Security and Access
How to Access the Enterprise Business Systems
The EBS Portal is a website that serves as the central location to access the EBS Finance, HR/Payroll, Business Intelligence and Planning & Budgets systems, as well as Employee Self Service.
To access the EBS Portal:
- Click the EBS Login button in the top navigation bar of this website.
- Log in using your MSU NetID* and password.
- You will be directed to the EBS Portal, to your Home tab. From there, tabs are available for the systems to which you have access, based on your Enterprise Role(s) (see information on roles below).
*If you do not know your MSU NetID and/or password, please visit this web page for information.
How to Access EBS from Off-Campus
EBS can be accessed from off-campus (e.g., home) using a compatible web browser and logging in with your MSU NetID and password. Employee Self Service, the Finance and Business Intelligence systems are web-based and require only a web browser. However, to use the HR/Payroll system (requires SAP GUI):
- Your computer needs SAP GUI 7.20 installed (if not already installed, visit this web page for the instructions and download link).
- You need to connect to the MSU VPN, and use the Network Connect link. See this document for complete instructions and important steps to connect.
EBS Enterprise Roles
Access to the systems and functions within EBS are based on roles that MSU faculty, staff and retirees are assigned*. View the EBS Enterprise ARM Index on the AIS website, for a list all EBS Enterprise Roles, with a description of, and actions performed by the role. Access Request Memorandum (ARM) forms are also available.
*Note: Employee Self Service (ESS) is available to all MSU faculty, staff and retirees; you do not need to request access to ESS. An ESS tab will be available to you in the EBS Portal. The tab label and options within, will differ based on your position type (e.g., ESS Salary, ESS Faculty, ESS Hourly, etc.).
- Access to the Planning and Budget applications is determined by the security roles granted within D6501. Workflow screens will be different depending on the security role entered for each application. View this document to read more about Cognos Enterprise Planning roles.
Logging Off EBS
To completely exit EBS, you must also log out of the Single Sign-On (SSO) environment. After clicking Log Off from the EBS Portal, and confirming that you want to log off, you will be directed to the Sentinel EBSP-SecPortal Application Logout page. Click the "Logout from Sentinel SSO Access" link to complete the log off.
Password Protection
MSU faculty, staff and students have individual responsibilities for protecting the security and integrity of institutional data. MSU's Institutional Data Policy sets minimum expectations for members of the MSU community for the stewardship of institutional data, especially confidential data. The publication, "Keep IT Safe: A guide to securing institutional data for MSU Employees" is a resource detailing best practices and tips for keeping confidential data secure. Here are some tips for protecting your password, from the guide:
- Try to memorize your password.
- Make them hard to guess; use strong passwords.
- Change passwords often.
- Do not share them with others.
- Use different passwords for different accounts.
- If you must write it down, keep it in a secure, locked place or as a strongly encrypted file.
- Contact your security administrator and change your password immediately if you suspect a problem.
Timeouts
Timeouts are used for two important reasons: application security and performance.
- EBS Portal sessions are limited by a two-hour session timeout which begins when you enter your login credentials to log into the portal. If you exceed the two-hour time period you will be prompted to re-authenticate. If the portal session timeout lapses while you are using a system, the system will continue normally but you will be prompted to re-authenticate when you return to the portal or switch systems.
- The Finance, HR/Payroll, Business Intelligence and Planning & Budgets systems have 30-minute inactivity timeouts. Please note that not all of the systems respond to user interaction in the same manner; some systems check for activity frequently, whereas other systems check only when a form is submitted or the user moves from one screen to another.
All system sessions, active or inactive, use system resources. An inactivity timeout helps return these resources back to the system for other users. As a general recommendation, remember to log out of the systems and portal* and close all browser windows when you have finished your session. When taking an extended break from an activity, please save your work and log out of the system.
*Please remember to log off from both EBS and from the Sentinel SSO Access (prompted after logging off EBS).
Timeouts are set based upon the security considerations for the university and accepted industry security practices. The timeout settings are periodically reviewed and updated as needed.
