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Profile: Linked Accounts

Access Level

Authenticated Users Only

Overview

Linked accounts allow you to sign into Match Official System using your Microsoft or Google account in addition to your primary credentials. This provides extra convenience and an additional way to access your account if you forget your password.

Account Linking

What you can do:

  • Link your Microsoft account
  • Link your Google account
  • Unlink accounts at any time
  • Log in with any linked account

Convenience

  • Sign in with one click using Microsoft or Google
  • No need to remember another password

Account Recovery

  • If you forget your primary password, you can still sign in with a linked social account
  • Provides backup access to your account

Flexibility

  • Switch between login methods depending on your preference
  • Maintain your primary login method while adding alternatives

Linking Microsoft Account

Top Navigation

  1. Navigate to your profile settings

    • Click your name or avatar in the top navigation bar

    • Choose "My Account" from the dropdown menu

      Alternative navigation

      In the My Account section, you can also select Update Profile from the sidebar.

  2. Find the Linked Accounts section

    • Scroll to "Linked Accounts" or "Connected Accounts"

  3. Click "Link Microsoft Account"

    • The button appears under the Microsoft Account section
    • You'll be redirected to Microsoft's login page

  4. Sign in with your Microsoft account

    • Enter your Microsoft email address
    • Enter your Microsoft password
    • Complete any security verification if requested

  5. Return and confirm

    • You'll be automatically returned to your profile
    • You'll see a confirmation message: "Your Microsoft account has been linked successfully"
    • Microsoft Account now appears as "Linked" in your profile

Linking Google Account

The process is the same as Microsoft:

  1. Go to your profile settings (top right of any page)
  2. Find the Linked Accounts section
  3. Click "Link Google Account"
  4. Sign in with your Google account (email and password)
  5. You'll see a confirmation: "Your Google account has been linked successfully"

What Happens When You Link

When you link an account, the system creates a secure connection between your Match Official System account and your Microsoft/Google account. The connection allows you to sign in using either method.

How to Log In With a Linked Account

After you've linked an account, you can log in using it:

  1. Go to the Match Official System login page

  2. Instead of entering your email and password, look for:

    • "Sign in with Microsoft" button
    • "Sign in with Google" button

  3. Click the social login button

    • You'll be redirected to Microsoft or Google

    • If you're already signed into Microsoft/Google in your browser.

      Seamless Login

      If you're already logged into your Microsoft or Google account in your browser, you might not need to enter your password again. Just click the social login button and you'll be signed in automatically.

  4. You're signed in!

    • The system recognises your social account is linked to your profile
    • Your session is established with your Match Official System account
    • You have full access with your linked account

  1. Go to your profile settings

    • Click your name or avatar in the top right
    • Select "My Account"

  2. Find the Linked Accounts section

    • Scroll to your linked accounts
    • Find the account you want to unlink

  3. Click the "Unlink" button

    • The "Unlink" button appears next to each linked account

  4. Confirm in the popup

    • A confirmation window appears: "Are you sure you want to unlink your [Provider] account?"
    • Click "Unlink" to confirm

  5. Confirmation message

    • You'll see: "Your [Provider] account has been unlinked successfully"
    • The account no longer appears as linked in your profile

After Unlinking

After unlinking an account, you will no longer be able to sign in using that social account. You'll need to use your primary password to access Match Official System. Consider changing your password if you may forget it.

Understanding Account Linking

What Gets Connected?

When you link an account, the system securely connects:

  • Your Match Official System account (your email, password, and user data)
  • Your Microsoft or Google identity (your social account email and ID)

The connection is stored securely in the system's database.

Multiple Linked Accounts

You can link both Microsoft and Google accounts to the same Match Official System account:

Your Match Official System Account
    ├─ Primary: Email + Password
    ├─ Linked: Microsoft Account
    └─ Linked: Google Account

You can sign in using any of these three methods.

Are My Passwords Shared?

No. Your Match Official System password and your Microsoft/Google passwords are completely separate:

  • Linking does not require you to share your primary password with Microsoft or Google
  • Linking does not give Microsoft or Google access to your Match Official System data
  • Only the system administrator can see the connection exists

No. Linking requires you to be:

  1. Already signed into your Match Official System account
  2. Able to authenticate with your Microsoft or Google account

No one else can link accounts on your behalf.

Troubleshooting

"Linking succeeds but I can't sign in with that account"

What this means: The account appears as linked in your profile, but the login button doesn't work.

How to fix it:

  1. Try signing out completely and clearing your browser cache
  2. Go back to the login page
  3. Click the social login button again
  4. If the issue persists, contact your system administrator

"The system says my social account is already linked"

What this means: You tried to link a social account that's already connected to a different Match Official System account.

How to fix it:

  1. You can only link a social account once per system
  2. If you have multiple accounts, you'll need to decide which one to use
  3. Contact your system administrator if you need to consolidate accounts

"I unlinked my account but I still can't log in"

What this means: After unlinking, the social login option is no longer available for you.

How to fix it:

  1. Use your primary email and password to sign in instead
  2. If you forgot your password, use the forgot password flow to reset it
  3. You can link the social account again anytime

"Sign in with [Provider] button isn't working"

What this means: The social login method might be temporarily unavailable, or the account isn't properly linked.

How to fix it:

  1. Try refreshing the page
  2. Clear your browser cookies and cache
  3. Make sure you're using the same email address for your social account as your Match Official System account
  4. Try unlinking and relinking the account
  5. Contact your system administrator if the issue continues

"I can't find the Linked Accounts section"

Where to look:

  1. Click your name or profile icon in the top navigation
  2. Select "Profile" or "Profile Settings"
  3. Look for a section labeled "Linked Accounts," "Connected Accounts," or "Social Accounts"
  4. It should be on the main profile page or in a security/settings tab

Security Considerations

Best Practices

  • Choose strong passwords: Your Microsoft and Google passwords should be strong and unique
  • Enable two-factor authentication: Enable 2FA on your Microsoft and Google accounts for extra security
  • Review linked accounts regularly: Periodically check your linked accounts to ensure they're still needed
  • Unlink accounts you don't use: Remove social accounts if you're no longer using them to sign in

If You're Concerned About Security

  • Change your password: If you suspect someone accessed your account, change your password
  • Unlink all accounts: If you're concerned about social account linking, unlink all accounts and use only your primary password
  • Contact your administrator: Report any suspicious activity to your system administrator

FAQ

Q: Can I link multiple social accounts? A: Yes. You can link both your Microsoft account and your Google account to the same Match Official System account.

Q: If I forget my Microsoft/Google password, can I still access Match Official System? A: Yes. You can still sign in using your primary email and password. Then you can use the forgot password flow if needed.

Q: Can I link the same social account to multiple Match Official System accounts? A: No. Each social account can only be linked to one Match Official System account.

Q: Does linking an account change my password? A: No. Your primary password remains unchanged. Linking just adds another way to sign in.

Q: What happens if I delete my Microsoft/Google account? A: You'll no longer be able to sign in using that social provider. You can still use your primary password to access Match Official System.

Q: Is my account secure if I link social accounts? A: Yes. Linking is secure and only requires authentication from both accounts. Your data remains protected.

Q: Can I link accounts with different email addresses? A: Your linked social account should ideally use the same email address as your Match Official System account, though the system will allow different emails. Emails will however be sent only to your primary B2C local account.

Q: How do I know which accounts are linked? A: Go to your Profile Settings and look at the Linked Accounts section. It shows all currently linked accounts.

Next Steps

Technical Reference

Linking Workflow

Hold "Alt" / "Option" to enable pan & zoom 
flowchart TD
    Start([User clicks Link Account button]) --> Navigate[Redirect to Microsoft/Google login]
    Navigate --> SocialAuth{Already signed in to social account?}
    SocialAuth -->|Yes| Consent[Review permissions]
    SocialAuth -->|No| SocialLogin[Enter email and password]
    SocialLogin --> Consent
    Consent --> Approve{Approve connection?}
    Approve -->|Cancel| CancelFlow[Return to profile]
    CancelFlow --> ShowError[Show cancellation message]
    Approve -->|Yes| Callback[Return to MOS with auth code]
    Callback --> CheckExisting{Social account already linked?}
    CheckExisting -->|Yes| BlockLink[Block linking attempt]
    BlockLink --> ErrorMsg[Error: Account already linked]
    CheckExisting -->|No| ValidateUser{User logged into MOS?}
    ValidateUser -->|No| ErrorAuth[Error: Must be logged in]
    ValidateUser -->|Yes| SaveLink[Save link to database]
    SaveLink --> UpdateDisplay[Update social account display name]
    UpdateDisplay --> Success[Redirect with success message]
    Success --> ShowSuccess[Show: Account linked successfully]
    ShowSuccess --> RefreshUI[Show Unlink button, hide Link button]

Unlinking Workflow

Hold "Alt" / "Option" to enable pan & zoom 
flowchart TD
    Start([User clicks Unlink Account button]) --> Modal[Show confirmation modal]
    Modal --> Confirm{User confirms?}
    Confirm -->|Cancel| CloseModal[Close modal, no change]
    Confirm -->|Unlink| RemoveDB[Delete record from database]
    RemoveDB --> DeleteB2C[Delete social B2C user object]
    DeleteB2C --> CheckSuccess{Successfully removed?}
    CheckSuccess -->|No| ShowError[Show error message]
    CheckSuccess -->|Yes| Redirect[Redirect to profile page]
    Redirect --> ShowSuccess[Show: Account unlinked successfully]
    ShowSuccess --> RefreshUI[Show Link button, hide Unlink button]

Social Login Sequence

Hold "Alt" / "Option" to enable pan & zoom 
sequenceDiagram
    actor User
    participant Browser
    participant Social as Microsoft/Google
    participant MOS as MOS System
    participant DB as Database

    User->>Browser: Click "Sign in with Microsoft/Google"
    Browser->>MOS: Request social login
    MOS->>Social: Redirect to social provider
    Social->>User: Show login page

    alt Already signed in
        Social->>Social: Use existing session
    else Not signed in
        User->>Social: Enter credentials
        Social->>Social: Authenticate user
    end

    Social->>Browser: Return with auth code
    Browser->>MOS: Send auth code
    MOS->>Social: Exchange code for tokens
    Social->>MOS: Return tokens with social objectId
    MOS->>MOS: Extract social objectId from token

    MOS->>DB: Check if social objectId is linked

    alt Social account not linked
        DB->>MOS: No record found
        MOS->>Browser: Reject sign-in
        Browser->>User: Error: Account not linked
    else Social account is linked
        DB->>MOS: Return local account objectId
        MOS->>DB: Load user session with local objectId
        DB->>MOS: User profile data
        MOS->>MOS: Create authentication session
        MOS->>Browser: Redirect to dashboard
        Browser->>User: Successfully signed in
    end