A username is a unique identifier Access Meister (AcM) needs to identify each individual granted access to any tool or application AcM manages.

When the record of an individual user is first entered into AcM, he/she is asked to select a username. We suggest the user's first initial followed by their last name, all lower case. We suggest lower case because most Windows users do not realize that lower case and upper case letters are considered different, for example, a jsmith username will not match JSmith.  We also do not allow spaces in a username, though we do allow certain special characters such as @ and &.

If a requested username already exists in AcM, the user requesting is advised, and they can try again, perhaps with variants such as jsmith1 after AcM tells them that jsmith is already taken.

Once a username is selected, it cannot be changed, as can the password that is used with a username to gain access.