Designee Registration

User Roles:

Overview
Step-by-Step Instructions
Troubleshooting

Overview

This section provides an overview of information needed to register as a Designee.

Required Registration Information

The information collected during Registration is limited to the information necessary to perform authentication, permit RDS Secure Website use, and allow the RDS Center to contact each user if necessary. Required registration information varies depending on the user role. All registered users must have a U.S. Social Security Number.

User Management is the responsibility of the Plan Sponsor. For data integrity and security purposes, CMS’ RDS Center does not alter registered user information on the user’s behalf.

An invitation email is generated for each application to which the Designee is invited. Registration is only required once for each new account, so if the Designee is assigned to multiple applications before completing registration, the Designee must use the most recent registration email received to complete registration. The active registration hyperlink is associated with only the most recent invitation email generated.

The Designee provides the following information during registration:

Pass Phrase: The Pass Phrase is created by either the Account Manager or the Authorized Representative and communicated to you outside the RDS Secure Website
First Name
Middle Initial (optional)
Last Name
U.S. Social Security Number
Date of Birth
Job Title
Email Address (Provided by the Account Manager or Authorized Representative)
Phone Number
Mailing Address

Step-by-Step Instructions

Registration can begin after the user receives the invitation email. Follow the instructions in the invitation email to begin Registration. If the Designee is invited to multiple applications at once, the user must use the most recent invitation to register, as only the most recent invitation has the active registration hyperlink.

From the invitation email sent from CMS' RDS Center:

Select the link to access the Designee Registration page.

On the Designee Registration page:

An asterisk (*) indicates a required field.

*Enter the case-sensitive Pass Phrase created by either the Account Manager or the Authorized Representative and communicated to you outside of the RDS Secure Website (maximum of 30 characters).
Read the User Agreement. Use the scroll bar to scroll through and view the User Agreement, or select the link to view and print the User Agreement in a new window.
*Select the checkbox to accept the User Agreement.
Select Continue to proceed, or close the browser to terminate this process.

In the Designee Information section:

An asterisk (*) indicates a required field.

*Enter the First Name
Enter the Middle Initial
*Enter the Last Name
*Enter the Date of Birth
*Enter the Social Security Number
*Enter the Phone Number
Extension
*Enter the Job Title
*Enter Street Line 1
Enter Street Line 2
*Enter the City
*Select the State
*Enter the Zip Code
*Enter a Login ID based on the Login ID Requirements.
*Enter a Password based on the Password Requirements.
*Re-enter Password for verification.
*Select Security Questions and enter Answers (these are not case-sensitive fields when you are asked for them within the Secure Website).
Select Continue to proceed, or close the browser to terminate this process.

On the Designee Confirmation pop-up window:

Print this page for your records.
Select Exit to return to the RDS Program Website homepage.

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Troubleshooting

Error Message Descriptions and Resolutions

Use the following table to assist in resolving errors associated with Designee Registration

Table 1: Error Message Descriptions and Resolutions
Message Text	Message Type	Condition	Resolution
The Pass Phrase does not match the stored Pass Phrase. Verify and re-enter the Pass Phrase.	Error	The Pass Phrase you entered does not match the Pass Phrase created by the Plan Sponsor.	Re-enter the Pass Phrase if it was entered incorrectly. The Pass Phrase is case-sensitive. Contact the Account Manager and/or Authorized Representative of the Application you were invited to in order to confirm the Pass Phrase. If the Plan Sponsor needs to retrieve the Pass Phrase after it has been created, they may do so by navigating to the Maintain Designee page for you.
Invalid Value/Field is required.	Error	Required field(s) left empty and/or field(s) contains invalid data.	Populate all required fields with valid data.
<Field Name> is required. Enter a valid value in the <Field Name> field.	Error	Required field(s) left empty and/or field(s) contains invalid data.	Populate all required fields with valid data.
Select the checkbox to confirm that you have reviewed and agree to the User Agreement and Privacy Policy.	Error	User Agreement and Privacy Policy check box left unchecked.	Select the checkbox.
The Social Security Number you provided is already in use. Users can have only one Login ID, which is identified by unique Social Security Number. Please re-enter the Social Security Number if it was entered incorrectly.	Error	The Social Security Number is associated to an active user account.	Re-enter the Social Security Number if it was entered incorrectly. Your active account must be terminated before you may register to become a Designee. This occurs by removing you from all applications and Plan Sponsor accounts you are assigned to, even applications that have completed Reconciliation in the past. Refer to User Management for guidance on these processes.
Login ID is already in use. Enter a new Login ID.	Error	Login ID is already associated to another user account.	Enter a new Login ID based on the Login ID Requirements.
Password invalid. Password entered does not meet the requirements.	Error	Invalid password format.	Enter a new Password based on the Password Requirements.
Password entries do not match.	Error	Password field and Re-enter Password Field values do not match.	Ensure the Password field and the Re-enter Password field match exactly.
Security Questions cannot be the same.	Error	Same value selected for Security Question 1 and Security Question 2.	Ensure Security Question 1 and Security Question 2 are not the same question selection.

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Field Formats

Use the following tables to assist in completing form fields associated with Designee Registration

Designee Information
Designee Mailing Address
Login Information
Security Questions

Designee Information Field Formats

Table 2: Designee Information
Field Name	Required or Optional	Size Limit	Character Requirements	Notes
First Name	Required	1-30 Characters	Alpha, Numeric, and Special Characters Allowed	Must be associated with Social Security Number
Last Name	Required	1-40 Characters	Alpha, Numeric, and Special Characters Allowed	Must be associated with Social Security Number
Middle Initial	Optional	1 Character	Alpha, Numeric, and Special Characters Allowed	Must be associated with Social Security Number if provided
Date of Birth	Required	-Month = 1-2 Characters -Day = 1-2 Characters -Year = Exactly 4 Characters	Numeric Only	Must be associated with Social Security Number Any valid historical date is accepted
U.S. Social Security Number	Required	Exactly 9 Characters	Numeric Only	Must be issued by the United States
Phone Number	Required	Exactly 10 Characters	Numeric Only	None
Extension	Optional	1-5 Characters	Numeric Only	None
Job Title	Optional	1-20 Characters	Alpha, Numeric, and Special Characters Allowed	None

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Designee Mailing Address Field Formats

Table 3: Designee Mailing Address
Field Name	Required or Optional	Size Limit	Character Requirements	Notes
Street Line 1	Required	1-40 Characters	Alpha, Numeric, and Special Characters Allowed	None
Street Line 2	Optional	1-40 Characters	Alpha, Numeric, and Special Characters Allowed	None
City	Required	1-30 Characters	Alpha, Numeric, and Special Characters Allowed	None
State	Required	Pre-defined Choices	Pre-defined Choices	None
Zip	Required	5 or 9 Characters Exactly	Numeric Only	None

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Login Information Field Formats

Table 4: Login Information
Field Name	Required or Optional	Size Limit	Character Requirements	Notes
Login ID	Required	8 - 15 Characters	Can only contain Uppercase letters, Lowercase letters or numbers	Must be unique per Secure Website account
Password	Required	8 - 14 Characters	Password must include each of the following: 1 - Lowercase letter 1 - Uppercase letter 1 - Number 1 - Special character	Must begin with a letter Cannot contain the Login ID Cannot contain a reserved word. For more information, go to: Reserved Words List Cannot be a dictionary word or name
Re-enter Password	Required	8 - 14 Characters	Password must include each of the following: 1 - Lowercase letter 1 - Uppercase letter 1 - Number 1 - Special character	Must match Password Must begin with a letter Cannot contain the Login ID Cannot contain a reserved word. For more information, go to: Reserved Words List Cannot be a dictionary word or name

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Security Questions Field Formats

Table 5: Security Questions
Field Name	Required or Optional	Size Limit	Character Requirements	Notes
Security Question 1	Required	Pre-defined Choices	Pre-defined Choices	Must be different than Security Question 2
Answer Security Question 1	Required	1 - 50 Characters	Alpha, Numeric, and Special Characters Allowed	Will not be case-sensitive when the Secure Website asks you for the Answer
Security Question 2	Required	Pre-defined Choices	Pre-defined Choices	Must be different than Security Question 1
Answer Security Question 2	Required	1 - 50 Characters	Alpha, Numeric, and Special Characters Allowed	Will not be case-sensitive when the Secure Website asks you for the Answer

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Page last updated: April 14, 2022

Get Started

RDS Program Components

Additional Program Tasks

Quick Access Reports (QAR)

Supplemental Information

User Roles:

Overview

Required Registration Information

Step-by-Step Instructions

Troubleshooting

Error Message Descriptions and Resolutions

Field Formats

Designee Information Field Formats