---
title: "IDHUB | Usernames Best Practices"
slug: "idhub-usernames-best-practices"
tags: ["Username", "IDHUB", "Best Practices"]
updated: 2023-08-09T16:26:22Z
published: 2023-08-09T16:26:22Z
canonical: "help.rapididentity.com/idhub-usernames-best-practices"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.rapididentity.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# IDHUB | Usernames Best Practices

To balance ease of use with industry best practices around usernames, please consider the following.

## Best Practices for Usernames

1. First Initial, Last Name
2. First Name, separator character (e.g. period, underscore), Last Name
3. Combination of name with a unique identifier (NOT SSN or part of SSN)
4. A unique identifier such as employee ID or student ID (NOT SSN or part of SSN)

### Things to take into consideration with username policies:

- If the source system (e.g. SIS or HRMS) generates a username that the user will already know, then that can be used if desired.
- Username Collision
  - ID Hub will automatically append an incrementing counter to usernames that conflict (e.g. if two users are named John Smith, you will have **jsmith** and **jsmith1**).
    - If this is not desirable, the formula for creating the username should be adjusted to ensure uniqueness (e.g. by importing the username from SIS or HRMS, or by using a unique identifier within the username).
- Username Delivery:
  - Consider how the end user will learn what their username is.
  - When the username is formulaic and unique (e.g. when it contains their ID number), you can provide generic instructions to all users.
  - You can leverage QR ID Badges in place of usernames for RapidIdentity authentication. However, the username will still end up in target systems.
  - Otherwise, this information will have to be provided to users by some manual process.
- Complexity
  - Users should not be forced to remember something overly complex to log in. This can lead to unnecessary frustration with the new system.
- ID Hub will not automatically rename accounts as part of your normal provisioning process. Consider this if you map a username from the source system and that value can change. This value will not automatically flow to target systems for existing users that are updated.

## Related

- [IDHUB | RapidIdentity Claim Process Best Practices](/idhub-rapididentity-claim-process-best-practices.md)
- [IDHUB | Password Policies Best Practices](/idhub-password-policies-best-practices.md)