What to Do If You See "Access Not Authorized"

One of the most confusing first-glance messages — but usually much simpler than it looks. In most cases it is an identity-path problem, not a spreadsheet problem.

Troubleshooting 5 min Access Error Login

This message usually does not mean the workbook is permanently broken.

Start with the Google account that is open — wrong account is the most common cause.

Owner path and guest path are different — using the wrong one causes this message.

Opening the file in Drive is not the same as being authorized inside the app.

What This Message Looks Like

Money Mastery System

Access Not Authorized

Your account does not appear to have the correct access level for this system. This usually means one of the following:

Wrong Google account is open

Owner vs. guest path mismatch

Guest invite not yet completed by owner

File opened in Drive but not yet authorized in-app

The Steps to Resolve It

Check Which Google Account Is Open Account

This is always the first thing to check — before anything else.

Look at the profile icon in the top-right corner of your browser. If the invited or purchasing email is different from what is currently active, switch accounts and reopen the workbook.

Different browser profiles, saved passwords, and secondary work accounts all make it easy to land on the wrong identity without realizing it.

Figure Out Whether You Are the Owner or a Guest Role

Ask yourself:

Did you purchase the system and receive an access key?
Or did someone else invite you into their system?

If you were invited, you are a guest. If you purchased it, you are the owner. Using the wrong path is one of the fastest ways to stay stuck on this message.

If You're a Guest: Confirm the Owner Added You Properly Guest

Being shared on the spreadsheet in Google Drive is not always the same as being added as a guest inside Money Mastery. The in-app guest record is separate.

Ask the owner to confirm they used Money Mastery → Manage Guests and invited your exact email address — not just shared the Drive file.

If they haven't done that yet, that is the fix. See Invite a Guest for their walkthrough.

If You're the Owner: Return to the Correct Login Flow Owner

If you are the real owner and are seeing this message, go back through the intended START HERE registration or PIN-login flow — rather than trying to bypass the message through random editing.

Most owners who see this message are either on the wrong Google account, or they skipped a step during initial registration. Return to the start and go through it deliberately.

When to Stop and Ask for Help Support

If you have already confirmed all of the following and still cannot get in, stop and use support:

Correct Google account — verified
Correct role (owner vs. guest) — confirmed
Proper invite or registration path — followed correctly

Do not keep iterating on random guesses. Once these three boxes are checked and the problem persists, it needs a human to look at it.

Which Path Applies to You?

Click the option that describes your situation to see the recommended next step.

Find Your Path

How did you get access to this workbook?

I purchased it

I bought Money Mastery and received an access key (MM-XXXXX)

I was invited

Someone else owns the system and shared it with me as a guest

Owner Path

Go back to the START HERE area and follow the registration or PIN-login flow from the beginning. Make sure the correct Google account is active first. If you've already registered, try entering your PIN instead of re-registering.

Guest Path

Confirm with the owner that they used Money Mastery → Manage Guests to invite your exact email. Then open the workbook from that specific Google account. See the Guest First-Time Access walkthrough for the full flow.

What Not to Do

Do not try to "fix" access by editing cells in the workbook

Do not borrow someone else's access key or PIN

Do not keep switching among multiple Google accounts at random without noting which one is correct

Do not assume Google Drive sharing equals in-app authorization — they are separate

You're Past This When

You confirmed the correct Google account is active
You identified whether you are the owner or a guest
You followed the correct path for that role
The "Access Not Authorized" message no longer appears

"Access Not Authorized is usually an identity-path problem, not a spreadsheet problem. Once the system knows who you are and which role you belong to, this issue is often much simpler than it first feels."

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