SSMS Troubleshooting

TROUBLESHOOTING - your own checklist of typical SSMS user issues

Check 1 – SSMS website address URL
Make sure you are using the complete and correct URL https://www.ssms.vic.edu.au
SSMS is a highly secure site so you must have the https:// format (note the 's').

Check 2 – pop up blockers
The log in area has a message 'no access' or there is a red tick in the system requirements area.
You must ensure you have pop up blockers OFF.
If you have them on, you will have trouble with SSMS functionality (you may just get a "white" screen).
Typically, these days many computers will have a default setting of "popup blockers on".
To check or turn them off, find the browser settings (you can 'google' how to fix this issue step by step).
And note – if you have Google or Yahoo toolbars installed - they automatically block popups so have to be deactivated

Check 3 – format of username and passwords
Unless you originally selected your own username, your username (which never changes) is 8 characters made up of 6 letters, followed by 2 numbers.
Your 'new' password will have to be between 7 and 32 characters:
AND
Contain at least one character from at least three of the following sets:
-Uppercase letters (A-Z)
-Lowercase letters (a-z)
-Numerals (0-9)
-Special characters such as ()~`#$*&@^ (do not use single quote, double quote, space bar, semi colon key)

Check 4 – which parts of SSMS are case sensitive
SSMS is case sensitive for passwords and security answers.

Check 5 – your security answer
Your security answer is case sensitive and the answer you give must be an identical match in all formats to what is stored on SSMS.
You will be denied access if there is any difference such as incorrect use of capitals or spaces or other keyboard characters.
Under no circumstances will VCAA staff tell anyone what a security answer is for an account (clues only may be given).

Check 6 – my 'typing' of the username and password disappears
You enter the username and password into the boxes but they disappear straight away.
When this occurs, usually dots already appear in the password box when you go to SSMS.
You need to find 'settings' for the browser and clear 'remember passwords' (you can 'google' how to fix this issue step by step).

Check 7 – message - cannot be authenticated
You have a message 'you cannot be authenticated'.
Your account has been locked (usually from too many attempts at logging in with incorrect combination of username and password).
Your account remains locked until reset by VCAA staff (done within 24 hours).

Check 8 – message - excessive logins
You have a message about 'excessive logins'.
Your account has been locked (usually from too many attempts at logging in with incorrect combination of username and password).
Your account remains locked until reset by VCAA staff (done within 24 hours).

Check 9 – message – can't login multiple times (therefore unable to logout; the logout option disappears)
You have a message 'You are not allowed to log in to the SSMS application multiple times. Please log out before logging in again', You have breached a security protocol (usually by moving from a secure website like SSMS to a web based email or other website that is non secure or clicking on a link outside of SSMS or exiting the screen via the red cross at the top right hand corner).
Your user account is locked/frozen for 30 minutes – it then automatically resets after that time.

Check 10 – SSMS blocked
You are on a school laptop and for reasons unknown find our site blocked.
You need to refer this to your IT staff at school as they should be able to exempt SSMS from the network/firewall settings.

Contacting the SSMS Helpdesk
If contacting the helpdesk please be very clear what you are/were doing and what happened…. any error messages and so on (screen shots can be very informative)…. saying "I couldn't log on" isn't sufficiently helpful.
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You must electronically store VCAA appointment related emails and attachments for future reference.

All general information related to any appointment will be delivered and collected digitally – essentially by email or web-based (on-line) applications such as SSMS and data collection tools.

Most information supplied to you during an appointment process does not need to be printed out and therefore can be read or accessed at your convenience and referred to again if necessary.