6 Using WebCenter Portal Impersonation
WebCenter Portal Impersonation lets designated users impersonate other WebCenter Portal users and perform operations as those users. It provides instructions for initiating an impersonation session (by the impersonator) and allowing an impersonation session (by the impersonatee).
Topics:
Note:
Tasks discussed in this chapter are not available if WebCenter Portal Impersonation is not enabled for the current WebCenter Portal domain. For more information, see Preparing WebCenter Portal for Personalization in Administering Oracle WebCenter Portal.
Permissions:
The tasks for granting impersonation rights described in this chapter are available to any WebCenter Portal user. Tasks for initiating impersonation sessions are available only to users who have been configured as "impersonators" by the system administrator. For more information, see Configuring Impersonators in Administering Oracle WebCenter Portal.
About WebCenter Portal Impersonation
WebCenter Portal Impersonation allows a WebCenter Portal administrator assign impersonation rights to a user ("impersonators"), so that the user can impersonate another WebCenter Portal user and perform operations as that user ("impersonatees").
Note:
You cannot assign impersonation rights to a enterprise group.
This may be useful in the following instances:
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A customer support representative may want to perform actions as another user in order to understand the issues being faced by that user
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An administrator may want to perform operations on behalf of a user
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A company executive may need to delegate someone to act on his or her behalf while away
How impersonation is used will depend on choices that have been made locally. Note that the user to be impersonated must also first grant rights to the intended impersonator.
Allowing an Impersonation Session
As a WebCenter Portal user, you can grant impersonation rights to designated impersonators.
You can allow someone to impersonate you during a specified time slot using the My Impersonators screen. Note that impersonators will not be able to access the My Impersonators screen during an impersonation session.
To allow an impersonation session:
Initiating an Impersonation Session
This section describes how impersonators can initiate an impersonation session using either the Impersonation preferences page or using a hot key.
This section includes the following topics:
Initiating an Impersonation Session Using the Impersonation Preferences Page
You can view the impersonatees that have granted you impersonation rights and can initiate impersonation sessions using the Impersonation preferences page. Note that you must have been granted impersonation rights to access this screen by the administrator.
To view or start impersonation sessions:
Initiating an Impersonation Session Using a Hot Key
You can initiate an impersonation session using a hot key from within WebCenter Portal at any time, provided you have been granted impersonation rights (see Configuring Impersonators in Administering Oracle WebCenter Portal), and that one or more impersonatees have set up an impersonation session with you as the impersonator.
To initiate an impersonation session using a hot key:
Troubleshooting
This section describes common error conditions and their solutions
Clicking Switch User Produces an Error
Problem
When you click Switch User you are taken to an error page rather than a screen where you can enter your credentials.
Solution
The access time may not fall within the impersonation session's allotted time slot. Check the duration on the Impersonation preferences page and try again. Alternatively, you can ask the impersonatee to revoke your impersonation rights and grant them to you again. If this fails to resolve the problem then contact the system administrator to inspect the OAM logs to determine the problem. Also, if you enter incorrect credentials on the consent page the impersonation session will not begin and you will be taken to an error page. To resolve this error, return to your home page and begin the impersonation session again.
One final reason why initiating impersonation session may fail, even when it looks like you are trying to impersonate within the correct duration, is because the OAM server and WebCenter Portal server clocks are not in sync. If you have checked that you are trying to start a session within the correct time frame, and that your credentials are correct contact your administrator to see if this may be the case. Configuring OAM and WebCenter Portal's server clock settings is described in Configuring WebCenter Portal for Impersonation in Administering Oracle WebCenter Portal.
Clicking Stop Impersonation Produces an Error
Problem
You are taken to an error page when you click when you click Stop Impersonation.
Solution
If you are taken to an error page when you click Stop Impersonation, go to the home page and check if the impersonation session has ended. If not, click Logout to explicitly end your impersonation session and your own session and then contact the system administrator to inspect the OAM logs to determine the cause.