Sharing Data for Program Among Different Users

[DeejayNYC]

I am for the first time trying to set up my home computer -- using Windows XP Professional -- to have multiple users (for my wife and kids). The problem is this: is there any way to allow access to the same data for certain programs? Specifically, I would like for both my wife and myself to have access to the data in our Microsoft Money program. Our financial data is on "my" account, and if I try to open Microsoft Money from my wife's user account, the program assumes that it has never been used before. It seems that there ought to be a better solution than having my wife routinely log on as me. I could give up on the multiple users idea, but then I'm stuck with a single Outlook, tied to my e-mail accounts.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

DJ

 

[Rod Farmer]

I don't use MS Money, but in most apps e.g.MS Word, you can go to the tools menu then options and there is a file location tab. Set in each account, the paths to point to where the data is.

Rod


I am for the first time trying to set up my home computer -- using Windows XP Professional -- to have multiple users (for my wife and kids). The problem is this: is there any way to allow access to the same data for certain programs? Specifically, I would like for both my wife and myself to have access to the data in our Microsoft Money program. Our financial data is on "my" account, and if I try to open Microsoft Money from my wife's user account, the program assumes that it has never been used before. It seems that there ought to be a better solution than having my wife routinely log on as me. I could give up on the multiple users idea, but then I'm stuck with a single Outlook, tied to my e-mail accounts.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

DJ

 

[CWatters]

Why not set up a user account specifically to run MS Money? Move the ..mny file into the My Documents folder for that user and double click on it to get Money to use it. I think Money remembers where it last opened the file so you would only need to do this the first time. You would also need to configure any on-line accounts that Money uses (Messenger etc)

On the other hand...
You could try moving the .mny file to a shared folder. This probably won't work if you do fast account switching and you both try and open the file. Best set up your PC to force a log-off/log-on when switching users accounts. Also - if one of you has a problem - lets say Money crashes and leaves the file in an unknown state - don't be tempted to log in as the other user to fix it. That could really confuse things. Fix the problem in the user account open at the time. I can also imagine possible problems if you use any online services that come with Money or have different Messenger accounts set up (one for each user).


I am for the first time trying to set up my home computer -- using Windows XP Professional -- to have multiple users (for my wife and kids). The problem is this: is there any way to allow access to the same data for certain programs? Specifically, I would like for both my wife and myself to have access to the data in our Microsoft Money program. Our financial data is on "my" account, and if I try to open Microsoft Money from my wife's user account, the program assumes that it has never been used before. It seems that there ought to be a better solution than having my wife routinely log on as me. I could give up on the multiple users idea, but then I'm stuck with a single Outlook, tied to my e-mail accounts.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

DJ

 

[Alex Nichol]

I am for the first time trying to set up my home computer -- using Windows XP Professional -- to have multiple users (for my wife and kids). The problem is this: is there any way to allow access to the same data for certain programs? Specifically, I would like for both my wife and myself to have access to the data in our Microsoft Money program. Our financial data is on "my" account, and if I try to open Microsoft Money from my wife's user account, the program assumes that it has never been used before.

The standard method of File Sharing in Home (and you can't do anything
about it without going to Pro) is that all files made in a user's My
Documents are Private to the user and cannot be seen by others. So what
you can do is make a separate folder *outside* the Documents and
settings. . . . My Documents system, say C:\Money, and use that. The
disadvantage is that the other accounts (kids) will be able to access it
too.

Or another approach, presuming that your account is as an Administrator
and hers is limited, is to have the files in a folder in *her* My
Documents, when I think (without checking) that your account as an Admin
will be able to see them

 

[DeejayNYC]

As I am running Windows XP Professional, are the set-ups any different there?

Thanks again.

DJ

 

[Alex Nichol]

As I am running Windows XP Professional, are the set-ups any different there?

Yes. In Pro things are much better. Go to Folder Options, View and
uncheck 'Use Simple File Sharing'

Then, if you are using NTFS on the drive, you can right click a file or
folder, and in the Security page set detailed access rights. I'd still
use a folder outside the My Documents system though