How to Utilise User Roles and Permissions in Finance?
User roles and permissions control what each person can see and do within a finance system. They are essential for security, segregation of duties, and audit readiness because they reduce the risk of unauthorised posting, inappropriate approvals, accidental changes to master data, and access to sensitive financial information.
- Roles and permissions are a core internal control that protects financial integrity.
- Segregation of duties reduces fraud and error risk by separating creation, approval, and payment tasks.
- Regular access reviews keep permissions aligned with job roles and reduce control drift.
What roles and permissions typically control
Permissions commonly govern:
- Posting and approving journals
- Creating or editing suppliers and bank details
- Entering and approving invoices and payments
- Editing VAT/tax codes and posting rules
- Creating or changing chart of accounts and dimensions
- Viewing sensitive data (payroll, executive reports, entity results)
Well-designed permissions limit high-risk actions to appropriate users and keep a clear audit trail of who did what and when.
Why segregation of duties matters
Segregation of duties (SoD) is a control principle that prevents one person from controlling a full transaction end-to-end. For example, the same user should not be able to:
- create a supplier and approve payments to that supplier
- raise and approve the same journal
- change bank details and release a payment
SoD reduces the likelihood of fraud and makes mistakes easier to detect.
Designing effective access control
Effective access control typically includes:
- role-based templates (e.g., AP clerk, approver, finance manager)
- “least privilege” access (only what’s needed for the job)
- approval workflows for sensitive changes
- logging and monitoring of key activities
- periodic user access reviews and prompt removal of leavers
Common pitfalls
Problems arise when permissions are granted “temporarily” and never removed, when too many users have admin rights, or when approval rules are unclear. Access controls should evolve with organisational changes, not drift over time.
How often should access be reviewed?
Commonly quarterly or at least annually, and whenever someone changes role.
What’s the biggest risk area?
Supplier master data and payment approvals are frequent control hotspots.
Do permissions replace approvals?
No. Permissions control capability; approvals control process governance and oversight.
Find out more about AccountsIQ’s collaborative accounting and multi-level approval features.
