Data Platform User Authentication

Overview

To access the NACC Data Platform (including the ADRC Portal and REDCap projects), you need to set up a login through your university or organization's sign-in system — the same one you use for email or HR systems.

For most users

Here's what to expect:

1. You request access and provide your work email in the NACC Directory
2. Your center administrator approves your request
3. You receive an email with a link to activate your account — click it, select your university, and sign in
4. You're in. Access is typically granted within a couple of hours.

Common mistakes that cause delays

These two issues cause most activation problems — and fixes take until the next day to process:

• Clicking "Log On" without changing the default selection. The page defaults to ORCID, but most users need to change this to their university. See Selecting Your Identity Provider.
• Your work email doesn't match what your institution uses for sign-in. This is common with emails like medicine.wisc.edu (where you'd search for wisc.edu) or medical center domains. Check the email domain lookup or use the troubleshooting steps to find your exact sign-in email.

The sections below explain each step in detail.

Getting Access

Step 0: Request and authorize access

Access to the NACC Data Platform is managed through the NACC Directory.

To get started:

1. Submit a request for access by selecting what you need in the NACC Directory (see Data Platform Permissions Options for details on what's available)
2. Provide your work email address — this is the email you'll use to sign in later
3. Your center administrator reviews and approves your request

During this process, it is critical that the email address you provide matches what your organization uses for sign-in. For most people, this is simply your work email. If you're unsure, check with your center administrator.

Non-ADRC Members

If you are not part of an ADRC (e.g., you are a member of an affiliated study or external collaborator), please visit NACC Support for assistance with getting access.

info

See: How are users authorized for Data Platform access?

Once your request is approved, the account activation process begins.

Step 1: Activate your account ("claim" your record)

After your request is approved, you'll receive an email asking you to activate your account in the NACC system. (The email uses the word "claim" — this just means confirming that the account belongs to you.)

Didn't receive the email?

If you don't receive an activation email within a few hours of your request being approved, check your spam/junk folder. If it's not there, visit NACC Support for assistance.

The email contains a link that takes you to a sign-in page. On this page, you'll need to select how you sign in:

• Most users: Select your university or organization from the list — this is the same login you use for your work email or other institutional systems
• A small number of users: Must use ORCiD instead (see below)

See Selecting Your Identity Provider for step-by-step instructions with screenshots.

warning

This is where most mistakes happen. Before clicking the link in the email, make sure you know which sign-in option to select:

• If your email is on the ORCiD list, you must use ORCiD. See ORCiD Authentication for setup instructions.
• Everyone else should select their university or organization. If your email doesn't match exactly (e.g., medicine.wisc.edu), check the email domain lookup to find the correct entry.

If anything goes wrong, see:

• What do I do if I got an error?
• How do I retry?

Step 2: Confirmation

Once you've successfully signed in through the activation link, your account is created in the NACC system. You'll receive a confirmation email letting you know you can now access the Data Platform.

Access is typically granted within a couple of hours. If you don't receive the confirmation email by the next day, visit NACC Support.

warning

If something went wrong during activation (e.g., you selected the wrong sign-in option or your email didn't match), fixes are only picked up by the nightly process — so corrections take until the next day to take effect.

Signing in

Once your account is set up, signing in to the ADRC Portal or REDCap works the same way as the activation step: select your university or organization and sign in with your usual credentials.

Trouble signing in?

If the sign-in page seems to remember a previous choice you want to change, you may need to clear saved login information. Visit https://cilogon.org/me and click the "Delete All" button, then try again.