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• 3 Simple Rules To Know To Use 2SA In Xero Effectively

Two-step authentication will soon be mandatory by law for everyone with access to an Australian organisation on Xero.

It is done to keep your financial data safe.

We hear a lot of complaints about this, as people have to develop new habits to make their business data more secure. Old habits die hard and we are here to help.

What if I tell you, that there are only 3 rules to follow, to make your 2SA experience very user friendly?

Avoid even one of this three rules and security systems might make your life miserable by blocking your access to your own data.

1. One Login Per Person

Make sure that you have your own login and password.

First rule of security “Never Share Your Passwords With Anyone!”. Xero is designed in a way, so that none should ever know your password. Not your boss, not your accountant or bookkeeper, noone.

Only you can use your login and only you should know your password. Follow the link to remember your passwords easily.

If you choose to share your login access with other people, prepare for the following:

• You will be annoyed with requests to login and authenticate much more frequently
• Assess to some key functionality might be blocked, as your activity may be classified as suspicious

2. One Authenticator Device Per Login

You can use only one device to get an authentication code. It might seem like you currently can setup multiple devices, but security algorithms within Xero with detect it and you will have to start all over again. This is what gets a lot of people. Just follow this rule and 90% of problems will disappear.

You can choose on of these device types to install your authenticator:

And the good news is, Xero is not the only cloud product where 2SA is used, so you can keep all of your authentications in one place.

If you get a replacement phone just follow this link to swap in few easy steps.

3. Additional Alternative Authentication

Do not skip on setting up Alternative authentication methods. They are there to help in case you don’t have access to the device with the authenticator for whatever reason.

Be safe with alternative authentication methods:

• Set security questions
• Always enter an alternative Email address

They are not the handiest to use regularly, but if you need them, they are there.

Security Questions Tips

• Always type answers in lower cases and be consistent, that would help second-guessing yourself in the future: “Did I use a capital first letter?”
• Choose a question that you can easily answer in 10 years time, don’t try to be funny or choose a answer that is relevant to your current situation.
• Make sure that the answer is easy to spell.

Alternative Email Address Tips

• The most obvious option is to use your personal email, that is separate from your business. However, make sure that the security of that email is up to scratch.
• Avoid using emails of other people, as you will need quick access to it.

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