Troubleshooting Password Resets & User Login Issues

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by C.W. Holeman III
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Password issues can be a little tricky to get to the bottom of due to the restricted visibility into the login process for a user as required for true security. Generally these are related to user error rather then any problems on the Wisetail side.

The best place to start is by understanding their process - screen recordings from the user in question are helpful in this step. Unfortunately, and we hate to put this in writing, but many users will skip over most of these details unless an admin is actively watching them (or a video clip of them), troubleshoot the process, assuming that each piece is correct.

You will need to confirm each of the items below in detail.

The first thing you need to know is how the user's password is being reset:

  • Is this a User-Request password reset, or one initiated by an Admin?
    • Either the user is emailed a link to go change their password, or receives a notification that an admin changed it.
  • If an admin resets the password:
    • The user can navigate to the login page, enter those credentials, and the system will require them to create a new password which meets the complexity requirements; then login again with their new credentials.
  • If User-Requested:
    • The user is emailed a link to change the password, the user can click the link, and change their password:
    • The user will need to create a Password that meets the complexity requirements you've defined in your settings. They will be required to type this password in twice; Once accepted the page will refresh to the login page where they will enter their new credentials and login.

The most frequent causes of these sorts of issues are:

  1. A Simple Typo
    • A simple typo in the username or password is the most common cause of login issues.
    • Lesson: ensure that the user has very carefully checked the username and password spelling that they are using.
  2. Users not knowing their username.
    • A username may be an email address, but can also be employee ID, or another unique username value. If they mistakenly believe that their username is their email address, they can get stuck in a password reset loop.
    • Lesson: Ensure users know their username.
  3. Password managers retain the most resent username & password value they were told to keep.
    • If a user is using a password manager, either one built into the web browser or third-party tool, they can be inputting incorrect information, and therefore be unable to login.
    • Lesson: users should ensure they're manually typing their username and password if they are having trouble getting logged in.
  4. SSO Mis-Logins
    • If you have an SSO on your site, and also allow logging in via a direct Wisetail account for some users, ensure that the user is using the current login methodology.
    • Lesson: Users do not always know which system to log in with.

You should go through these steps with impacted users and see if something in the process isn't quite right. Over 99% of user login issues are covered by one of the above issues. If you have checked each of the above, and a user is still having issues getting, or staying, logged in, please submit a ticket to Technical Support.