Jan 23, 2018
It sounds simple but as we get more authentication options the whole login process can be quite complicated. In this article I’ve tried to show the normal method of logging into Sobs and also the potential problems that can happen.
Ensure you are on the correct website
Locate the correct website: For most schools you would be using the hosted version of Sobs and therefore visit the main Sobs website. For Australian schools this will be https://sobs.com.au, and for NZ schools https://sobs.co.nz
Some schools have purchased a license to install and run the Sobs applications on a server operated by the school. Your IT department will likely have supplied you with a URL to access the Sobs applications. If you don’t know what this URL is then contact your IT department.
Select the application to log into
There are a number of applications available within Sobs, your school may only be subscribed to selected applications which will mean you can only log into those applications. If you are not sure which application you should be logging into then please check with your IT department. If you do know then click the appropriate icon. This should take you to the login page.
Which school are you logging into
The first time you access Sobs we won’t know which school you are from. Therefore before we display the login page we will prompt you to search and locate your school. Enter a search term to search for the school. If you have trouble locating the school try just a part of the school name – you can search for the town or suburb where the school is located, or the postcode of the school. A successful search should result in a list of schools being displayed – click on your school to select it. This action will take you to the login page.
Logging in with a Username and Password
We are trying some short videos. This one shows the regular login process:
You need a username and password to log into a Sobs application. If you don’t have a username and password then you will need to request one from your IT department or Sobs administrator. Enter your username and password into the appropriate boxes and click the ‘Login’ button. This will take you to the appropriate landing page for the selected application.
If this is your first login you will probably be prompted to enter a new password, in which case a page will appear asking for a new password, and a second field asking for the same password to be repeated to ensure you have entered it correctly. Enter the new password twice and click the ‘Save’ button.
If you can’t remember your username or password then you can click the ‘Trouble remembering your password’ link at the bottom of the form. This option will prompt you to enter your email address or mobile number – we will check for your email address (or mobile number) within the staff records, if found we will reset your password and send you the username and password in a message to your email address (or mobile number via SMS).
How to change your Password
If you want to change the password you currently use to login to Sobs, there are three methods you can use:
- At the login screen click the ‘Trouble remembering your password’ link – this will reset your password and send you an email (or SMS) with the username and password. When you login you will be prompted to change your password (avoid special characters like ‘+%&’).
- Alternatively when logged in you can go to the ‘My profile’ page, click the ‘Edit’ button to edit your profile details – check the box to change your password at next login. The next time you login you will be prompted to change your password.
- Lastly you can contact any of your Sobs administrators at your school – they all have access to either reset your password, enable the ‘change password flag’ or enter a specific password for your account. They will not be able to tell you what your current password is, there is no facility for this.
Logging in with SAML (Single Sign On)
If your school has enabled SAML with Sobs then your login processing actually does not happen with SOBS at all, it happens with a centralised authentication process within your school. You should contact your IT department for help in managing your SAML login process.
If you can’t remember your username or password you will need to contact your IT department to recover these.
Logging in with your network Username and Password (for LDAP enabled login)
If your school has enabled the LDAP interface with Sobs then you can log into Sobs using your regular network username and password. If you don’t have a network username and password then you should following the directions for logging in for a non-LDAP application as above.
If you can’t remember your username or password you will need to contact your IT department to recover these.
Logging in with Local Authentication
If your school has implemented the local authentication option then you should have been provided URLs to access the application from the schools network. These may be links on the school intranet.
If you are logged into the school network simply click the links – you will be automatically logged into the application and the landing page will be displayed.
If this doesn’t happen (in the case that you are a new user or have changed usernames) then you will arrive at the login page. Follow instructions for the normal login procedure as above.
Trouble Shooting
- Ensure you are at the correct website for your school
- Ensure the correct school name appears in the top right of the page when you are at the login page
- Ensure you are using the correct username and password
- Avoid using special characters like ‘+%&’ in your password as these cause issues with web environment
- Check that you have the correct security to login (a security of ‘Guest’ can only log in if Guest access has been specifically enabled)
When a staff member has trouble logging in and you have checked the above, try resetting their password manually.
- Login as a Sobs administrator
- Click the ‘Staff’ link in the Configuration menu
- Locate the staff record and click the ‘Edit’ link on the far right
- Scroll down to the ‘Specify a password’ option and click in the checkbox
- A text field will replace the checkbox, enter a specific password into this text field (avoid special characters like ‘+%&’)
- Click the ‘Save’ button
- Get the user to try logging in again. Confirm with them their username and the new password you have just entered
If you are still having trouble please complete a ‘Contact us’ form including the username and a contact number of the user who is having trouble logging in.