Using an Alternate Username and Password Structure

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SmartSimple's default username and password structure uses the user's email address and a system registered password to provide authenticated access to the system.

In some deployment scenarios you may need to use fields other than the standard username and password fields to provide access. This article explains how to create access using any two fields associated with a user profile. These instructions assume you are using the Administration Interface.

Activating the Content Management Application

This approach requires that you use a custom login page associated with the SmartSimple Content Management system so you must first activate this application.

1. Display the Root Company details (Organisation, Internal Users, and click the Root Company name.

2. Choose the Settings, Applications menu.

3. Click the Contact Management application.

4. Choose an Update option at the bottom of the page.

5. Click the Save button.

Note: If the Content Management application is not displayed in the application list, contact the SmartSimple Help Desk and they will enable the application in your instance.

6. Refresh your Browser session to display the Content Management application.

Activating the Content Management Login Page

Next you will create the custom login page that will be used to support the alternative username and password structure.

1. Click the Content Management application.

2. Click the Website tab.

3. Click the New Website tab.

4. Set the Name, Description and Virtual Folder names.

Setting the Login Types

There are four types of login supported by this page:

  • Anonymous - this cannot be used to create a login page and is designed to create a website only.
  • All Users - all contacts in the system regardless of their access status.
  • Activated Users Only - only users with their access status set to provide login access.
  • No Access - used to disable the login page.

5. Set the Login Type as appropriate.

6. Set the User Field to the field you wish the user to use as their username.

You can use ANY standard or custom field provided the field stores a text string.

7. Set the Password field to the field you wish the user to use as their password.

You can use ANY standard or custom field provided the field stores a text string.

8. Set the Login Error Message as appropriate.

9. Insert the Login Page Content by clicking the Insert Sample Template button.

10. Click the Save button.

Creating a Redirect Page

Before you can use the custom login page it is necessary to create a single page in the Content Management system that will redirect the user to their appropriate interface administration, Portal or User Centric Interface.

1. Click the Content tab.

2. Create and save a Content folder.

3. Click the New Content tab.

4. Set the content name, topic and description.

5. Add the redirect code to the content field.

The following example redirects the user to a User Centric Interface.


<html>

<head>

<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;url=/ucif/ex/index.jsp?login=1&token=@HQ4STBkSZltRSRlYRRZTSldYZ1Jx"/>

</head>

<body>

</body>

</html>


6. Click the Save button.

Adding the Redirect Reference to the Login Page

Finally, you will connect the redirect page to the custom login page. This technique ensures that when the user logs in they are directed to the appropriate interface.

1. Click the Website tab.

2. Click the website that you previously created.

3. Set the First Page Template to the content item you just created (there will only one item in the list).

4. Click the Save button.

Testing the Login

You can now test the custom login page and the alternative username and password.

1. Copy the Virtual Folder URL to the clipboard.

2. Launch a New Browser Session.

3. Paste the Virtual Folder URL into the address bar.

4. Click the Go to button or press Enter.

The login page is displayed.

5. Enter the username - remember it will be the value of the field that you designed as the username.

6. Enter the password - remember it will be the value of the field that you designed as the password.

7. Click the Login button.

You are logged in and redirected to the designated interface.

Important Notes

  • Both username and password fields are case sensitive.
  • Password designated fields are NOT as secure as using the standard SmartSimple password fields because the designed password field is a standard unencrypted text field in that it can be viewed through the interface.
  • There is no duplicate checking on the designated fields and the user may be logged into the wrong profile.
  • This technique does provide for registration and immediate access to the system without the need for the system to generate a password and send the password to the user.
  • You can use a sign-up page to let the user select their own username and password, submit the sign-up page and then let the user log into the system.
  • You can create different custom login pages with different username and password schemes for the same instance of SmartSimple.
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