Household SharingPermissions

Household Permissions

How permission levels, the activity log, and access management work for household sharing in Forbidden Finance.

Overview

Household permissions in Forbidden Finance give you granular control over what each member can do with shared data. Beyond simply choosing which accounts to share, you can configure whether a member has view-only access or the ability to make changes. An activity log tracks every action taken on shared resources, so you always know who did what.

Household sharing is available on Pro and Premium plans.

Permission Levels

Each household member's access to shared resources is governed by a permission level:

PermissionWhat They Can Do
ViewerSee balances, transactions, and details for shared accounts. Cannot make changes.
EditorEverything a Viewer can do, plus add transactions, edit categories, and manage recurring rules on shared accounts.

The household owner always has full access to their own accounts and manages permissions for all members. By default, new members are added as Viewers.

How to Set Permissions

Open Household settings

Navigate to Settings > Household. You see a list of household members.

Select a member

Tap the member whose permissions you want to configure.

Choose the permission level

Select Viewer or Editor for each shared resource or as a blanket setting for all shared accounts.

Save

Tap Save to apply the changes. The member's access updates immediately.

Activity Log

The activity log provides a transparent record of every action taken on shared data. Both the household owner and members can view the log.

What the Log Records

  • Transaction actions — Who added, edited, or deleted a transaction in a shared account.
  • Category changes — Who recategorized a transaction.
  • Recurring rule changes — Who created, edited, paused, or deleted a recurring rule on a shared account.
  • Sharing changes — When an account was shared or unshared.
  • Permission changes — When a member's permission level was updated.
  • Member events — When a member joined or was removed from the household.

Viewing the Log

Open the activity log

Navigate to Settings > Household > Activity Log.

Browse entries

Entries are listed in reverse chronological order (newest first). Each entry shows the member's name, the action taken, the affected resource, and a timestamp.

Filter (optional)

Use the filter options to narrow the log by member, action type, or date range.

Managing Access Over Time

Household dynamics change. Here is how to handle common situations:

Changing Permissions

You can upgrade a Viewer to an Editor or downgrade an Editor to a Viewer at any time from the member's permission settings. Changes take effect immediately.

Removing a Member

Open Household settings

Navigate to Settings > Household.

Select the member

Tap the member you want to remove.

Remove from household

Tap Remove Member and confirm. The member immediately loses access to all shared data. Their own accounts and data remain unaffected.

Leaving a Household

If you are a member (not the owner), you can leave a household at any time:

  1. Go to Settings > Household.
  2. Tap Leave Household.
  3. Confirm. You immediately lose access to shared data, and the owner is notified.

Revoking Access to Specific Accounts

Instead of removing a member entirely, you can unshare specific accounts. Go to Settings > Household > Shared Accounts and toggle off the accounts you want to make private. See the Shared Accounts guide for details.

Tips

Start with Viewer permissions for new household members. Once you are both comfortable with the setup, you can upgrade to Editor access if you want your partner to manage shared transactions and categories.
Check the activity log periodically. It is a useful tool for keeping both members accountable and for catching any unintended changes to shared data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Viewer add transactions to a shared account?

No. Viewers have read-only access. They can see balances, transactions, and details but cannot add, edit, or delete anything. Upgrade them to Editor if you want them to make changes.

Can I set different permissions for different accounts?

Yes. You can assign granular permissions per shared resource. For example, your partner could be an Editor on your joint checking account but a Viewer on your shared savings account.

Who can see the activity log?

All household members can view the activity log for shared data. Each member sees actions taken on accounts they have access to. The owner sees the complete log for all shared resources.

What happens when the household owner deletes their account?

The household is dissolved and all sharing is revoked. Each member retains their own individual accounts and data. If you are planning to delete your account, remove household members first so they are not surprised by the sudden loss of shared access.

Is there an admin role for Premium households with multiple members?

The household owner is the sole administrator who manages invitations, permissions, and shared settings. Other members cannot invite or remove people, regardless of their Editor or Viewer status.

Household Overview

Learn what household sharing includes.

Shared Accounts

Choose which accounts to share with your partner.

Invite a Partner

Add someone to your household.

Notification Settings

Configure alerts for household activity.

Need more help? Contact us at support@403fin.io.