Portal usernames can be created in bulk as part of a constituent datasheet upload, or individually via the Account tab in Constituent Manager. Every username must be unique across all roles.
💡Quick answers
- What are the two ways to create portal usernames? During a constituent datasheet upload (by filling in the username column), or individually in Constituent Manager via the constituent's Account tab > Create Portal Login.
- What is the default username when creating a portal login individually? The email username (e.g., "jsmith" from jsmith@yoursite.com); if no email is on file, it defaults to last name followed by first initial (e.g., "smithj").
- Can two constituents share the same username? No; usernames must be unique across all roles. If a duplicate is attempted in a datasheet upload, the username is left blank and must be assigned manually in Constituent Manager.
- Choosing a username format that works across your school? Use combinations like first.last or first.last_classyear; align with usernames from other school systems when possible.
Usernames can be created using one of two methods: during the constituent datasheet upload process, or individually via Constituent Manager. This article will show you how to create usernames for both methods, as well as providing best practices for creating usernames.Â
In this article
- Create usernames before uploading constituents
- Create usernames after upload
- Best practices for creating usernames
Important Note
Each constituent must have a unique username. If you attempt to assign an existing username to a new constituent, the username will be denied, or simply left blank if it was part of a datasheet upload. If it was uploaded, you'll have to go to Constituent Manager to assign a different username.
Create usernames before uploading constituents
Creating usernames as part of uploading constituent datasheets is a highly efficient approach, particularly for large numbers of constituents. Simply fill in the "username" field in the appropriate column of the portal datasheet.Â
Create usernames after upload
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Go to a constituent's profile by selecting their name in Constituent Manager.
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Click on the Account tab.
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Click the "Create Portal Login" link.
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If the constituent's profile includes an email address, the default username for the portal login will be the email address username. (For instance, a user with the email address "jsmith@yoursite.com" will automatically receive the username "jsmith" in their constituent account.)
If no email address is available, the portal login username will be the constituent's last name, followed by their first initial. (In the above example, the username would be "smithj.")
Best practices for creating usernames
Give constituents a username that uses some combination of their first and last name. Class year can also be used if there might be multiple users with the same first and last names.
Some sample username schemes include:Â
- [first name].[last name]
- [first initial].[last name]
- [first name].[last name]_[class year]
If students or faculty already have usernames for other internal systems (email, etc.), it makes sense to use the same login credentials for Finalsite, as well.
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