Securing Your HeavyBid Setup
Goal: Protect the System Wide Codebooks and Setting from accidental modification but the secondary goal can be to also protect the Master Estimate(s). The problem with passwording the Master Estimate is that every estimate created from that Master will require a password to access it. This is usually not the intent. So HCSS has a method of protecting the Master Estimate by protecting the System-Wide codebooks and settings with a password.
Recommendation: I suggest that with four or more estimators the system should be protected. If you have the Comprehensive version of HeavyBid there are more options in doing this but the method as outlined below is available for all versions. Even with the Comprehensive version what is outlined below is the only way to protect the Master Estimate(s)
Steps 1: In any estimate go to FILE and click on the SYSTEM icon in the Passwords sections. Note that we are not pass-wording the estimate so don’t select “Estimate” here. You want “System”.
Step 2: You must know the System Wide Password at this point. Perhaps everyone knows this password or just a few people. That is your option. The default password is CAT
Once the password is correctly entered the following screen will come up.
The first box is to be checked if you want the system wide password to be required to get into the Master Estimate(s). All estimates in the “Master Estimate” tab will require the admin password. The second box is another option that requires the box above to be checked. So as an option (in addition of the password required to get into a Master Estimate) a user must also be in a Master Estimate to change any system codebooks or settings. If you have an extensive system wide codebook setup and perhaps a fairly large number of people who can access HeavyBid I would recommend this setting be checked.
Further discussion: If you are thinking that you are restricting access to the Codebooks because they reside in the Master Estimate that is not correct. You have to understand the difference between system wide files and master estimates. To unleash HeavyBid and use it to its full potential there has to be an understanding that system wide files are not part of a Master Estimate.
You can find the instructions on how to do this in a printable PDF over on my blog.