ACCESS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

How to Troubleshoot ITAS-related Issues With AMS Tools

Timekeepers and coordinators can employ the AMS user search feature to troubleshoot basic problems associated with a user's ITAS access/settings in AMS.

Note: If you are an ITAS timekeeper or coordinator and your AMS homepage does not contain the "AMS User Search" link, please contact the ONE- helpdesk at 1-888-ONE-DHHS (663-3447) or email AMSHelp@hhs.gov

  1. Log into AMS at https://ams.hhs.gov/. For quick and easy access to your applications, add this page to your browser favorites or create a desktop shortcut.

  2. On your AMS homepage, click the "AMS User Search" link.

    AMS User Search

  3. On the "AMS User Search" page, enter your search criteria and click "Search."

    Note: You may enter any combination of valid search terms in the available fields, including partial expressions(e.g., first three letters of last name, first letter of first name, partial HHSID).

    • Entries are not case sensitive
    • Entering more information limits the number of matching records returned by your search (e.g., complete first and last name)
    • Entering less information returns broader results (e.g., last name only)
    • Entering a complete HHSID will return a single matching record
    • Entering a complete AMS username will return a single matching record

    AMS User Search - Find User

  4. To proceed, click "Agree" on the "Data Protection Policy Statement" pop-up notice.

    Data Protection Policy Statement

    1. Troubleshooting Scenario 1:
      User cannot log into AMS to access ITAS

      Under the "Search Result" header, locate the matching user record and look up the user's "AMS Status" (must be "ENABLED") and "SCMS Status" (must be "ACTIVE").

      To reactivate a user's AMS status, advise the user to complete the process to re-enable their AMS profile and refer them to the "How to Re-enable a Disabled AMS Profile" job aid for detailed instructions.

      To determine what caused a user's deactivation in SCMS and take corrective action (if appropriate), advise the user to contact their local badging office.

      Note: For additional information about user status settings, please refer to the appendix.

      AMS and SCMS status

    2. Troubleshooting Scenario 2:
      User does not see ITAS link on their AMS homepage

      Under the "Search Result" header, locate the matching user record and look up "Roles Assigned" by pointing your cursor at the respective column. In order for the application link to display on the user's AMS homepage, this column must contain an ITAS entry.

      If an ITAS entry is missing, please verify the user's role assignment in ITAS and modify if necessary. Any changes synchronize automatically with AMS within 24 hours; if needed sooner, a user's ITAS role can be assigned manually by an AMS administrator with ITAS role assignment permission.

      Note: An inactive SCMS status will automatically remove all entries from the "Roles Assigned" column.

      AMS User Search page with Roles Assigned highlighted in the Search Results when user does not see ITAS link

    3. Troubleshooting Scenario 3:
      What ITAS roles are assigned to the user?

      Under the "Search Result" header, locate the matching user record and look up "Roles Assigned" by pointing your cursor at the respective column. Each ITAS role assigned shows as a separate line item in the viewing window.

      If the listed ITAS roles do not agree with the user's expectation, please verify their role assignment in ITAS and modify if necessary. Any changes synchronize automatically with AMS within 24 hours; if needed sooner, a user's ITAS role can be assigned manually by an AMS administrator with ITAS role assignment permission.

      Note: An inactive SCMS status will automatically remove all entries from the "Roles Assigned" column.

      AMS User Search page with Roles Assigned highlighted in the Search Results when looking for ITAS roles assigned to the user

Appendix:

Table 1: Employee Type
Type Description
Employee Federal government employee
Contractor Government contractor
Other Affiliates Examples include fellows, visiting Scholars, summer students, interns, etc.


Table 2: SCMS Status
SCMS Status Value SCMS Status Description AMS Access conditions
Active User works for HHS Allow access to AMS if AMS status is "Enabled"
Inactive User no longer works for HHS Deny access to AMS irrespective of AMS status


Table 3: AMS Status
AMS Status Value AMS Status Description
Enabled User's digital identity is active in AMS
Disabled AMS profile is disabled due to inactivity of 60 days (AMS access is denied, but user profile, including application links, is maintained)
User must complete re-enable process to access AMS
Suspended Manually set by the AMS Tier 3 under prescribed circumstances, e.g., extended user leave(AMS access is denied, but user profile, including application links, is maintained)
Requires AMS Tier 3 action to reactivate


Table 4: SCMS/AMS Status Scenarios
SCMS Status AMS Status When does this combination occur? What does this mean to the user? Actions to take
Active Enable User works for HHS User has an active identity in AMS Access to AMS is allowed
User should be able to log into AMS; instruct the user to log into AMS to view and access ITAS Note: In addition to the SCMS and AMS Status values, the "Roles Assigned" column in the search results must list the user's assigned ITAS role(s) in order for the user to have access to ITAS;if any or all ITAS entries are missing, the user's role assignment must be updated in ITAS. For general AMS login issues, direct the user to the ONE-DHHS helpdesk at 1-888- 663-3447
Active Disabled User works for HHS User has not logged into AMS for over 60 days Access to AMS denied [No effect on application links and application roles]
Instruct the user to complete the process to re-enable their profile; following this reactivation, the user should be able to log into AMS and access ITAS Note: The "Roles Assigned" column in the search results must list the user's assigned ITAS role(s) in order for the user to have access to ITAS
Active Suspended User works for HHS User has been suspended by AMS Tier 3 Access to AMS denied [No effect on application links and application roles] Instruct the user to contact the ONE- DHHS helpdesk at 1-888-663-3447 to determine why AMS access was suspended
Inactive Enable User does not work for HHS User has an active identity in AMS Access to AMS is denied [Application links and application roles are removed]
Instruct the user to contact their local badging office to address SCMS status issues; if the user's status is reactivated in SCMS, their ITAS account will be linked and accessible in AMS within 24 hours thereof
Inactive Disabled User has not logged into AMS for over 60 days and subsequently* left HHS Access to AMS is denied [Application links and application roles are removed]
Instruct the user to first contact their local badging office to address SCMS status; following reactivation in SCMS, the user must also complete the process to re-enable their AMS profile
Inactive Suspended User has been suspended by AMS Tier 3 personnel and subsequently* left HHS Access to AMS is denied [Application links and application roles are removed]
Instruct the user to first contact their local badging office to address SCMS status; following reactivation in SCMS, the user should contact ONE- DHHS helpdesk at 1-888-663-3447 to resolve the AMS access suspension issue

* The user's SCMS status was set to inactive after their AMS status became disabled or suspended