The feature in this article may apply to your organization if there are individuals with multiple records who manage unrelated companies. If this feature is used to link those individuals' user accounts, the individuals will still have multiple records but will only need to use one login to access all of their records.
Note: This scenario is uncommon and requires a Novi team member to enable an internal setting to use this feature. Reach out to Novi if you are interested in enabling this functionality.
In this article:
Overview & Setup Options
Typically individuals will not need multiple records with separate logins since individuals with user accounts can be granted access to any related companies in a family tree.
Oftentimes a family tree is set up like this example:
ABC Company is the parent of Alpha (sub-company) and Zeta (sub-company).
Sally Smith's parent is Zeta (sub-company) because Sally works directly for Zeta (sub-company), but Sally needs management access to manage Alpha as well.
Sally can have one record (and one user account) and access both sub-companies using the steps here: Granting Management Access to People Under Companies
In rare cases there are multiple unrelated records not in the same family tree that are managed by the same individual, like this example:
Company A and Company B exist in the database. The companies are not related in any way (they do not share the same parent, for example) and are not in the same family tree.
John Smith works for Company A. John has an individual record (with a login) under Company A.
John also works for Company B. John has a separate individual record (with a separate login) under Company B.
In instances like John's where an individual needs to be linked to multiple unrelated parent records, consider if this scenario is rare and only applies to a few people in your database, or if it is common.
If this happens rarely, follow the steps in this article: Attach One Person to Multiple Unrelated Companies
If this scenario applies to numerous individuals, there is an internal setting that Novi can enable that allows those individuals to link their user accounts to multiple records (instead of having to maintain multiple different logins for multiple records) called "Link User Accounts".
In the John Smith example above, John would have one login and be able to toggle between his records with Company A Company B. If this feature sounds like it is needed, continue reading below.
Linking User Account Records
If the scenario above has been deemed common and needs enabled, contact Novi by reaching out via Intercom (the "blue bubble") to have a Novi team member enable the "Link User Accounts" setting.
Once the setting is enabled, an Association Admin can link an individual's user accounts by following these steps:
(1) Create all of the individual's records
Ensure that needed records for individuals have been created in the database, and that each record is linked to any corresponding parent records. If needed, follow the steps here to create a new individual record.
In the example previously shared, there would be two individual records for "John Smith" - one would have Company A assigned as John's parent, and the other record would have Company B as John's parent.
(2) Go to the Settings tab on one of the individual's records
Go to one of the individual records on the backend and navigate to the Settings tab. If one of the records already has the desired email address for the User Account, select that record to continue.
In the example above this could be the John Smith record that's under Company A.
(3) Confirm or create the user account
If the record does not already have a User Account in the Settings tab, create one by clicking the Create User button (if no email address is listed in the Account Email field, one will need to be added to create a User Account). The other record(s) don't need to have User Accounts set up to proceed.
Check that the email address in the Account Email field is correctly entered - this will be the individual's email used for logging in to all their individual profiles.
When checking for duplicate user accounts, if the email is already being used as another account email the system will display a confirmation alert that says: “This user account email is already being used by <Link to Record Name>, continuing with this user account email will link these records under a single username and password.” If Save & Continue is selected, the user records will be linked.
(4) Search for the additional record
Once an individual's record has a User Account, a new section labeled "Link User Records" will be available on the Settings tab (if this does not display, first try refreshing the page; contact Novi if the section does not appear). Click into the field and start typing the individual's name to see a list of records to choose from (see screenshot further down below).
The dropdown list will only display individual records as companies do not have User Accounts. The dropdown does not include deactivated individual records.
Under the individual's name their parent's name will be displayed (if applicable) to help distinguish between duplicate records.
(5) Link the additional record
Once additional record are located, click the Link button on the right. A pop-up modal will ask for confirmation - click Yes to proceed.
If there is a need to link User Accounts to additional records for the individual, repeat steps #4 and #5.
When individual records are linked, they will be listed in alphabetical order by the individual's name and then by the individual's parent name (if applicable).
Note that the record currently being viewed will also be listed. The individual's name is clickable to open the linked record(s) in a new tab.
After linking a record, the system will send a notification email to the User Account email address letting the individual know a record has been linked to their account (see example screenshot of this in the next section below).
(6) Confirm or change the default record
The record used to set this up will be assigned as the Default, but Association Admins can click the "Set as Default" link next to one of the other records if needed.
(7) Assign management access
If an individual should have management access for any record they are linked to via family trees (which includes being assigned as Primary Contact and/or Billing Contact), follow the steps here: Granting Management Access to People Under Companies
Continue to the next section below to learn more about what the user will experience with linked user records...
Example of John Smith's Record with Linked User Records from the Backend:
Note: If only one record is listed under the "Link User Records" section, then this is the main record (i.e. the record currently viewed). If the Unlink button is clicked, the system will completely remove the User Account and the person will no longer be able to login until a new User Account is created.
User Experience for People with Linked User Account Records
Highlights
When user records are linked via one User Account, a notification email will be sent to the User Account email address listed in the Settings tab of the default record (see below).
Once logged in, users will be viewing their default account. Users can toggle between their linked records as needed, without needing to login again.
Email Notification
Once the user records have been linked, the system will send a notification email to the User Account email address letting them know a record has been linked to their account.
Example of the "Account Linked" Notification Email:
Accessing Linked Accounts
Once logged in and there are multiple customer records linked to an individual, they will be shown the default record. Users can switch between their records by clicking on their name at the top right of the screen, then selecting which record to navigate the site as/access the Member Compass of.
Example of John Smith's Frontend View to Change Records:
Note: The default account is used when someone initially logs in, but if their session is remembered and they return to the site while still logged in, the system will remember which active account was last used.
Navigating the Frontend
If a user clicks on their headshot or their name (at the top of the screen), they will be taken to the Member Compass (URL: yourdomain.com/member-compass).
If the person has linked user records:
Clicking the arrow next to their name will display the following information:
List of linked related records in alphabetical order (including the active record)
Link to Member Compass
Update Password button
Log Out button
Clicking the active account will take them to the Member Compass.
Clicking another account will swap them to that account but their URL will not change. For example: If they’re on an event page, they will remain on that page after choosing a different user record.
Unlinking & Removing User Accounts
Unlink Records/Accounts
(1) Go to one of the individual records on the backend and navigate to the Settings tab of the record.
(2) To unlink a record, click the red Unlink button next to that record. Please note:
Clicking the Unlink button next to any records that are not the default will only reset that record's User Account, but will leave any others still linked.
Clicking the Unlink button next to the default record causes the User Account to be removed from all of this individual's records, including the default record.
Remove User Account
If you want to completely remove the user account for a person (not their record - just their User Account), follow these steps:
(1) Go to the individual's record on the backend and navigate to the Settings tab.
(2) Click the “Remove User Account” button, which will display a confirmation alert that says: “Removing this user account will reset the username and unlink all related user accounts. Are you sure you’d like to continue?” Click Yes to proceed (or No to cancel).
Note: The scenario of linking multiple user accounts is uncommon and requires a Novi team member to enable an internal setting for your site. Reach out to us in Intercom if you are interested in enabling this functionality.
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