> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.in8sync.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.in8sync.com/netsuite-admin-guide/overview-3/employee-center-licenses.md).

# Employee Center Licenses

Give staff POS access on a NetSuite Employee Center license instead of a full user license — which people need which license, and how to set them up.

## What it is

Two kinds of license matter when you give someone access to the POS portal: a **full NetSuite user license**, and the cheaper **NetSuite Employee Center license**. Most of your staff only need the Employee Center one.

Getting this right is usually what decides whether a store rollout fits the budget — Employee Center licenses cost roughly a quarter of a full license.

## When you'd use it

Use this when you're rolling out POS to a store team, or when you've run out of full NetSuite licenses and still have people who need to ring up sales.

## Before you start

* You need **NetSuite administrator** access.
* Your <code class="expression">space.vars.productName</code> deployment needs an active **Employee Center license from In8Sync**. Check it under **Settings > Licenses**. This is separate from the NetSuite licenses below, and you only need one for the whole deployment.
* You need **Employee Center licenses available in your NetSuite account**. They're normally sold in packs.
* The person must already exist in NetSuite as an **employee record**.

## Who needs which license

| Who                                                       | What they need                                                                                   |
| --------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Each physical register**                                | One full NetSuite employee license. This is required to produce end-of-day reports per register. |
| **Cashiers, shipping, warehouse and outside sales staff** | A NetSuite Employee Center license.                                                              |
| **Anyone who already holds a full NetSuite license**      | Nothing extra. They don't consume an Employee Center license.                                    |

{% hint style="warning" %}
Shared logins still count. If three shipping workstations share one generic login, that login needs its own license — but only one, not three.
{% endhint %}

## Step by step

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Check your In8Sync license

In the NetSuite Admin view, go to **Settings > Licenses** and confirm the Employee Center license shows as **Active**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Open the employee's record in NetSuite

Find the person under **Lists > Employees**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Give them the Employee Center role

Add **Employee Center** as one of their NetSuite access roles.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Remove roles they don't need

If they're holding an administrator or sales role they no longer use, remove it. Otherwise they keep consuming a full license and the Employee Center one does nothing for you.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Tick Portal Access and set their role

On the same record, tick **Portal Access** and set their <code class="expression">space.vars.productName</code> role — Cashier, for example.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Save

They appear on the **Users** page in <code class="expression">space.vars.productName</code> automatically. There's no separate import step.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Assign their register and location

See [POS Assignment](/netsuite-admin-guide/overview-1/pos-assignment.md) to control which registers and locations they can use.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## What success looks like

The person shows up on the Users page with the right role, signs in to the POS portal, and your count of full NetSuite licenses hasn't moved.

## Common issues

* **They don't appear on the Users page** — Portal Access isn't ticked, or they have no role set on their record. Both are needed.
* **They can sign in to NetSuite but not the portal** — Employee Center isn't one of their access roles.
* **The portal opens but it's empty** — their role has no published workflow. See [Workflow Builder](/client-admin-guide/workflow-builder-overview.md).
* **You've run out of Employee Center licenses** — you'll need to buy more before you can provision anyone else. Setting up the rest of their record won't work around it.
* **A partner or vendor contact can't create orders** — the record type has to match the portal type. Partner records use a Partner Center license, which can only view, not transact. If they need to create transactions, they need an employee record and an Employee Center license.

## Related

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Give User Access</strong></td><td>The in-portal way to grant access and assign a role.</td><td><a href="/client-admin-guide/managing-users/give-user-access.md">Give User Access</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Roles &#x26; Permissions</strong></td><td>Change someone's role once they have access.</td><td><a href="/client-admin-guide/managing-users/roles-and-permissions.md">Roles &amp; Permissions</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Licenses</strong></td><td>Check and activate your In8Sync license.</td><td><a href="/netsuite-admin-guide/overview-4/licenses.md">Licenses</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>POS Assignment</strong></td><td>Which registers and locations each employee can use.</td><td><a href="/netsuite-admin-guide/overview-1/pos-assignment.md">POS Assignment</a></td></tr></tbody></table>