Trouble signing in?

Note You can read this page without signing in: the Trouble signing in? link on the sign-in page, on the password pages and under sign-in messages opens it. The messages quoted here say "Strategia"; your organisation may show its own name for the app instead.

#How to choose the right way to sign in

Your organisation decides how its people sign in, and the sign-in page shows you which way that is. Open the address your organisation gave you: each organisation has its own address (for example acme.strategia.bh), and an account works only at its own organisation's address.

Your work account is the Microsoft account you use for your organisation's email and Microsoft 365 apps such as Outlook and Teams — usually your work email address. A personal Microsoft account (for example an outlook.com or hotmail.com address) won't work.

#How to sign in with Microsoft

1. On the sign-in page, click Sign in with Microsoft.
2. Microsoft asks which account to use, every time. Pick your work account, or choose Microsoft's Use another account and type it in.
3. Finish Microsoft's own sign-in: your Microsoft password and, if your organisation uses it, Microsoft's multi-factor authentication (for example a prompt in the Microsoft Authenticator app). Microsoft shows these pages in your organisation's language where it can.
4. Microsoft sends you back to Strategia, signed in.

The first time, Strategia connects your Microsoft account to your Strategia account: automatically if your Strategia email address is the address you sign in to Microsoft with and your organisation links accounts that way, or by creating a new account if your organisation has turned that on. You may then see Before you continue — read the Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy and agree to them.

If you have set up an authenticator app in Strategia and Microsoft didn't confirm multi-factor authentication for this sign-in, Strategia asks for a code as well: "You signed in with Microsoft as …, but Microsoft didn’t confirm multi-factor authentication for this sign-in, so Strategia also asks for the code from your authenticator app." Enter the 6-digit code from the app, or choose Use recovery code, within 5 minutes.

Tip On a shared computer, sign out of Strategia when you finish. If your organisation has set it up, Strategia signs you out of Microsoft too and confirms "You have been signed out of Strategia and Microsoft."

#How to read a sign-in message

When a Microsoft sign-in doesn't work, you land back on the sign-in page with a message that stays on the screen. Its heading and colour tell you who can fix it:

Under the message you may also see:

• the Reference line (see the next section);
• "Need help? Contact …" with your organisation's contact address, if it has set one;
• the Trouble signing in? link back to this page.

#How to send the Reference to your administrator

Most messages end with a line such as "Reference ABCD1234 (2:05 PM) — give this to your administrator if you need help." The eight-character code identifies your attempt; the time is in your organisation's time zone.

1. Click the code once to select it, or click the copy icon next to it (Copy reference), which appears where your browser allows copying.
2. Send your administrator:
   • the Reference and the time next to it;
   • the message exactly as shown (a screenshot is best);
   • the address you were signing in at;
   • the Microsoft account you chose.
3. Your administrator can look the Reference up and see why the sign-in was refused, without asking you to try again.

Some messages have no Reference — a cancelled sign-in, "Too many sign-in attempts…", "Microsoft sign-in is not available for your organization right now…", and the messages you see after being signed out. Send the time instead.

#Messages that ask you to try again

• "The Microsoft sign-in was cancelled." — You cancelled at Microsoft, went back, or declined Microsoft's prompt. Nothing is wrong: click Sign in with Microsoft when you're ready.
• "The Microsoft sign-in could not be verified. Please try again." — Strategia couldn't match Microsoft's answer to a sign-in started in this browser. Usually the sign-in finished in a different tab or browser, the Back button replayed an old sign-in, or the browser blocks Strategia's cookie. Close other Strategia tabs, open the sign-in page again and click Sign in with Microsoft once. If it keeps happening, see "If your browser blocks the sign-in" below.
• "Your Microsoft sign-in took too long or was started in another window. Please try again." — You spent more than 30 minutes on Microsoft's pages, or started a second sign-in in another tab. Strategia already restarts a late sign-in once by itself (you just see Microsoft's account picker again), so this message means it happened twice. Start again from the sign-in page, in one tab.
• "Microsoft could not complete the sign-in. Please try again, or contact your administrator if it keeps happening." or "Microsoft could not complete the sign-in. Please try again." — Microsoft, or the connection to it, had a problem. Wait a moment and click Try again. If it keeps happening, send your administrator the Reference.
• "The response from Microsoft could not be verified. Please try again." — Strategia couldn't check Microsoft's answer, for example because it was interrupted. Click Try again; if it keeps happening, send the Reference.
• "Signing in took too long, so it was cancelled. Choose “Sign in with Microsoft” to start again." — The authenticator code wasn't entered within 5 minutes of the Microsoft sign-in. Start again.
• "Too many sign-in attempts. Please wait a minute and try again." — Too many sign-ins were started from your browser in a short time. Wait a minute, then try once.

#Messages about your account

These have the heading This Microsoft account can’t sign in here. Most need your administrator, and the message says what to ask for.

• "This Microsoft account does not belong to your organization’s directory. Sign in with your work account." — You picked an account from outside your organisation, such as a personal Microsoft account. Click Use a different Microsoft account and pick your work account.
• "Guest accounts can’t sign in to this organization. Sign in with an account from your organization’s own Microsoft directory, or ask your administrator to allow guest accounts." — Your Microsoft account was invited into your organisation's directory from another organisation. Use an account from your organisation itself, or ask your administrator.
• "Your Microsoft account (…) uses an email domain that isn’t allowed to sign in here. Sign in with your work account, or ask your administrator to add your domain." — The address in brackets is the one Microsoft sent. If it's the wrong account, click Use a different Microsoft account; if it's the right one, your administrator has to allow its domain.
• "Your Microsoft account has not been given access to this application. Ask your administrator to assign you to it in Microsoft Entra." — Your organisation lets only assigned people use Strategia, and you aren't assigned yet.
• "No user in this organization matches your Microsoft account (…). Ask your administrator to create one, or to change your user’s email address to this one." — Strategia has no account with the address in brackets. Ask your administrator to add you with that address, or to change your existing account's email address to it.
• "Microsoft did not send an email address for your account, so it could not be matched to a user. Ask your administrator."
• "Microsoft reports that your email address isn’t verified, so it can’t be used to find your Strategia account. Sign in with your password and link your Microsoft account from Account Settings → Security, or ask your administrator." — If your organisation requires Microsoft sign-in, it reads "Microsoft reports that your email address isn’t verified, so it can’t be linked automatically. Ask your administrator to set your user’s email address to your Microsoft sign-in name." instead.
• "A user with your email address already exists. Sign in with your password, then open Account Settings → Security (under your name in the top bar) and choose “Link Microsoft account”." — You have a Strategia account, but your organisation doesn't connect accounts by email address automatically. Sign in with your email and password once and link your Microsoft account yourself. If your organisation requires Microsoft sign-in, it reads "A user with your email address exists but is not linked to this Microsoft account. Ask your administrator to turn on “Link existing users by email”." instead, because you have no password to sign in with.
• "Your email address was last changed by you rather than an administrator, so it can’t be linked to your Microsoft account automatically. Sign in with your password and link your Microsoft account from Account Settings → Security, or ask your administrator to confirm your email address." — An address you set yourself is never used to connect a Microsoft account automatically. Link it yourself, or ask your administrator to confirm the address. If your organisation requires Microsoft sign-in, the message ends "…Ask your administrator to confirm your email address for Microsoft sign-in."
• "Super Admin accounts are never linked automatically. Sign in with your password, then link your Microsoft account from Account Settings → Security."
• "Your user is already linked to a different Microsoft account. Ask your administrator to unlink it first." or "Your Strategia user is linked to a different Microsoft account. If your Microsoft account was recently re-created, ask your administrator to unlink the old one on the Single sign-on page; your next sign-in will then link the new one." — Your Strategia account is connected to another Microsoft account, such as an old one. Ask your administrator to unlink it; your next Microsoft sign-in can then connect the new one.
• "This Microsoft account is already linked to another Strategia user. Ask your administrator." — The Microsoft account you chose belongs to someone else's Strategia account. If you picked the wrong account, click Use a different Microsoft account; otherwise ask your administrator.
• "Your account is inactive or suspended. Contact your administrator." — Your administrator has set your account to Inactive or Suspended, and only they can change it. A Microsoft session that is already open ends within a few minutes of that change.
• "Your Strategia account has been removed. If you still need access, ask your administrator to add you again." — Your account was deleted. Signing in with Microsoft can't bring it back or create a new one. If you still need access, your administrator adds you again, and your next Sign in with Microsoft then usually connects to the new account.

#Messages your administrator must fix

These have the heading Microsoft sign-in isn’t set up correctly and the line "Your administrator needs to fix this. Trying again won’t help until they do." Nothing is wrong with your account: send your administrator the message and its Reference.

• "Microsoft sign-in is not available for your organization right now. Sign in with your password or contact your administrator." — Microsoft sign-in is switched off or can't be used at the moment — for example you followed an old bookmark, or the Strategia tile in Microsoft's My Apps portal, while it was off. Sign in with your email and password. If you have never had a Strategia password, see "How to reset a forgotten password" below.
• "An administrator must grant consent for this application in Microsoft Entra before people can sign in."
• "Microsoft does not recognise the application ID. Your administrator should check the single sign-on settings."
• "Microsoft does not recognise the directory ID. Your administrator should check the single sign-on settings."
• "Microsoft rejected the client secret. Your administrator should paste the current secret value into the single sign-on settings."
• "The client secret has expired. Your administrator must create a new one in Microsoft Entra and save it in the single sign-on settings."
• "This address is not registered as a redirect URI in Microsoft Entra. Your administrator should add it from the single sign-on settings page." — Check that you opened your organisation's usual address; until your administrator adds this one, sign in at the usual address.
• "New accounts cannot be created because the default role or position no longer exists. Ask your administrator to update the single sign-on settings." — Only people signing in for the first time are affected.

If your organisation requires Microsoft sign-in, the message also says "Administrators: use “Administrator? Sign in with a password” below, then open Administration → Single sign-on." and the password form opens, so a designated administrator can get in and fix it.

#If you were signed out

You were using Strategia, or came back to it, and found the sign-in page with the heading Please sign in again (or This Microsoft account can’t sign in here). Sign in again; you usually return to the page you were on.

• "Your Microsoft sign-in has expired. Sign in with Microsoft again to continue." — A sign-in with Microsoft lasts as long as your organisation chose — 12 hours unless your administrator picked 8 hours, 24 hours or 7 days — even while you're working. Click Sign in with Microsoft; Microsoft may only ask you to pick your account.
• "Your organization now requires Microsoft sign-in, so your earlier session was ended. Sign in with Microsoft to continue." — Your organisation switched to Microsoft sign-in while you were signed in with a password. Use Sign in with Microsoft from now on.
• "Your account is linked to Microsoft and your organization requires two-factor authentication, so use the “Sign in with Microsoft” button." — You signed in with a password, but your account is linked to Microsoft and your organisation requires two-factor authentication that you haven't set up in Strategia. Use Sign in with Microsoft.
• "Your Microsoft account is no longer linked to your Strategia account, so you were signed out. Sign in again to continue, or ask your administrator." — An administrator removed the connection between your Microsoft account and your Strategia account; you usually get an email about it. If your organisation connects accounts by email address, your next Sign in with Microsoft connects it again; otherwise ask your administrator.
• "Your account is inactive or suspended. Contact your administrator." or "Your Strategia account has been removed…" — see "Messages about your account" above.

#Messages under the password form

When you sign in with your email and password, a problem appears in red under Email Address:

• "These credentials do not match our records." — The email address or the password is wrong. Check both, and Caps Lock, or use Forgot Password?.
• "Your organization signs in with Microsoft. Use the “Sign in with Microsoft” button. Password sign-in is only for designated administrators — if you are one, check your email and password." — Your organisation requires Microsoft sign-in, and passwords work only for a few designated administrator accounts. Use Sign in with Microsoft. The message is the same whether or not the password was right, so the form can't be used to test passwords.
• "Your account is linked to Microsoft and your organization requires two-factor authentication, so use the “Sign in with Microsoft” button." — Use Sign in with Microsoft. Once you're in, you can set up two-factor authentication (an authenticator app) if you want your password to work again.
• "Too many login attempts. Please try again in … seconds." — More than 5 attempts in a minute for one email address, or 20 from one network. Wait the number of seconds shown.
• "Your session has expired. Please login again." — The authenticator code wasn't entered within 5 minutes. Sign in again.

#How to reset a forgotten password

Your Strategia password and your Microsoft password are different things. Strategia can't reset your Microsoft password: use Microsoft's own password reset, or ask your IT team.

1. On the sign-in page, click Forgot Password?. If your organisation requires Microsoft sign-in, open Administrator? Sign in with a password first.
2. On Forgot your password?, enter your email address and click Email me a reset link.
3. Open the email within 60 minutes and click its link. On Choose a new password, enter your email address, a new password of at least 8 characters twice, and click Reset password.
4. Sign in with the new password.

Who receives a link depends on how your organisation signs in:

While Microsoft sign-in is offered or required, the answer is the same whether or not a link was sent. If no email arrives, your account may simply not use a password: use Sign in with Microsoft.

Other messages on the password pages:

• "This password reset token is invalid." — The link is more than 60 minutes old, has been used already, or doesn't belong to the address you entered. Ask for a new one.
• "Too many password reset requests. Please wait a minute and try again." — More than 3 requests in a minute for the same address. Wait a minute.
• "Your organization signs in with Microsoft, so passwords cannot be reset here. Use the “Sign in with Microsoft” button, or contact your administrator." — Your organisation requires Microsoft sign-in, so this account can't set a password. Use Sign in with Microsoft. In an organisation that only offers Microsoft sign-in, the page can show "Your account is linked to Microsoft and your organization requires two-factor authentication, so use the “Sign in with Microsoft” button." instead.

The Set Password button in your welcome email works the same way and also stops working after 60 minutes; if it has, use Forgot Password?.

If your account was created the first time you signed in with Microsoft, it has no Strategia password yet. As long as your organisation doesn't require Microsoft sign-in, you can create one with Forgot Password? — useful if Microsoft sign-in is ever unavailable. The same applies if Strategia asks you to Confirm your password and you have never had one: sign out and use Forgot Password?.

#How to use a different Microsoft account

Microsoft shows its account picker every time you click Sign in with Microsoft, so you can pick another account there or choose Use another account. After a message about your account, the Use a different Microsoft account link takes you straight back to the picker.

If Microsoft keeps signing you in with the wrong account without asking:

1. Sign out of that account at Microsoft — for example from your picture in the corner of Outlook on the web or office.com — or open a private (incognito) browser window.
2. Go back to the sign-in page and click Sign in with Microsoft again.

#If your browser blocks the sign-in

A Microsoft sign-in passes your browser from Strategia to Microsoft and back. Strategia keeps a cookie to recognise the sign-in you started, and Microsoft keeps its own cookies on its sign-in pages. If either is blocked, the sign-in fails, usually with "The Microsoft sign-in could not be verified."

1. Allow cookies for your organisation's Strategia address and for login.microsoftonline.com. Strategia's cookie is an ordinary first-party cookie, so blocking third-party cookies doesn't affect it — but a "block all cookies" setting, or a privacy extension that strips cookies or blocks redirects, can stop the sign-in.
2. Finish the sign-in in the same browser and tab you started it in. Copying Microsoft's address into another browser doesn't work.
3. Don't use the Back button during the sign-in; start again from the sign-in page instead.
4. To test, try a private (incognito) window with extensions turned off. If that works, a setting or an extension in your normal window is the cause.
5. If your organisation's network filters websites, it must allow login.microsoftonline.com.

#When Microsoft shows its own error page

Sometimes Microsoft stops on its own page instead of sending you back to Strategia, with a code that starts with AADSTS (for example AADSTS50105). Strategia never sees that attempt, so there's no Reference. Send your administrator the code, the time and the address you were signing in at; they can look the code up.

#If the Sign in with Microsoft button is missing or may not work

• The button has disappeared. Your organisation has turned Microsoft sign-in off, or it is unavailable right now. Sign in with your email and password. If the page says "Microsoft sign-in is unavailable right now. Sign in with your email and password. If you have never set a password, choose “Forgot Password?” to create one.", do that.
• An amber notice above the button says "Microsoft sign-in may not work right now because of a configuration problem. If it fails, contact your administrator." Try it; if it fails, tell your administrator. Designated administrator accounts can still use Administrator? Sign in with a password.

#How to contact your administrator

Your administrator is whoever manages Strategia for your organisation — often the IT team, or the person who invited you. Only they can add you again, change your email address or account status, confirm your email address, or fix your organisation's Microsoft sign-in; Microsoft's support can't change your Strategia account. If your organisation has set a contact address, sign-in messages end with "Need help? Contact …".

Tell your administrator:

• the message exactly as shown, or a screenshot;
• the Reference and its time, if there is one, or the AADSTS code from Microsoft's page;
• the address you were signing in at, and the email address or Microsoft account you used;
• what you have tried already.