Login & Authentication

Troubleshoot login issues – login links, one-time passcodes, and account access.

How login works

PurposeTech uses passwordless login. Instead of a username and password, you sign in using your email:

  1. Enter your email address on the sign-in page
  2. Check your inbox for a sign-in link
  3. Click the link – you'll be signed in

A sign-in link requested from the sign-in page is valid for 15 minutes. The sign-in buttons inside campaign emails, such as reminders, last 24 hours. Your session lasts 24 hours. After that, you'll need to sign in again.

Two places to sign in

There are two separate sign-in pages, and they use separate accounts:

  • The campaign site (for example your-campaign.purposetech.io or your own domain) is where volunteers and coordinators sign in. Area coordinators and site coordinators open their rosters here
  • The admin portal is where Owners and Volunteer Admins sign in to manage campaigns

If someone works as a coordinator on the campaign site and also manages the campaign in the admin portal, they have two accounts and sign in to each separately. Admin portal access is given under Organisation > Team Members. Roles on the campaign site (including Volunteer Admin and coordinator roles) are set from the volunteer's record under Volunteers.

If you're not receiving the sign-in email:

Check your spam/junk folder

Sign-in emails sometimes end up in spam, especially the first time. Check your junk, spam, or promotions folder.

Check you're using the right email

Make sure you're entering the email address that was used to register. If you're not sure which one was used, ask your organisation's admin to check your record.

Wait a minute

Sign-in links are sent straight away, but delivery can take a few minutes depending on your email provider. The "Check your email" screen has a Re-send link button if you need another.

Use a one-time passcode instead

If the sign-in link still isn't arriving, you can sign in with a one-time passcode instead:

  1. Enter your email address and continue
  2. On the "Check your email" screen, under "If the email does not arrive", click Use another authentication method
  3. Choose the email code option. A code is sent to your email
  4. Enter the code to sign in

The passcode is a good fallback

It works even when your email provider or a corporate filter interferes with links in emails.

Corporate email filters and security scanners

Some corporate email systems open or block links in emails (they treat them as potential phishing). PurposeTech protects sign-in links from this: a link opened from a data-centre address, or from a different country than the one it was requested from, is rejected and shows as expired. If you use a work email and your links keep expiring:

  • Ask your IT team to allowlist emails from your organisation's PurposeTech sender address
  • Use the one-time passcode instead of the link
  • Use a personal email address if your organisation allows it

A sign-in link requested from the sign-in page expires after 15 minutes (links in campaign emails last 24 hours), and a link that a security scanner has opened first will also fail. If you clicked the link and got an error saying it is invalid or has expired:

  1. Go back to the sign-in page
  2. Enter your email again
  3. A new link will be sent

Requesting a new sign-in link doesn't affect your account or shift bookings.

Using passkeys (admin portal)

Admins can also sign in to the admin portal with a passkey, which uses your device's built-in unlock (Face ID, Touch ID, Windows Hello) instead of an email.

Setting up a passkey

  1. Sign in to the admin portal using a link or passcode
  2. Open My Account > Security
  3. Under Authentication Methods, click Manage
  4. Follow your device's prompts to add the passkey

Passkeys can only be changed shortly after you have signed in. If you are asked to sign in again, do that and then retry.

Signing in with a passkey

Once set up, your browser may offer your passkey on the admin sign-in page. Confirm with your device's unlock and you're in – no email needed.

Account issues

"Sign-in failed. Please contact support."

This message is deliberately brief. It appears when an account is not allowed to sign in, for example because the volunteer has been blacklisted under the organisation. Contact your organisation's admin or PurposeTech support.

Can't access the admin portal

Admin portal access needs the Owner or Volunteer Admin role on an admin account:

  • Ask your organisation's Owner to check Organisation > Team Members
  • Make sure you are on the admin sign-in page, not the campaign site
  • Make sure you are signing in with the email address the invite was sent to
  • Try signing in again – your session may have expired

Coordinator can't open their roster

Coordinators sign in on the campaign site, not the admin portal. After signing in they see the roster for the areas or shifts assigned to them. If they see a message that the account is awaiting approval, an admin still needs to approve their sign-up.

Session expired

Sessions last 24 hours. If you're signed out unexpectedly:

  1. Go to the sign-in page
  2. Sign in again – your data and bookings are not affected

Volunteer login

Volunteers sign in through the campaign site. The process is the same:

  1. Enter your email on the campaign site
  2. Click the sign-in link in your inbox (or use a one-time passcode)
  3. View and manage your shift bookings

Different sites

Volunteers and coordinators sign in on the campaign site (for example your-campaign.purposetech.io). Admins sign in on the admin portal. Make sure you're on the right site.

Still need help?

If you've tried the steps above and still can't sign in:

Include your email address and which site you're trying to access so we can help quickly.

Signed-in customers can ask questions about the docs. Log in