Portal Multi-Factor Authentication Issuer
Overview
Portals support multi-factor authentication (MFA) using Authenticator Apps such as Microsoft Authenticator, Google Authenticator, or Authy. When a portal user enrols in MFA, their Authenticator App displays an Issuer name alongside the rolling six-digit code — this is what distinguishes one finPOWER Connect portal entry in the user's app from the next.
Previously, the Issuer string was hard-coded to use the Portal's Description. So a portal called “Client Connect” produced an Authenticator entry labelled “Client Connect”, with no way to change it without renaming the portal itself. This was awkward when administrators wanted to keep the internal Portal Description short (or branded a particular way) but show end users a more recognisable label inside their Authenticator App.
From this release, the Issuer is independently configurable on the Portals form's Multi-Factor Authentication page, separate from the Portal Description. The setting takes effect on the live portal — the value the end user sees in their Authenticator App is whatever Issuer string you configure here.
Prerequisites
Setup & Configuration
The Portals form has no Cloud administration widget — Portal configuration is performed exclusively in finPOWER Connect Desktop. The Issuer setting is configured on the Portals form in Desktop. The portal itself is hosted by Web Services, so the Issuer string takes effect for end users on the live portal regardless of which platform users access it from.
Navigate to Administration, Portals in finPOWER Connect Desktop.
Pick the Portal whose Authenticator App entry you want to customise (for example, your Client Connect portal).
Select the Multi-Factor Authentication page within the Portal record. This page houses all MFA-related settings.
The Issuer field is only relevant to the Authenticator App method. Choose this method first — the Issuer field becomes available beneath it.
Type the value you want shown in the user's Authenticator App. The field accepts up to 50 characters. If the Issuer is left blank, the system falls back to the Portal Description for backwards compatibility with the previous behaviour.
Save and close. The next time a portal user enrols in MFA (or re-enrols), the Authenticator App will display the new Issuer string.
Field reference
| Field | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Method | The MFA method used by the Portal. The Issuer is relevant only when this is set to Authenticator App. | (per portal) |
| Issuer | The string shown in the end user's Authenticator App alongside their rolling code. Up to 50 characters. Leave blank to use the Portal Description (legacy behaviour). | (blank — falls back to Portal Description) |
How to Use
Once the Issuer is configured, the change takes effect for portal users on enrolment. Existing enrolments retain whatever Issuer was in place when they enrolled, until they re-enrol.
The portal user logs in with their username and password as normal.
If MFA is required and the user is not yet enrolled, the portal displays a QR code. The QR code embeds the Issuer string you configured.
The Authenticator App adds a new entry. The label shown in the app is the Issuer string — for example, “Acme Finance — Client Portal” rather than just “Client Connect”.
From now on, when the user logs in to the portal they enter the six-digit code from the Authenticator App entry labelled with your Issuer string.
Platform Differences
Portal configuration is administered in Desktop only. The portal itself runs on Web Services and is consumed by end users in a web browser, so the Issuer string is presented to all portal users regardless of how they reach the portal.
| Aspect | Where it lives |
|---|---|
| Portal admin (Issuer field) | Desktop only — Portals form, Multi-Factor Authentication page |
| Live portal hosting | Web Services |
| End user experience (QR code, Authenticator label) | Web browser — identical regardless of client platform |
Tips & Best Practices
The Issuer is the only label your portal users see in their Authenticator App. If you have multiple portals (for example, one for clients and one for brokers), use distinct Issuer strings so users can tell them apart. Including your trading name (e.g. “Acme Finance — Clients”) often works well.
Changing the Issuer affects new enrolments. Users already enrolled keep their existing label until they re-enrol (which only happens if they reset their MFA). This is a property of how Authenticator Apps store their entries — finPOWER Connect simply hands them the Issuer at enrolment time.
The Issuer string is embedded in the QR code in plain form. It must not contain credentials or sensitive information. Treat it as a display label, not a security token.
Knowledge Base References
Browse the live KB listings for v6.00.03 on the Intersoft support site:
The Knowledge Base articles consolidated into this release notes page: