Overview

CRM.COM accounts are created and administered from the user management module.  User management defines the authentication policies necessary for system access and maintenance.

User management functionality 

• Create user accounts to access CRM.COM through the user interface or Web API.
• Create super user accounts with unrestricted access.
• Create developer accounts with access to development tools.
• Create multiple user accounts simultaneously by using templates.
• Generate unique web keys for accounts accessing the system through Web API.
• Import user accounts from Active Directory (AD).
• Set password expiration policies and remind users to renew their passwords.
• Limit user access to predefined IP addresses.
• Block access after multiple failed login attempts.

Setting Up User Management

User authentication settings

User authentication settings define policies regarding user credentials, login authorization and authentication. 

Unless the policies define otherwise, the settings apply to all user accounts.

User authentication settings fields

The table describes the sections of the User Authentication Settings Data Entry page and explains how the fields in the page are used.

 Mandatory   Configurable

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User templates

User templates offer a layout structured like the Users Data Entry page, facilitating the creation of new users.

User templates can be used for creating single users through the Manage Users Data Entry page or multiple users through the Generate Bulk Users process.

User template fields

The table describes the sections of User Template Data Entry page and explains how the fields in the page are used.

 Mandatory   Configurable

Template Name State: Sets the state of the user when the template is used through the user's Data entry page and the Web API. The state can be 'Active' or 'Inactive' System Language: The language used for all labels, tips, warnings and error messages across CRM.COM, including the values of select boxes, radio buttons and other elements consisting of fixed values.  Native Language: The language used for additional information displayed when the mouse is placed over labels. The organization's native language is set as the default. Only the languages available under General Settings > Language Settings are available in the template. Country of Residence (of the user)
Preferences
Home Page Preference: Select the page that will be displayed when the user logs in or clicks on the Home icon.
Settings
Security Profile: Defines rights and restrictions and determines the actions that a user can perform in the system. IP address (that the user is authorized to log in from) View User Authentication Settings for information on IP authorization rules. Domain: Used in the Bulk Users Creation process when using the template. The domain defined in the template is used for new user email addresses created using the 'Username@Domain' format. Super Users have access to all areas and features, including Network and Security Management, and can view more elaborate error messages.  Super users are appointed by other super users. Developers have access to development tools embedded in CRM.COM, available in all Summary pages, Data Entry pages, the analytics section and dashboards. Developers are granted the same Network Management and Security Management permissions as general users.  Developers are appointed by super users.  CTI Enabled users have access to the embedded CTI tools, accessible through the communication center screen.
Units
Users created through a template are automatically assigned to units.  Units determine the records that the users can access.  A user can belong to more than one unit. Users log in under their default unit and can SWITCH UNIT using the button available in the Top menu bar.

WEB API keys

A system-generated WEB API key is used instead of a username and password for the authentication of users that access CRM.COM through   Web API.  Each key is assigned to a specific user and results in an authorization token that can also be used for subsequent API calls.  Tokens expire automatically after two hours, even if they are not used.

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Related configuration areas

The following mandatory modules must be configured for the user management module to work.

Managing Users

Users log into CRM.COM through the user interface (UI) or WEB API. There are three types of user accounts:

• General users are subject to security and network access rights.
• Super users have unrestricted access.
  
• Developers can access the development tools available through the UI.

Super user and developer accounts are created as general accounts and are subsequently granted additional permissions.

Refer to Changing User Settings for more information.  

User fields

The table describes the sections of User Data Entry page and explains how the fields in the page are used.

 Mandatory   Configurable

Main Information
State: Whether a user is 'Active' or 'Inactive'. A user must be active to access the system and be used for assignments by system entities. Information on previously active users is available.  User Template: A layout facilitating the creation of new users. New user attributes are supplied by entering new or modifying existing values. Username (used to log into CRM.COM) First Name, Last Name, Title, Email: Automatically copied to the contact information when creating or modifying an existing user. System Language: The language used for all labels, tips, warnings and error messages across CRM.COM, including the values of select boxes, radio buttons and other elements that consist of fixed values.  Available languages are the ones supported by CRM.COM and the Organization's System Language set in General Settings.  Native Language: The language used for additional information displayed when the mouse is placed over labels. The organization's native language is set as the default. Available options include all languages supported by CRM.COM and the Organization's Native Language set in General Settings. The Gender, Date of Birth and Name Day of each contact is automatically copied to contact information when creating a new or editing an existing user.   You can optionally ADD MORE INFORMATION through the respective link. Password: Required when creating or updating a user.  Must comply with the password policy defined in the User Authentication Settings. The tooltip displays password rules. Password Expiration Date: Set if a validity period is defined in the User Authentication Settings Password Policy as long as the user is not included in the Password Policy's Exceptions (list of users whose passwords never expire). Expired passwords must be reset to log in again.
Preferences
Home Page Preference: Select the page that will be displayed when the user logs in or clicks on the Home icon.
Settings
Security Profile: Determines the actions that a user can perform in the system. IP address (from which the user is authorized to log in) View User Authentication Settings for information on IP authorisation rules. Domain: Retrieved for users imported through LDAP integration or created from a template. Super Users have access to all areas and features, including Network and Security Management, and can view more elaborate error messages.  Super users are appointed by other super users. Developers have access to development tools embedded in CRM.COM, available in all Summary pages, Data Entry pages, the analytics section and dashboards. Developers are granted the same Network Management and Security Management permissions as general users.  Developers are appointed by super users.  CTI Enabled users have access to the embedded CTI tools, accessible through the communication center screen. Phone extension: the extension number of the phone installed on the user's PC through which they access CRM.COM. Only super users can appoint Developers, CTI Enabled and other Super Users using the dedicated action available from the Data Entry or Summary page.  Refer to Changing password and user settings for more information.
Units
Users created through a template are automatically assigned to units.  Units determine the records that the users can access.  A user can belong to more than one unit. Users log in with their default unit and can SWITCH UNIT using the button available in the Top menu bar.

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Creating and processing users

Searching and creating users

Navigate to Manage Users and specify the criteria that match the user you are interested in, or click on NEW from the Actions menu to create a new user. Provide the information defined as mandatory in the User Fields table and SAVE.

Logging into CRM.COM using system user accounts

Active users can log into the system from the CRM.COM login page using their username and password.

Logging in under different units

Users that belong to multiple units must select a unit when logging in.  A different set of data might be available for each unit, depending on the unit's permissions.  Users that belong to multiple units can SWITCH UNIT using the button in the Top menu bar.

User information panel

The user information panel located under ACCOUNT in the CRM.COM Top menu bar displays the group and unit of the logged in user.  Clicking on the user name takes you to the user information Data Entry page.

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Changing passwords

There are three ways to change a password:

• Before login (old password required)
  From the Login screen, click on Change Password, provide your username, current password and new password and confirm the new password. Click on SUBMIT.

• After login (old password required)
  
  1. From the Top menu, click on ACCOUNT and the username to go to the user information Data Entry page.
  2. From the Actions menu, click on Change Password.
  3. Provide the Old and New Password (following the password rules shown in the tooltip), confirm the password and SAVE.
  
  
  
  
• Changed by administrator (old password not required)
  1. Navigate to Manage Users and go to the Data Entry page of the user you wish to change password
  2. From the Actions Menu click on Actions > Change Password
  3. Provide a New Password (following the password rules as shown in the tooltip) and confirm before you SAVE
     
     
     

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Changing user settings

User settings are used to define access of the user to system data and system areas as well as define whether they have access to CTI. Settings cannot be manually set when creating new users, but they have to be explicitly defined using the respective action which is accessible only to Super users. There are three settings:

• Super User: Authorised to access all areas and features of the software while Network Management and Security Management restrictions are not applicable them. Can also view more detailed error messages than the rest of the Users.
• Developer: Have access to the development tools embedded in CRM.COM, and which are available in all Summary pages, Data Entry pages, Analytics and Dashboards. 
  • Developers are granted the same permissions as normal Users as far as Network Management and Security Management restrictions are concerned.
• CTI Enabled: Used for users that must access the embedded CTI tools through the Communication Centre screen, and the extension of each

To change the settings:

1. Navigate to 'Manage Users' and go to the Data Entry page of the user you wish to update settings. 
2. Click on Actions > Change Settings from the Actions Menu and enable or disable settings accordingly before you SAVE

Changing user state

A user's state denotes whether the user account can be used to log in the system. Inactivate user accounts of users that are no longer using the system (i.e. left the company) while only users with an active state can be used to login the system.

1. Navigate to Manage Users and go to the Data Entry page of the user you wish to update settings
2. From the Actions Menu click on Actions > Set as active /Set as Inactive
3. Enable or disable settings accordingly before you SAVE

Changing state and settings for multiple users

Settings and state of multiple users can be updated simultaneously using the respective action from the 'Manage Users' Summary page. Select the user account you wish to update by checking the box on the left of the record  and then select the respective action from the Actions menu.

Password expiration & history

A user password can be 'valid' for a limited period. If a password is expiring in the next seven days, the system informs the users about the Number of days left upon login, so that it can be updated before it expires. The same password can never be selected by the same user.

Protecting against unauthorised access

Protect data kept in the system by controlling the IP addresses that users can login from, or respectively the ones to which access will be denied.

You can define rules which include allowed or denied IP addresses, ranges of IP addresses or IP patterns. For each IP Authorisation Rule you can provide the users units groups or communities that the restrictions are applied. To do so configure the 'IP Authorisation Rules' section  available through the User Authentication Settings.

Handling invalid login attempts

Protect against unauthorized access, by locking the system to a user account after multiple consecutive invalid login attempts.

It is possible to define the maximum Number of failed attempts allowed within a specified period. If the Number of failed attempts is reached, user access to the system is denied for the duration of a 'Lock-out Period'. The user is allowed to log in again when:

• A super user cancels the lock-out period
  or
• The lock-out period ends (The lock-out period is configurable).

Refer to User Authentication Settings. to learn how to set it up.

Cancelling the lock-out period

Super users can reset locked-out users by cancelling the lock-out period. 

1. Navigate to Manage Users and go to the Data Entry page of the locked-out user
2. From the Actions Menu, click Actions > Cancel Lock-out Period
   

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Bulk user creation using templates

If you are planning to create multiple users with common characteristics, such as access rights or common email domain, instead of creating them one by one through the 'Manage Users' Data Entry page, save yourself some time and generate multiple users simultaneously using values and settings (e.g. email, password) from a pre-defined user template .

Generate bulk users fields

The table describes the sections of Generate Bulk Users Data Entry page, and explains how the fields in the page are used

 Mandatory   Configurable

Generate bulk users process

1.   Navigate to Generate Bulk Users and provide the information for the users to be created.
2. Go to the Users To Be Generated tab and click on Create, to create the Number of users defined in the 'Input Settings' tab.
3. Use Add to add more users if required.
4. Provide a 'Username', 'First Name' and 'Last Name' for each user.
5. Provide an 'Email' and 'Password' if they were defined as 'Fixed' in the 'Input Settings', otherwise select them (from the list) and click on the Set Email and Set Password actions, to generate them based on username and domain. 
6. Select the users that should be activated and click on the Set as Active Action.
7. Click on SUBMIT from the Top menu to generate the defined users.

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Importing users using LDAP

If you are an already established organisation (with hundreds of users) and already using Microsoft's Active Directory (AD), you have the option to import registered users from AD directly to CRM.COM and map them to CRM.COM user accounts. Mapping AD user accounts to CRM.COM accounts, provides the possibility to:

• Authenticate users during login to CRM.COM, using their AD accounts.
• Inform users about their AD password expiration.
• Prevent user login once the User's AD password expires.

Once Active Directory users are imported you have 2 options; either map them to existing users registered in CRM.COM or create new CRM.COM users. Mapped AD accounts can also be un-mapped and remapped to other CRM.COM user accounts.

LDAP Integration fields

The table describes the sections of LDAP Integration Data Entry page, and explains how the fields in the page are used

 Mandatory   Configurable

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Import Users

Start by importing AD user accounts

1. Navigate to LDAP Integration and from the Actions menu click on Actions > Import Users. From the 'Import LDAP Users' modal select the 'Security Group' by clicking on the drop down list.
2. Click on SUBMIT.
   
3. Once the users are imported in CRM.COM they can be viewed in the LDAP-USERS Tab. 

Additional Information

Mapping imported users to CRM.COM users

Navigate to LDAP Integration and explore existing LDAP Users via the respective tab. Use the search criteria to search for the user to update. Select the users you would like to map by checking the box on the left of the username and apply one of the following actions:

Once the LDAP Users are imported and become available in CRM.COM they can be mapped to CRM.COM Users one by one 

1. Navigate to LDAP Integration and go to the LDAP-USERS Tab. Select the user you want to map 
2. From the Menu click on Actions > Map
   
3. Using the modal window, search for the CRM.COM User to be mapped to the LDAP User
4. Click on SUBMIT.
   

Additional Information

Creating new CRM.COM Users from imported users

If there are no CRM.COM users for each imported LDAP user you can create them. The process enables the creation of multiple users simultaneously by utilizing the Bulk user creation process unlike the map process which can only map one user at a time.

1. Navigate to LDAP Integration and go to the LDAP-USERS tab. Select the AD user accounts for which you want to create CRM.COM user accounts
2. Click on Actions > Create Users.
   
3. Follow the process as described in Bulk Users Creation.

Additional Information

Un-map users

Un-mapping users gives you the option to map them to another CRM.COM user account. In case of un-mapping AD users are no longer able to login to CRM.COM using AD credentials and have to use their CRM.COM user accounts credentials.

1. Navigate to LDAP Integration and go to the LDAP-USERS Tab. Select the user you want to un-map 
2. From the Menu click on Actions > Map 

Additional Information

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Active Directory password ageing warning

As aforementioned, AD user accounts can be managed through CRM.COM.  The system is responsible for informing users about AD password expiration The expiration date is retrieved through Active Directory
upon logging in, and consequently CRM.COM displays a warning message informing the user of the Number of days left until their password expires. 
Users can then follow one of the processes available for updating their passwords. Change is reflected to Active Directory.

User Management Business Examples

Create new user

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User account templates 

Create multiple users using template and bulk user process

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