Shared Account with Password - Account Setup & Support

Article Intended for

Setup and support of Shared Accounts with a Password. Please do not reference this page unless you have been directed to do so. Please visit our Shared Accounts KB for more information.

• Initial Setup OU.EDU Accounts
• Initial Setup OUHSC.EDU Accounts
• Registering PingID (OU.EDU and OUHSC.EDU) for a Shared Experience
• Changing a Shared Account Password (OU.EDU and OUHSC.EDU)
• FAQ

Initial Set-Up 

Follow the instructions below to set up a new Shared Account for use with a password. Please note – most Shared Accounts are utilized as Shared Mailboxes or Room Resource / Scheduling Accounts only, and those mailboxes/calendars can not be accessed using a password.

OU.EDU Accounts 

Use the following steps to set up a password for use with your @ou.edu Shared Account. 

Step 1 - Set a Password and Alternate Email Address 

1. Obtain the Shared Account’s OUNetID and date of birth.

   • If you do not know this information, OU IT can supply it. Information will be provided only to the Account Point of Contact, department Dean/Director, or IT support staff upon request. 

   • One of these individuals should complete the Shared/Organization Account form, select the correct type of account, then select to Modify the Account. When asked to describe additional changes needed, specify that the account  OUNetID and DOB are needed for setting up a password.  

2. Open a private/incognito browser and navigate to one.ou.edu/activate. 

   • Using a standard browser window may work, but it is not recommended.

   • Using a private/incognito browser is the best way to avoid issues with saved credentials. 

3. Type in the OUNetID and date of birth for the Shared Account, then click “Identify Account”. 

4. Input a non-OU alternate email address to which you have access. Please note - this address will be used for all future password issues until manually updated. 

5. Open a new browser window. Check the mailbox of the non-OU email address to obtain the required verification information. 

6. Enter the required information in the original browser page as requested to confirm that you have access to the non-OU alternate email. 

7. Create a password that meets the stated criteria.

   • The password must be changed every 30 days.

   • This password may be shared with other OU individuals as needed. OU IT encourages the use of LastPass as a secure and safe way to share the credentials with other users.

Step 2 – Register with PingID 

Authenticating with PingID is required when logging into one.ou.edu to change the Shared Account’s password.  

Follow the steps in the “Registering PingID Authentication Methods” section below.   

OUHSC.EDU Accounts 

Use the following steps to set up a password for use with your @ouhsc.edu Shared Account. Your temporary password will expire two days after it is provided by OU IT. It is important that you follow these steps before the temporary password expires. 

Step 1 - Register with PingID 

Authenticating with PingID is required when logging into one.ou.edu to change the account’s password from the temporary one provided by OU IT.  

Using your Shared Account’s temporary password, follow the steps below in the “Registering PingID Authentication Methods” section below.  Please note that if, after you log in, you see a screen that states “Password Expiring”, this is normal. You should select the option to Change it Later. You will not be able to change the password until you have registered PingID authentication methods. 

Step 2 – Set a new Password 

Once at least one authentication method is registered with PingID, follow the steps below to change the Shared Account’s password. 

1. Open a private/incognito browser and navigate to one.ou.edu. 

2. Log in using the Shared Account’s username and password.

   • If you see a screen that states “Password Expiring”, you may select the option to Change it Now. 

   • If you select Change it Later, you will still be able to proceed. 

3. PingID will send an authentication request to the primary method on the account. To send the request to a different method, select “Change Device” choose a different method, and click “Sign On”. Accept the authentication request. 

4. Once successfully logged in to one.ou.edu, navigate to the round icon/initials in the top right and click it. Select “Account Settings”. 

5. Select the tab labeled “Security”. 

6. Update your account’s password. OU IT encourages the use of LastPass as a secure and safe way to share the credentials with other users.

Registering PingID Authentication Methods (OU and HSC) 

Authenticating with PingID is required when logging into one.ou.edu to change the account’s password. It is highly recommended that any user authorized to change the password for the Shared Account have at least one authentication method registered with PingID, and that methods are labeled in the PingID site. 

1. For the best experience, have all users who need to have an authentication method registered in PingID be present and/or active in this process. 

2. Open a private/incognito browser and navigate to link.ou.edu/pingid. 

3. Sign in using the Shared Account’s OUNetID/username and password. 

4. Add authentication methods using the steps described in the PingID Enrollment article. 

5. If additional user methods need to be added after the initial setup, an active PingID MFA method must be used to log in to link.ou.edu/pingid and add additional devices.  

6. For ease of use, set one method to Primary and label different methods.

   • Consider setting a specific method as the Primary method.  You can toggle the “Primary” switch on the right side of the screen. 

   • To label the name of a method, click lines with the down arrow on the right side of the method. Authenticate as requested. Click the available text box and rename the method something other users might recognize such as “Jane’s cell phone”. 

Changing a Shared Account Password (OU and HSC) 

To change a Shared Account password, the account must already be set up for use with a password and have at least one PingID MFA method added. 

1. Open a private/incognito browser and navigate to one.ou.edu. 

2. Log in using the Shared Account’s OUNetID/username and password. 

3. PingID will send an authentication request to the primary method on the account. To send the request to a different method, select “Change Device” choose a different method, and click “Sign On”. Accept the authentication request. 

4. Once successfully logged in to one.ou.edu, navigate to the round icon/initials in the top right and click it. Select “Account Settings”. 

5. Select the tab labeled “Security”. 

6. Update your account’s password. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Q: I’m trying to log into my shared mailbox or room resource / scheduling account. Why isn’t working? 
A: Shared Mailboxes and Room Resource / Scheduling accounts do not have a Microsoft license and they cannot be logged into directly using a password. Follow the steps at the Organization/Shared Accounts: Setting up a Shared Mailbox article to access the mailbox/calendar. 

Q: Why does the password keep expiring? 
A: Shared Accounts are subject to the university’s password policy, which states that passwords used on Shared Accounts must be changed every 30 days.