Setting Retention and Authentication Methods

Within your New Message screen, you can set the retention and authentication methods for the mail. See the Composing a New Secure Message article for a detailed description of creating new messages. 

Please note:

Retention periods for delivered and recieved items can only be decreased, they cannot be increased. 

Firm settings may restrict your ability to edit the authentication method used and/or the question/answers used. See the Admin Settings article for more information. 

Question & Answer Authentication 

This authentication prompts the document recipient to answer a security question before they can access the attached document(s). You can add a new question, save a new question, set a new default, or select a saved question depending on firm settings. 

1. Click the Gear icon to set the retention period and the authentication method of the mail.
2. Click the Retention Period drop-down to choose when the sent message will expire and be deleted. 
3. Select Question & Answer in the Authentication Method drop-down.
4. Click Add New Question to create a new authentication question.
   
   • The new question is added to your firm's Saved Question list.
5. Click Set Questions & Answers. 
6. Enter the recipient's email address. 
7. Click the question drop-down to select a saved question.
8. Enter an answer to the question. 
   • The taxpayer will need to enter this answer to access the document(s). 
   • The question/answer combination for this client will be saved to your profile moving forward, so the answer will autofill the next time you send something to this client. 
9. Click Add New Recipient to add another message recipient (optional). 
   • Repeat steps 6-9 for the new recipient. 
10. Click Send to deliver the mail to all recipients. 

Access Code Authentication

This authentication prompts the document recipient to enter an access code before they can access the attached document(s). The access code is sent to the email address the message was delivered to. 

1. Click the Gear icon to set the retention period and the authentication method of the mail.
2. Click the Retention Period drop-down to choose when the sent message will expire and be deleted. 
3. Select Access Code in the Authentication Method drop-down.
   • This will be the authentication method for all recipients in the TO field of the message. 
4. Click Send to deliver the mail to all recipients.