My Account

Locating the My Account feature

All users can edit My Account information by opening the top profile icon menu and clicking on My Account:

How to use the My Account feature

The My Account dialog allows you to edit personal info, change your password, or edit your email address for your PowerClerk account:

Please note: A secure password for PowerClerk must be at least 8 characters long and include at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, and one number.

Setting up Multi-Factor Authentication

Some features in PowerClerk, such as Sensitive Data Fields, require Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to verify your identity. MFA enhances the security of your account by requiring an additional verification step beyond your password. Typically, MFA combines two factors: something you know (e.g., a password) and something you have (e.g., a secret code generated on your mobile device). PowerClerk implements two-factor authentication (2FA) to ensure a higher level of account protection:

FACTOR 1:  Your regular PowerClerk username and password.

FACTOR 2:  A 6-digit code that is generated on your mobile device every 30 seconds based on the secret shared between your device and PowerClerk. These codes are nearly impossible for anyone else to guess unless they have access to your mobile device.

To enable the second factor of MFA, an authentication app must be installed on a mobile device. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) has become a widely adopted standard to strengthen the security of user login processes. Below is a list of popular authentication apps compatible with PowerClerk, available for Android, iOS, and Windows Phones:

• Android
• Google Authenticator
• LastPass Authenticator
• Microsoft Authenticator
• iOS
• Google Authenticator
• LastPass Authenticator
• Microsoft Authenticator
• Windows Phone
• LastPass Authenticator
• Microsoft Authenticator

Once you have installed your authentication app, you can setup Multi-Factor Authentication by navigating within PowerClerk to The top profile icon>> My Account >> Set Up Multi-Factor Authentication:

 
The setup dialog will display a QR code for convenience. This code can be scanned with an authentication app to streamline the setup process. Alternatively, the unique setup code can be manually entered into the app (shown as “mzfyeh*********” in the screenshot above). For reference, Figure 4 below demonstrates how to scan the QR code using the Microsoft Authenticator app within PowerClerk.

 
Once the steps above are completed, the authentication app should be successfully synchronized with PowerClerk’s Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), enabling continuation with Step 3 and Step 4 of the setup process.

• Step 3: Enter the standard PowerClerk password.
• Step 4: Use the authentication app on the mobile device to generate two consecutive codes. Enter these codes as shown in Figure 5 (note: actual codes will vary).

 
This completes your Multi-Factor Authentication setup and PowerClerk will be able to prompt you to authenticate using your mobile device authentication app.

 

Missing, lost, or stolen mobile devices: resetting Multi-Factor Authentication

In the event of a missing, lost, or stolen mobile device resulting in loss of access to the authentication app, please contact your program’s administrator immediately to request a reset of the account’s Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) configuration. This action will invalidate the previous MFA setup. Once access to a mobile device is restored or the authentication app is installed on a new device, the MFA setup process must be completed.

 

Disabling Multi-Factor Authentication

To disable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), navigate to Top Profile Icon>> My Account >>, then select disable Multi-Factor Authentication. A prompt will appear requesting the standard PowerClerk password along with a 6-digit code from the authentication app on the mobile device.
 
Once both are entered, select Save Changes to complete the removal of MFA for the account, as shown below.

 
NOTE: Once you have removed Multi-Factor Authentication you will no longer be able to access data in some fields such as Sensitive Data Fields.

Recovery Guidelines for MFA Administrators

When implementing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for your program, it’s crucial to have a well-defined recovery procedure in place for users who require assistance with their MFA setup. The following steps outline the general process for assisting users who have enabled MFA and are unable to access their accounts:
 

1. User Attempts Login:The user attempts to log into PowerClerk but cannot provide an MFA code due to losing access to their device. They will click the “Need Help” link, which will display a popup informing them who to contact for assistance in regaining access to their account.
2. User Contacts Administrator: The user then contacts the designated PowerClerk administrator offline for help disabling MFA on their account. The user can reach out via email, phone, or in person if both the user and administrator are located at the same physical site.
3. Administrator Authentication: The administrator is responsible for authenticating the request. If the request comes via email or phone, and the administrator is unfamiliar with the requester, they should contact the requester through a known phone number or email address to verify the request’s authenticity. Once confirmed, the administrator can disable MFA on the user’s account via the “Edit User” page. Note: The administrator must have MFA enabled on their own account to perform this action.

When implementing this procedure, ensure that users are informed about whom to contact within your organization if they lose access to their mobile device and how they can provide proper identification to the administrators handling MFA support requests. The “Need Help” message text can be customized in the “Program Info” page to guide users toward the correct contact for MFA support.
 

Best Practices for Secure MFA Recovery

To implement a secure and tamper-proof MFA recovery process for your program, please follow these guidelines:

• Administrator Privileges: Any administrator role with the “Edit Users” privilege can reset MFA for all users. These administrators should be designated as MFA Administrators. Your program must have at least two MFA Administrators to handle MFA reset requests, ensuring coverage if one administrator is unavailable or loses access to their device.
• Limit MFA Administrators: To reduce potential risks, it’s advisable to keep the number of MFA Administrators to a minimum. We recommend limiting this group to 2–4 MFA Administrators who are authorized to reset MFA configurations for users.
• MFA Users losing access to their mobile device need to know how to restore access to their accounts by contacting your MFA Administrators. The MFA Support Text can be configured under Admin >> Program Info within PowerClerk as shown in Figure 7 below:

  MFA users who lose access to their mobile devices must know how to restore access to their accounts by contacting the appropriate MFA Administrators. The MFA Support Text can be configured under Admin >> Program Info within PowerClerk, as shown in Figure 7 below:

   

  

  Figure 7: Program Info > MFA Support Text

   

Implementing a Secure MFA Recovery Procedure

To ensure the integrity and security of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) within your program, MFA administrators must adhere to a fail-safe recovery procedure to verify the identity of users before resetting their MFA configuration. The following are recommended steps to include in your MFA recovery verification procedure:
 

1. Direct Phone Conversation
   • Conduct a direct phone conversation with the MFA user on their new mobile device.
   • Require the MFA user to provide sufficient proof of identity verbally during the call.
2. Master Reset Key Phrase or Password
   • Use a previously stored master reset key phrase or master reset password.
   • This key phrase or password should be generated securely within your program’s infrastructure, outside of PowerClerk.
   • Ensure that the master reset credentials were confidentially delivered to each MFA user during their initial MFA setup.
   • Store the master reset credentials in a secure location accessible only to authorized personnel.
   • Provide the master reset key phrase or password to the MFA administrator for verification during the recovery process.
3. Face-to-Face Authentication
   • Perform face-to-face authentication at your program’s utility headquarters.
   • Verify the MFA user’s identity using official identification documents or other trusted methods.

Additional Guidelines

• Customize the level of safety and security for your MFA recovery procedure according to applicable legislative and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure that all MFA administrators have their own accounts secured with MFA before initiating any recovery procedures for other accounts.

Need Assistance?
For further guidance on implementing a secure and tamper-proof MFA recovery procedure, please contact the PowerClerk Support Team for further information.

Video Guide

New User Video Guide

The following video will give you an overview on how to register with PowerClerk, reset your account details, and alter your contact email address.

FAQs

Have additional questions? Contact us to nominate your FAQ and help others find answers to your own questions concerning this feature.

Create A Support Ticket

Not finding your answer here?  Submit a question to our support team at the PowerClerk Ticket System and leverage the PowerClerk team’s expertise.