   
4. Under “Available Permissions (optional):”, select the desired permission or Ctrl + click multiple desired permissions, then click the [ > ] button to add the permissions
   
   Note: To remove permissions, select the permission or permissions you want to remove from under “Added Permissions:” just like above, but click the [ < ] button to remove them
   
   
5. When done, click Finish
   
   For information regarding what additional permissions are available, refer to the following knowledgebase article:
   
   Security Roles in Act!
   
   

1. Click Tools &gt Manage Users
2. In the Select a User window, double-click the user you want to update
3. In the Edit User Information window, update the User Name field
   
   Note: Changing the User Name only changes the name that the user enters when logging into the database. The Contact Name cannot be changed from the Edit User Information screen. If you need to also change the Contact Name for the user, it is necessary to lookup the Contact record for the user and change the Contact field from the Contacts section of the database after saving your changes in the Manage Users window.
   
   
4. Click Finish

Changing a User's Password

1. Click Tools > Manage Users.
2. In the Select a User window, double-click the User that you want to update
3. In Edit User Information window, update the New Password and Confirm Password fields.
4. Click Finish.

Resetting a User's Password

1. Click Tools > Manage Users.
2. In the Select a User window, double-click the User that you want to update.
3. In Edit User Information window, click Reset Password to blank out the password fields and enable the User must change password option at next log on check box.
4. Click Finish.
   
   Note: Upon the updated User’s next logon they will be forced to make a new password.

Changing a user's Password options

1. Click Tools > Manage Users
2. In the Select a user window, double-click the User that you want to update
3. Under Password options, toggle the following options as desired:
   
   • User must change password at next log on.
   • User cannot change password.
   • Password never expires
   
   
4. Click Finish when done

Note: Deleting users will remove their username name from the record manager column of all notes and history entries and replace it with the name of the user you reassign their records to. If you need to retain historical data on actions taken and data entered into the database by users who no longer use the database, it is a good practice to set users who no longer access the database to inactive, rather than deleting them. This will make it so that they can no longer log in, as well as free up a license so that you can create a new user to take their place, while retaining all historical data so that you know what information was entered by which user. For information, on replacing a user instead of deleting them, refer to the following knowledgebase article:

How do I replace a user in my database without deleting the original user?

1. Click Tools > Manage Users.
2. In the Select a User window, highlight the User that you want to delete.
3. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.
4. If the selected User is assigned to records in the database, the Delete User dialog box will appear.
5. In this window, you will have the option to delete the User’s records or reassign their records to another User. Click Ok to confirm option.
   
   Warning: If you delete a User without reassigning their records to another User, then all records (contacts, activities, opportunities, etc.) belonging to that user will be permanently removed from the database. Records that the user has marked as private, as well as notes and histories marked as private cannot be reassigned and will be deleted.
   
   
6. Click Yes to delete the user.
7. The Retain as Contact dialog box will appear. Click Yes or No to confirm option and the User will be deleted.

For information on limiting access to specific Records within the database, refer to the following knowledgebase article:

How to Set Contact Access Controls for Users in Act!
Answer ID How do I set Contact Access controls for users in Act!?