Accounts

The Accounts app (Studio > Accounts) serves as the Operator's primary interface within UNA Studio for managing individual user Accounts at the system level. This crucial tool allows Operators to view, search, modify, export core account data, and perform essential administrative actions.

It is vital to understand the fundamental distinction UNA makes between an Account and a Profile:

• Account: This is the core user record, primarily used for authentication (logging in) and unique system identification. It also holds Operator status. Think of it as the user's master key to the platform.
• Profile: This represents the user's identity or persona as seen on the frontend community (e.g., "John Doe," "Acme Corp"). Profiles create content, join groups, and interact with others.

While the global rules dictating how all accounts behave are configured in Studio > Settings > Global > Account ([See Global Settings Guide - Account Section]()), this Accounts app provides the interface for direct interaction with specific accounts. It's important to note that every registered user possesses an account, even if this management app isn't installed; the app merely provides the Operator's interface within Studio. Removing the Accounts app does not impact existing user accounts.

Accessing the Accounts App

To access the Accounts app:

1. Log into UNA Studio.
2. Locate and click on the Accounts icon (typically a user silhouette or similar icon) within the Studio Launcher area.

Manage Tab Overview

The Manage tab is the main workspace within the Accounts app. It displays a comprehensive list of all user accounts registered on the system and includes tools for filtering, searching, and acting upon these accounts.

Filtering and Searching

Located at the top of the Manage tab, these tools help Operators locate specific accounts efficiently:

• Status Dropdown: Filters the displayed list based on account status (e.g., All Statuses, Active, Pending, Suspended, Unconfirmed, Locked).
• Type Dropdown: Allows filtering by specific account types, such as showing All accounts or Operators Only.
• Search Box: Enables searching for accounts using keywords like email address, account name, or associated profile names.
• Count: Displays the total number of accounts that match the currently applied filters and search criteria.

The Accounts List Columns

The central part of the Manage tab is a table providing key details for each account:

• Active Toggle: A visual switch indicating the account's current status (typically Green for Active, Grey for inactive states like Pending or Suspended). Clicking this toggle allows Operators to directly change the account status (e.g., suspend an active user or activate a pending one). Permissions for suspended accounts are defined in Studio > Permissions.
• Name: The internal identifier or name associated with the account record.
• Email: The primary email address linked to the account, used for login and system communications.
• Confirmed: Shows the method or status of account confirmation (e.g., Email indicates confirmation via email link, Manual if confirmed by an admin, or potentially blank/Not Confirmed).
• Profiles: Lists the names of the community Profile(s) associated with this Account. These names are often clickable links leading to the respective profiles on the frontend. This column clearly illustrates UNA's one-account-to-many-profiles capability.
• Last Logged: Timestamp indicating when the user last successfully logged into this specific account.
• Last Active: Timestamp showing the last time the account registered any activity on the site (like a page view or action).
• Created: The date and time the account was initially registered.
• Actions (Gear Icon ⚙️): Clicking this icon reveals a dropdown menu with management options specific to that individual account.

Global Actions

Buttons located typically near the top right of the Manage tab allow actions on multiple accounts or creation:

• Add New Button: Enables Operators to manually create a new user account. This process usually involves providing a name, email address, and password. There's often an option to mark the email as confirmed immediately, though allowing users to confirm via email is generally preferred for security. If not marked as confirmed, the account status will likely be 'Pending' or 'Unconfirmed', and a confirmation email will be sent.
• Export All Button: Initiates a data export of account information. The format (CSV/XML) and the specific fields included in the export are determined by the settings configured in the Settings tab of this Accounts app.

Managing Individual Accounts (Actions via Gear Icon ⚙️)

Clicking the gear icon next to an individual account opens a dropdown menu providing several management actions:

• Edit Email: Allows the Operator to change the account's primary email address. Often includes options to manage related communication preferences (like newsletters). Use this for correcting errors or upon verified user request. The user may need to re-confirm the new address.
• Resend Confirmation: Manually triggers the system to resend the email confirmation link to the account's registered email address. Useful if the user didn't receive the original email or the link expired.
• Reset Password: Enables the Operator to directly set a new password for the account. Typically requires the Operator to enter and confirm the new password. Use for assisting locked-out users or security interventions, ensuring the user is notified.
• Resend Reset Password: Manually triggers the standard "Forgot Password" email process, sending a password reset link to the user's email. Useful if a user reports not receiving the automated reset email.
• Delete: This action deletes the Account record only. Associated Personal Profiles are usually deleted as well. Organization Profiles are deleted only if this account is the sole owner. Importantly, content (posts, comments, etc.) created by associated profiles is preserved but generally attributed to an "Unknown" or anonymous user. Use this when you need to remove login access but retain contributions anonymously.
• Delete With Content: This is a more drastic action that deletes the Account, all associated Profiles solely owned by this account, AND all associated content created under those profiles (posts, comments, files, etc.). This is irreversible. Use with extreme caution, typically for verified "right to be forgotten" requests or severe violations. This process can take time for accounts with large amounts of content.
• Set Operator Role: Assigns Operator status to the account, granting Studio access. If Operator Roles are configured (Studio > Roles), this option allows selecting a specific, limited role instead of full Master access. Grant this privilege carefully.

Settings Tab Overview

The Settings tab within the Accounts app allows Operators to configure options specific to the app's functionality, primarily focusing on data export preferences and list display.

• Enable sorting by Last Active: A checkbox that, when enabled, allows the main account list on the Manage tab to be sorted by the "Last Active" column. Note that this might impact performance on sites with a very large number of users.
• Export to: A dropdown menu to select the file format (CSV or XML) for account data exports initiated via the Export All button.
• Export fields: A series of checkboxes allowing the Operator to select precisely which data fields should be included in the exported file. Common options include Name, Email, Confirmation Status, Phone, Communication Preferences, Timestamps (Created, Logged, Changed), and potentially IP address (handle with privacy awareness).

Remember to click the Save button after adjusting these settings.

Frontend Access (/accounts-administration)

The Accounts app often provides a parallel management interface on the frontend website, typically found at the URL /accounts-administration.

• Restricted Access: Access to this frontend page is, by default and necessity, restricted to users whose Profiles have been assigned appropriate Administrator or Moderator Membership Levels (configured in Studio > Permissions). Crucially, Operators must ensure this page's visibility settings (Studio > Pages) are never modified to allow unauthorized access.
• Purpose: This frontend interface allows designated Admins/Mods to perform essential account oversight tasks (like checking statuses, viewing linked profiles, possibly suspending accounts depending on their permissions) without needing full Operator access to Studio.

Relationship to Global Settings

Remember the distinction and synergy between this Accounts app and the Global Account Settings (Studio > Settings > Global > Account):

• Global Settings: Establish the universal rules and default behaviors for all accounts (e.g., confirmation methods, password policies, automatic pruning rules).
• Accounts App: Provides the tools for Operators to manage individual accounts within the framework defined by those global rules (e.g., manually changing a status, initiating an export based on selected fields, triggering a password reset email).

Best Practices for Operators

• Caution with Actions: Fully understand the consequences of actions like Delete vs. Delete With Content before executing them.
• Verify Identity: When performing sensitive actions like password resets or email changes based on user requests, implement a process to verify the user's identity.
• Export Security: Treat exported account data with care, adhering to data privacy regulations like GDPR. Only export necessary fields and manage the resulting file securely.
• Frontend Security: Double-check and maintain the restricted visibility of the /accounts-administration page on the frontend.
• Operator Access: Grant Operator status sparingly. Utilize Operator Roles (Studio > Roles) to enforce the principle of least privilege within Studio.

Conclusion

The Accounts app is a cornerstone tool within UNA Studio for Operators needing direct control over individual user accounts. It offers essential functionalities for viewing details, managing statuses, handling authentication issues, and exporting data, all while respecting the fundamental separation between Accounts and Profiles. Used effectively and responsibly in conjunction with global settings, this app enables robust user management critical to maintaining a secure and well-functioning UNA community platform.