Overview
The Login is a sophisticated login and user registration portal that creates a compelling entrance into all that awaits for your staff, students, and scholars in Terra Dotta ISSS.
This Terra Dotta login system gives the user the ability to access your site.
This article discusses the following topics related to the Login:
- Access, Permissions & Settings
- Enabling/Disabling User Registration
- Understanding the Login Process
- Creating a New User Account
- Resetting a Password
- Logging In
- Session Timeout
Important Considerations:
- If your institution uses a Single-Sign On (SSO) authentication, note that this is supported with the Login. After enabling the Login, the system would provide two options for users: one for users on campus logging in through your SSO (ex: CAS) and another for external users to access the Login. If you only have an SSO, then the Login will route users accordingly.
Access, Permissions & Settings
To access the Login page, click the "Login" link at the top right corner of the home page.
By default, the Login page will use your site's primary color as the background color.
To access a unique listing of Login feature settings and configuration options, navigate to Settings > System Features > Interface Settings. Upload desired images, customize instructions, and update button labels without having to remember text interface numbers for the options below:
- Login
- This setting is what activates the Login for use on your site.
- By default, this setting will be deactivated in client production sites.
- Auto-Redirect to Remote SCL Login (Secure Campus Login)
- Enable this option if you want to automatically bypass the Login page and instead redirect users to your institution's remote SCL login.
- This setting is recommended if you only want your users to be using your SCL and not your Terra Dotta login.
- Login Form Logo Image
- The maximum image width is 200px. Images larger than this will be resized.
- Login Form Background Image
- Consider an image size of 1920x1080 (i.e. standard desktop resolution).
- Login Form Instructions
- Use this option to communicate with site users about how they should be navigating your site's login experience.
- New User Registration Form Instructions
- Use this option to communicate with new users who need to create an account.
- Password Reset Instructions
- These instructions appear to site users after they click on the "Forgot your password?" link.
- SCL Login Button Label
- For sites with the Secure Campus Login (SCL) option enabled, use this field to customize the text that instructs integrated users on how to access your site. These users utilize their institutional credentials to authenticate (i.e. log in) through your secure campus login portal.
- Non-SCL Login Button Label
- Use this field to customize the text that instructs non-integrated users on how to access your site. These users obtain login credentials to your site by providing their name and email address.
Enabling/Disabling User Registration
The Login system allows for users to self-register to access your site. To enable or disable this feature, navigate to Site > System Features and select the Features button.
Scroll to the User Profiles section of the Features tab. To enable the User Registration option, click the checkbox to enable for 'Site Registration Option.' If you do not want students to create their own accounts, leave this checkbox unmarked.
Understanding the Login Process
The Login system for Terra Dotta enables integrated users to access your site using their university login credentials and non-integrated users to login with their email and unique password established when you invite them to the portal.
Creating a New User Account
Important Note: In order for the "Create Account" link to appear on the main login form without the applicant first needing to take an action, such as clicking "Apply Now" for a program, the "Site Registration Option" needs to be enabled.
This setting can be enabled under Settings > System Features > Features in the "Applicant Profiles" section.
To create a new user account, follow these steps:
1) From the Login, click the "Create Account" link. This will direct you to the User Registration Form.
2) Complete the User Registration Form.
This form is comprised of the following elements:
- First Name
- Middle Name
- Last Name
- Phone Number (optional)
- Password
- Password Confirmation
Important Note: The password created in this step is the password that the account user will use. There is no additional step requiring a password reset.
3) After all information has been entered, click the "Register" link. This will direct you to a page where you will be asked to enter required information.
Resetting a Password
If a user forgets their password, they should follow these steps:
1) From the User Login Form, click on the Forgot your Password?" link. This directs you to a Password Reset form.
2) From the password reset form, enter in your email address and click "Submit".
A password reset email will be sent to the email address provided.
Logging In
Important Note: If a user experiences difficulty during the login process, a "Login Support Request Form" does not appear in the Login. Instead, offices are encouraged to make use of the following option:
- Use the Login Form Instructions field in Setting > System Settings > Interface Settings to make note of an email address for your users to use should they experience difficulty logging in. This field does support HTML.
Follow these steps to log in using the Login:
1) From the login form, select the portal account option if your site is using an SCL.
For sites not using an SCL, a user won't see the login button options. Instead, they will simply see the user login form.
2) From the user login form, enter the applicable username and password. Then click "Login".
Session Timeout
Terra Dotta enforces a 60-minute session timeout on every page loaded. When a page is five minutes from expiring the session, a warning modal will appear in the middle of the page to alert the site user of this timeout. A countdown to the session expiration is provided as well as a button with which the site user can renew the 60-minute counter for that page.
If a site user does not click the button to renew the session by the end of the countdown, they will be logged out and returned to the site home page.
Note that this 60-minute counter is specific to each tab involved in the secure session. If a site user is working in multiple tabs, then each tab will have its own countdown associated with that tab. If one of the countdowns results in a session expiring, then all open tabs are logged out from that session.