Profile - User Guide

Overview

The Profile section allows you to manage your personal account information and security settings. This section is available to all users (both Administrators and Staff).

Use this section to:

Update your personal information - Change your name, username, or phone number
Change your password - Update your login password for security
View your role - See your current access level (Administrator or Staff)

Note: Your profile information is personal to you. Changes you make here affect only your own account, not other users.

Understanding Your Profile

Profile Information

Your profile contains the following information:

Name

Your full name as displayed throughout the system
Used in audit logs and when other users see your actions
Can be updated at any time

Username

Your login identifier (combined with your restaurant slug)
Format: [restaurant-slug].[your-username]
Example: If restaurant slug is "lakeside" and username is "john", full login is "lakeside.john"
Can be changed, but you'll need to use the new username for future logins
Important: Only Administrators can change their own username; Staff members cannot

Role

Either "Administrator" or "Staff"
Determines your access level and permissions
Cannot be changed by yourself (only other Administrators can change your role)
Displayed for reference only

Phone

Your contact phone number
Optional field
Can be updated at any time

Password Security

Your password:

Must be at least 6 characters long
Is encrypted and never visible to anyone (including Administrators)
Should be changed regularly for security
Requires your current password to change (for verification)

Accessing Your Profile

To access your Profile:

Open the main navigation menu
Select Profile
Your profile information form appears

What you'll see:

A single form with all your profile information
Fields for Name, Username, Phone, and Role (read-only)
"Change password" button
"Save" button to save profile changes

Updating Your Profile Information

Editing Your Information

To update your profile:

Navigate to Profile section
Make changes to any of these fields:
- Name - Update your full name
- Username - Change your login username (Administrators only)
- Phone - Update your contact number
Click the Save button (bottom-right)
You'll see: "Profile updated successfully"
Changes take effect immediately

Note about Username:

If you're a Staff member, the Username field is disabled (grayed out)
Only Administrators can change their own username
The restaurant slug prefix (e.g., "lakeside.") is shown but cannot be changed
After changing your username, use the new username for your next login

Note about Role:

The Role field is always read-only
You cannot change your own role
Only other Administrators can change user roles via the Employees section

Field Validation

Name (required):

Cannot be empty
If you try to save with a blank name, you'll see: "Can't be blank"

Username (required):

Cannot be empty
Must be unique within your restaurant
If another employee uses the same username, you'll see: "has already been taken"
Only lowercase letters, numbers, dots, and hyphens recommended

Phone (optional):

Can be left empty
No specific format required
Recommend including area code for clarity

What Happens After Saving

After clicking Save:

Your information is updated immediately
You'll see a success message: "Profile updated successfully"
If you changed your username, use the new username next time you log in
All other users will see your updated name in audit logs and system references
You remain logged in (no need to re-authenticate)

Changing Your Password

Password Change Process

To change your password:

Navigate to Profile section
Click the Change password button (bottom-left)
A dialog appears with three password fields
Fill in the required information:
- Current Password - Your existing password (for verification)
- Password - Your new password (minimum 6 characters)
- Password Confirmation - Re-type your new password (must match)
Click Save in the dialog
You'll see: "Password successfully changed"
Dialog closes automatically
You remain logged in

To cancel without changing:

Click the Cancel button or close the dialog
No changes are made to your password

Password Requirements

Your new password must:

Be at least 6 characters long
Match the password confirmation exactly
Be different from common patterns (recommended)

Best practices:

Use a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols
Avoid common words or patterns
Don't reuse passwords from other systems
Change your password regularly (every 3-6 months)
Don't share your password with anyone

Password Validation and Errors

Common validation errors:

"Can't be blank"

Appears if you leave any password field empty
All three fields are required

"Invalid password"

Appears on "Current Password" field
Means the password you entered doesn't match your existing password
Double-check your current password and try again

"doesn't match Password"

Appears on "Password Confirmation" field
Means the confirmation doesn't match the new password you entered
Re-type both the new password and confirmation

"is too short (minimum is 6 characters)"

Your new password must be at least 6 characters
Try a longer password

After Changing Password

What happens:

Your password is updated immediately
You remain logged in on your current device/browser
Next time you log in (from any device), use your new password
Your old password no longer works
Other users are not notified of your password change

Important:

Remember your new password
If you forget it, you'll need an Administrator to generate an activation link for you
Store it securely (use a password manager if possible)

Common Workflows

Updating Contact Information

Scenario: Your phone number changed.

Navigate to Profile
Click in the Phone field
Enter your new phone number
Click Save
You'll see: "Profile updated successfully"
Your new phone number is now stored

Time: Less than 30 seconds

Changing Username

Scenario: You want a different login username.

Prerequisites: You must be an Administrator (Staff cannot change usernames)

Navigate to Profile
Verify the Username field is enabled (not grayed out)
Click in the Username field
Change the username portion (after the restaurant slug)
- Example: Change "john" to "john.smith"
- Full login becomes "lakeside.john.smith"
Click Save
You'll see: "Profile updated successfully"
Remember: Next login, use your new username

Important: Make sure to remember your new username before logging out!

Regular Password Update

Scenario: It's been 3 months since your last password change, and you want to update for security.

Navigate to Profile
Click Change password button
Enter your Current Password
Create a strong new password (at least 6 characters)
Enter it in Password field
Re-enter the same password in Password Confirmation
Click Save
You'll see: "Password successfully changed"
Dialog closes
Make note of your new password securely

Time: 1-2 minutes

Fixing Incorrect Current Password

Scenario: You tried to change password but entered the wrong current password.

In the Change Password dialog, you see: "Invalid password" on Current Password field
Clear the Current Password field
Carefully re-enter your actual current password
Re-enter your new password in both fields
Click Save
Should succeed with "Password successfully changed"

If you truly forgot your current password:

You cannot change it yourself
Close the dialog
Ask an Administrator to generate an activation link for you
Use the activation link to set a new password

Tips and Best Practices

Managing Your Profile

Keep information current:

✅ Update your name if it changes
✅ Update phone number when it changes
✅ Review your information periodically
❌ Don't leave outdated information

Username best practices:

✅ Choose a professional, recognizable username
✅ Use your name or common nickname
✅ Keep it simple and memorable
✅ Use lowercase for consistency
❌ Avoid complex patterns or special characters
❌ Don't use temporary or joke usernames

Good username examples:

"john", "maria", "chef.tony", "manager.alice"

Bad username examples:

"temp123", "user_xyz", "test", "JOHN"

Password Security

Creating strong passwords:

✅ Use at least 8-12 characters (minimum is 6)
✅ Mix uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols
✅ Use unique passwords (different from other accounts)
✅ Consider using a passphrase (e.g., "Coffee@Lakeside2024")
❌ Don't use common words ("password", "admin")
❌ Don't use personal information (birthdate, name)
❌ Don't share passwords with colleagues

Password maintenance:

Change your password every 3-6 months
Change immediately if you suspect it's compromised
Use different passwords for different systems
Consider using a password manager

If you forget your password:

You cannot reset it yourself
Contact an Administrator
They will generate an activation link for you
Use the link to set a new password
This is the same process used when you first joined

Profile Changes and Impact

Name changes:

Visible immediately throughout the system
Affects how you appear in audit logs (all entries, both past and future)
Audit logs are linked to your user account and will display your current name
Other users see your new name immediately
Historical audit entries will show your new name, not the name you had when the action was performed

Username changes:

Takes effect immediately
Use new username for your next login
Your current session continues unaffected
Audit logs track username changes
Only affects your login, not historical records

Phone changes:

Updated immediately
Visible to Administrators (in Employees section)
Used for contact purposes only
Doesn't affect system access

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I change my role from Staff to Administrator?
A: No. You cannot change your own role. Only other Administrators can change user roles through the Employees section. Contact your restaurant manager if you need a role change.

Q: Why can't I edit my username?
A: If you're a Staff member, only Administrators can change usernames. This security measure prevents unauthorized account modifications. If you need to change your username, ask an Administrator to do it via the Employees section.

Q: What happens if I forget my password?
A: You cannot reset your password yourself. Contact an Administrator, who will generate a password reset link (activation link) for you. This link allows you to set a new password.

Q: Can I see my current password?
A: No. Passwords are encrypted and cannot be viewed by anyone, including Administrators. This is a security feature. If you forgot your password, you'll need an activation link to set a new one.

Q: How long do I stay logged in after changing my password?
A: Changing your password doesn't log you out. Your current session remains active. The new password applies to future logins.

Q: Can other users see my profile information?
A: Administrators can see basic employee information (name, username, phone, role) in the Employees section. Staff members cannot see other users' information. Your password is never visible to anyone.

Q: What if I enter the wrong current password when changing?
A: You'll see an "Invalid password" error. Simply re-enter your correct current password. If you truly forgot it, cancel the dialog and ask an Administrator for help.

Q: Can I use special characters in my username?
A: Technically yes, but it's recommended to use only lowercase letters, numbers, dots, and hyphens. This prevents login issues and keeps usernames clean and professional.

Q: What if my new username is already taken?
A: You'll see "has already been taken" error. Choose a different username. You can add numbers, middle initials, or use dots/hyphens to make it unique (e.g., "john.smith" or "john2").

Q: Does changing my name affect my audit log history?
A: Yes. Audit logs are linked to your user account and don't persist your name separately. When you change your name, all audit log entries (both past and future) will display your new name. This means historical records will show your current name, not the name you had when the action was performed.

Q: Can I have multiple phone numbers?
A: No. The phone field stores one number. Include the most important or primary contact number.

Q: What happens if I change my username and forget it?
A: If you forget your username, ask an Administrator. They can see your username in the Employees section. Better yet, write down your username immediately after changing it.

Q: Is there a password reset link I can use myself?
A: No. Password reset (activation links) can only be generated by Administrators through the Employees section. This is a security measure to prevent unauthorized access.

Need Help?

If you encounter issues or have questions:

Can't save profile changes: Check that Name and Username fields aren't empty
Username already taken: Try a variation (add numbers, middle initial, etc.)
Invalid password error: Double-check your current password; if forgotten, contact an Administrator
Password too short: Use at least 6 characters for your new password
Confirmation doesn't match: Re-type both password fields carefully

Before making changes:

✅ Know your current password (if changing password)
✅ Choose a username that's memorable (if changing username)
✅ Verify information is correct before clicking Save
✅ Remember your new username/password if you change them

Common scenarios:

Forgot current password: Ask Administrator for activation link
Username disabled (grayed out): You're Staff - only Administrators can change usernames
Want to change role: Contact Administrator - you cannot change your own role
Need to update phone: Simply edit and Save - no special steps needed

Security reminders:

Never share your password with anyone
Change password regularly (every 3-6 months)
Use strong, unique passwords
Log out when using shared computers
Report suspicious activity to an Administrator

Last Updated: November 2025