Frequently asked questions

This topic contains some of the frequently asked questions (FAQs) on Caseware Cloud.

System

• What are the system requirements?

  Being able to run one of the recommended browsers is the only system requirement for Cloud. Provided that you can run one of these browsers, Cloud will work for all user functions.

• What browsers can I sign in with?

  You can sign in to Caseware Cloud using any web browser using TLS v1.2 or higher, however we support and recommend using only the following:

  • Google Chrome
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Microsoft® Edge

  For more information about our browser security requirements, see Disabling access to Caseware Cloud for older and unsupported browsers.

• How am I billed?

  You are billed on a per-user basis. For each staff account you wish to create, you must first purchase a Cloud access license. Users with the Admin role can review the number of available licenses, along with other billing information such as the renewal period, on the Cloud Billing page (Settings | System | Cloud Billing). You can review pricing information and purchase additional licenses using MyCaseware.

  Caseware does not charge for disk storage, but we reserve the right to limit the storage capacity of users who place an unusually large burden on our services. For more information, see the Terms of Use.

  For additional billing inquiries email us at info@caseware.com.

Access

• How do I access the system from home or a client location?

  Cloud is an Internet based portal. You can sign in from anywhere with Internet access using a browser just like you would at the office.

• Do I need to download anything to use Cloud?

  No downloads are required to use Cloud provided that you are using one of the recommended browsers. However, we recommend you download and install the Java plug-in on your machine to use Cloud's file upload applet. This applet enables you to upload and secure large files or multiple files at once. You are prompted to install this applet during your first file upload. To learn more, see Upload files to an entity.

• How do I configure the firewall protection to allow Cloud?

  Some upgrades, as well as changes on the server, may result in an IP change. However, the URL will not be affected. We recommend to avoid using IP restrictions on the firewall. Restricting access based on the URL for Caseware Cloud will not require maintenance, as the URL does not change.

• What does it mean if my account is locked out?

  Your account is locked out because you have unsuccessfully tried signing in five times in a row. Contact your system administrator to have your account unlocked.

• What do I do if I forget my username or password?

  If you forgot your password, click the Forgot your password link on the login page. This link directs you to a page where you can provide your email address to retrieve or reset your password.

  If you forgot your username, contact your system administrator to retrieve the email address specified for your account.

• Why am I being prompted to change my password when I sign in?

  You are prompted to change your password when it has expired. This expiry value is set by your system administrator.

• How do I change my password?

  Select your avatar at the top right of the Cloud interface and select Settings. On the My Settings page, select Account Settings from the list of settings. For more information, see Account Settings.

• How do I change my email?

  Contact your system administrator to change the email address specified for your account.

• Does Cloud support two-factor authentication?

  Yes. To learn more, see Configure two-factor authentication .

• What do I do if I have enabled two-factor authentication but I'm not receiving the SMS message with my authentication code?

  Your firm administrator can disable two-factor authentication for your account to grant you access.

  We recommend the following to ensure users with two-factor authentication can maintain access to Cloud:

  • Ensure that your organization has at least two staff members with the Admin role before enabling two-factor authentication. Only staff members with the Admin role can disable two-factor authentication. Granting this role to two users ensures that at least one account will always be able to access Cloud. For instructions, see Assign security roles.

  • Generate backup codes. Backup codes are single-use codes that enable you to log in if you cannot access your mobile phone, or if an administrator is unavailable to disable two-factor authentication for you.

• Does Cloud support single sign-on (SSO) integration? What authorization protocol is used?

  Yes. Cloud supports SSO integration with both Azure Active Directory (AzureAD) and Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS). We use the OpenID Connect authorization protocol.

Setup

• Who in the organization should be the initial user?

  The initial user for your organization is the user that performs some of the initial setup of your Cloud environment. This user will have administrative privileges and this account will remain associated to your Cloud environment throughout its lifetime. This user can be a person from your IT department, but could also be a manager. The knowledge required to set up your Cloud environment can be business specific.

• How can I use the system as a client portal?

  To use Cloud as a client portal requires setting up the proper workspace and accounts to enable secure file transfer, document management, and secure messaging between internal staff members and external client parties (known as contacts). To define a workspace, add a client entity to the system. All interactions between staff and contacts take place within this entity. For instructions, see Create client workspaces. For contacts to access the system, they require an account and permissions to access the associated client entity. You can add a contact and assign them appropriate roles. Additional roles can be assigned to this user to enable access to content. For instructions, see Create an account for staff or contacts and Assign security roles.

• Should I create accounts for all my staff?

  You should create accounts for all staff members that will be using the system. If your organization is using Cloud as a general internal portal, then it makes sense to create accounts for all staff members. If your organization uses Cloud as a portal for client interactions only, then only those staff members that interact with external clients will require an account.

• What is the All Staff entry in the Share dialog used for?

  The All Staff entry is used to assign a role to all staff members in the system on the entity or item (activity, file, dashboard, and so on). All new staff members that are added to the system are assigned this role as well.

  Alternately, you can create Staff Groups to quickly assign roles to specific staff members. See Create staff or contact groups for additional information.

Preferences

• Can I display Cloud in multiple browser windows?

  You can display Cloud in multiple browser windows or tabs without having to sign in for each open instance provided you are using a single browser. If you sign out of one instance of Cloud, you will be signed out of each window or tab.

• How do I set the default page that loads on startup?

  The default page on startup is an account specific setting. See Startup Settings for additional details.

Activities

• How do I post an activity?

  Go to the Activities page by selecting Activities in the Cloud menu. For further instructions, see Giving feedback to others in Cloud.

• What are activities used for? How can I use the system for internal, secure messages?

  Activities provides an alternative messaging medium. Activities are stored, managed, and secured from a central location, enabling greater control and access to communications with clients and within an organization.

  By default, activities are only visible to staff members with access to the entity (where the activity was posted). Users can further change an activity's visibility by changing the Share Settings.

Files

• How do I upload files to Cloud from my local computer?

  Open the Files page by selecting Files from the Cloud menu. For further instructions, see Create placeholders in the engagement file.

• How do I download files from Cloud to my local computer?

  Open the Files page by selecting Files from the Cloud menu. For further instructions, see Share files with users or groups.

• How do I retrieve versions of files that have been overwritten?

  In the file details pane there is a panel listing the file versions and history. For further instructions, see Recover a previous version or deleted file.

Entities

• What is an entity?

  An entity is a general concept that can represent an organization, department, individual or client. Entities are independent workspaces related to the organization externally or internally. They provide a method to construct organizational divisions in Caseware® Cloud by client, department or other criteria. When an organization first sets up Caseware® Cloud, a single entity is created by default to represent the organization itself. This entity cannot be deleted. Additional entities are added to the system afterward.

• How do I create a client?

  Go to the Entities page by selecting Entities from the Cloud menu. For further instructions, see Create client workspaces.

• How do I create an internal entity?

  Go to the Entities page by selecting Entities from the Cloud menu. For further instructions, see Organize internal entities.

Contacts

• What is a contact?

  Contacts are people who are associated with an entity but are not staff. The Cloud interface offers several different tools to manage the information being shared with contacts. Contacts have limited access to Caseware Cloud and can be assigned fewer predefined roles than staff. A contact cannot access the entities page but can get a list of entities for which they have some role. A contact will typically be someone who works for the client or an expert providing or reviewing information for an engagement.

• How do I create a contact?

  Go to the Contacts page by selecting Contacts from the Cloud menu. For more information, see Create an account for staff or contacts.

• Can I share files and activities with contacts and other staff?

  Yes. By default, staff with a Viewer role on the associated entity is assigned a Viewer role for the file or activity. Contacts are not assigned any roles by default, however, you can assign the contact additional roles to give them access to specific files or activities.

• How do I share files with a contact?

  Contacts must be assigned two different roles in order to receive access to a file. First, they must be assigned an Entity Collaborator role on the associated entity - this provides them access to the entity where the file is stored. Second, they must be assigned a Content Collaborator role on the file item itself - this provides them access to the file for viewing or download.

Dashboards

• What is a dashboard?

  Dashboards are pages for tracking information linked to Caseware Cloud. Each dashboard is composed of one or more gadgets.

• Can I share a dashboard with a client?

  Yes. Dashboards can be shared with both staff members and contacts. When creating or editing a dashboard, under Shared With, select All Contacts to share the dashboard with contacts. For further instructions, see the Dashboards section on Viewing overall engagement status.

• How do I create a dashboard for a specific client or for personal use?

  Go to the Dashboards page by selecting Dashboards from the Cloud menu. For further instructions, see the Dashboards section on Viewing overall engagement status.

  Note: Gadgets comply with the Cloud security model. Depending on the roles assigned to a user, their access to content within gadgets may be limited. For more information, see Security considerations.

Data and Security

• Where is Caseware Cloud located?

  Caseware Cloud currently operates on the computing resources provided by the Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure in Australia, Canada, Ireland, and the United States.

• Where is my data stored?

  Your data is stored on servers operated by AWS in one of the following locations:

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Ireland
  • The United States

  You can choose where your data is stored when you create your account. All of your data, including your backup data, is kept in the same location.

• Is my data encrypted?

  Storage of data (data-at-rest) is encrypted using the same level of encryption as online banking.

• Security and Policy

  Caseware Cloud uses an advanced cloud-delivered endpoint protection platform to detect and defend against known and unknown attacks.

  Caseware Cloud also relies on the Amazon Web Services security polices and their accreditations which are a key element to protecting your sensitive information.

  For Canadian Clients: The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has stated that outsourcing arrangements do not offend the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act where the confidentiality and security provisions in the outsourcing agreement satisfy the requirement to provide a comparable level of protection of personal information.