Activating and managing your SDCS Cloud account

This guide is intended to help you activate and manage your Strategic Data Collection Service in the Cloud (SDCS Cloud) account, once you have registered for the data set(s) you want to submit. Learn more about registering new user access on SDCS Cloud.

It provides guidance on:

• choosing your two-factor authentication method
• activating your SDCS Cloud account
• logging in to your SDCS Cloud account
• managing your SDCS Cloud account
• troubleshooting

If you have any questions about guidance or functionality, or are experiencing any operational issues, such as problems with system access, please contact our National Service Desk on 0300 303 5035 or via email at [email protected].

For general enquiries, such as questions about Data Sharing Agreements (DSAs) or other data-related issues, please email our Contact Centre at [email protected].

SDCS Cloud uses two-factor authentication to secure your account. Two-factor authentication must be set up and your SDCS Cloud account activated before you can start submitting data.

Once you have set up your two-factor authentication you must use it each time you log into SDCS Cloud.

The NHS England Cyber Security Team recommend using Google Authenticator or GAuth web-based authenticator as two-factor authentication options for SDCS Cloud.
Please use the following table to help you decide which authentication option to use:

Now that you have received your username and temporary password by email, and chosen your two-factor authentication method, you must set up your two-factor authentication and activate your SDCS Cloud account.

https://auth.idp.data.digital.nhs.uk/auth/realms/sdcsc-auth/protocol/openid-connect/auth?client_id=webapp&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fsdcs-portal.digital.nhs.uk%2F&state=7c65e6fb-9bdc-4e86-b73e-c40b005b9e65&response_mode=fragment&response_type=code&scope=openid&nonce=fac3f5c1-5b85-49ef-87b0-175d0aa372d6If you have a smartphone you can use Google Authenticator on your phone to activate your SDCS Cloud account.

Once you have set up Google Authenticator you must use this each time you log in to SDCS Cloud.

 To set up Google Authenticator on your smartphone: 

1. Go to the SDCS Cloud webpage.
2. Enter your username and password.
3. Click Next.

The Mobile Authenticator Setup page will be displayed.

Note: If you see a blank page when accessing SDCS Cloud it is likely due to web permission restrictions. Please contact your local IT team and request them to ‘whitelist’ the following URL:

https://auth.idp.data.digital.nhs.uk

If you continue to experience issues, please contact the National Service Desk by email at [email protected].

4. Go to the App Store on your smartphone.
5. Search for Google Authenticator.
6. Install the App on your smartphone.
7. Open Google Authenticator on your smartphone.

Please note the following screenshots may vary depending on your smartphone.

8. Tap Get Started.

9. Tap Scan a QR barcode.

10. Point your camera towards the QR code displayed on the Mobile Authenticator Setup screen on your computer.

If the QR code will not scan, please see the I am unable to scan the QR code for Google Authenticator sub-section in Troubleshooting.

11. The QR code will read automatically without any buttons being pressed and a 6-digit code will be displayed on your smartphone.

Only scan the QR code once. You will know that the QR code has been read successfully as the page will change to display the authentication code.

Return to the Mobile Authenticator Setup screen on your computer.

12. Enter the code displayed on your smartphone (excluding the space between the numbers) into the text box on your screen. For example, you would type in 501761 as shown in the example below.

Wait for the countdown to begin at 30 seconds to give yourself enough time.

13. Click Submit.

You will now be requested to update your password to complete the activation of your SDCS account. See  the Updating your password section for details.

If you do not have a smartphone you can use GAuth web-based authenticator, from any browser, to activate your SDCS account.

Once you have set up GAuth web-based authenticator you must use this each time you log in to SDCS Cloud.

To set up GAuth web-based authenticator:

1. Go to the SDCS Cloud webpage.
2. Enter your username and password.
3. Click Next.

The Mobile Authenticator Setup page will be displayed.

4. Click Unable to scan?

Note: If you see a blank page when accessing SDCS Cloud it is likely due to web permission restrictions. Please contact your local IT team and request them to ‘whitelist’ the following URL:

https://auth.idp.data.digital.nhs.uk

If you continue to experience issues, please contact the National Service Desk by email at [email protected].

5. Highlight and copy the 30-digit code. Make a note of the code if you are unable to copy it.

6. Open your web browser and go to http://gauth.apps.gbraad.nl.   
7. Click on the pen icon in the top right corner.

8. Click Add.

9. Paste or type the 30-digit code in the Secret key field.
10. In the Account name field enter a meaningful name, for example, ‘SDCS Cloud’.
11. Click Add.

The page will display a 6-digit code and a countdown.

12. Click on the pen icon to stop editing.

The following page will be displayed:

13. Wait until the timer (circled red) shows 30 seconds then copy or make a note of the 6-digit code.

Return to the Mobile Authenticator Setup screen.

14. Paste or enter the 6-digit code.
15. Click Submit.

You will now be requested to update your password to complete the activation of your SDCS account. See the Updating your password section for details.

Once you have completed the setup of your two-factor authenticator you will be requested to update your password.

1. Enter your new password and enter it again for confirmation.
2. Click Submit.

The SDCS Cloud Homepage will be displayed.

Now that you have activated your SDCS Cloud account and changed your password, you can log in and start submitting data.

Once you have activated your SDCS Cloud account you can log in to SDCS Cloud using your chosen two-factor authentication option.

To log into SDCS Cloud with Google Authenticator:

1. Go to the SDCS Cloud webpage.
2. Enter your username and password.
3. Click Next.

The two-factor authentication screen will be displayed.

4. Open Google Authenticator on your smartphone.
5. Enter the code from the smartphone into the box on the Two-factor authentication screen (without the space between the numbers). This must be done before the 30 second timer expires.

6. Click Log in.

To log into SDCS Cloud with GAuth web-based authenticator:

1. Go to the SDCS Cloud webpage.
2. Enter your username and password.
3. Click Next.

The two-factor authentication screen will be displayed.

4. Go to https://gauth.apps.gbraad.nl/.
5. Wait until the timer (circled red) shows 30 seconds then copy or make a note of the 6-digit code.

6. Paste or type the code into the Authentication code field.
7. Click Log in.

To reset your password:

1. Go to the SDCS Cloud webpage
2. Enter your username and password.
3. Click on I have forgotten my password.

4. Enter your registered SDCS Cloud email address.
5. Click Submit.

You will receive an email with a password reset link.

If you cannot reset your password yourself, please contact the National Service Desk by email at [email protected].

SDCS Cloud can send users email notifications about their submission(s). You can configure which notifications you would like to receive. Available notifications are:

• The collection submission window is open 
• The collection submission window is closing soon (5 days notice)
• The submission file has been accepted/rejected 
• The submission summary report is available for download 
• A requested submission extract is available for download 

The following notification is available for submitters of the Maternity Services Data Set (MSDS):

• The mid-window deadline for provisional processing is closing soon (5 days notice)* 

Changing your organisation code

If the organisation code you submitted as part of the New Access Request form has changed, for example, if your organisation merges with another organisation and a new ODS code is issued, you will need to email the National Service Desk at [email protected] with the following information:

• name of the organisation which is closing 
• details of the new organisation, and ODS code, and which submitters need to be set up to submit against the new code

Changing your email address

If a user’s email address or name has changed since you submitted the New Access Request form, you will need to complete and submit a new form. You must also email details of the changes to the National Service Desk at [email protected] 

Removing access

If a user no longer requires permission to be able to submit or view data using SDCS Cloud, you will need to email the National Service Desk at [email protected] as soon as possible. Failure to do so may result in an individual having access to data where they do not have a lawful basis to do so.

If the user has already left the organisation, any other data submitter, or the IG management lead, can make a ‘Remove Access Request’.

The following detail must be provided for the user who no longer requires access:

• user’s name
• user’s email address
• name of the submitting organisation
• ODS code
• data set(s) the user currently has permission to submit

If you are unable to scan the QR code, you can manually enter this. Follow the instructions below and then follow the link to Google Authenticator set up instructions.

1. Go back to the Mobile Authenticator Setup screen and click Unable to scan?

2. Highlight and copy the 30-digit code. If you cannot copy it, make a note of the code.

To delete your Google authenticator account:

1. Select the three dots in the top right corner.

2. Select Edit from the pop-up.

3. Select the account you want to delete by tapping on the pen to the right of the account.

The account you have selected will be displayed.

4. Select the delete icon in the top right corner.

A warning message will appear.

5. Select Remove account to delete the account you have selected.

6. You will return to the Get Started screen where you can now set up two-factor authentication for another account.

To delete your GAuth Web-Based authenticator account:

1.  Select the pen in the top right corner of the screen to enable editing.

2.  Select the cross aligned with the entry you want to delete.

If the two-factor authentication code displayed on your smartphone returns an invalid code error message, you may have a time and date mismatch between your smartphone and desktop computer.

If they are different, follow the steps below to correct this issue:

1. Check the time and date on your smartphone settings.
2. Check your computer to see if it matches.
3. If they do not match, you must change the time and date in your Smartphone Settings.

If you have an Android smartphone you can sync the time and date with the Google Authenticator app:

1. Go to the main menu on the Google Authenticator app.
2. Click Settings.
3. Click Time correction for codes.
4. Click Sync now.

To reset your two-factor authentication please contact the National Service Desk by email at [email protected]. 

If you need to use a new or alternative device for your two-factor authentication, please contact the National Service Desk by email at [email protected] to request a reset. You will then be able to set up two-factor authentication on your new device.

If you are experiencing issues, you can conduct a speed test to check the speed at which your internet connection is running. A possible site to use is  https://broadbandtest.which.co.uk/