How to reinstate a deleted ArcGIS Online named user?

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02-07-2020 02:24 PM
Mike_Koutnik
Occasional Contributor

A temporary staff member of ours left about 6 months ago.  Now she is coming back for another temporary term. How can I reuse her old named user?  I deleted her user name when her last term ended.  But when I try to create a named user using the same user name a message says that named user is already in use.  As a test, I tried to add the named user to group.  I was able to find the named user.  How can I reuse the old named user?  I would rather not compromise our named user naming convention by just creating another named user for her.  Thanks, Mike Koutnik

9 Replies
by Anonymous User
Not applicable

We need the capability to delete and create the exact same username as well. We use a batch process to create hundreds of users for damage assessment after a hurricane. But the ArcGIS Online platform is somehow limited and it can not reinstate a username. It adds a number after the name when we create them with surge licensing. After a hurricane, it is an issue to have to clarify to an army of field staff what the number after their name is. And it is all different because some of them it is a 1, some is a 2, etc. (if they were or were not created; and over how many iterations)

delete then create same user name: not possible?  

https://community.esri.com/message/888228-re-random-number-added-to-username?commentID=888228#commen...  

I have created an Idea, vote for it if you can and Thank you!

Ability to re-create the same AGOL user name without adding numbers 

PhilBeaudet
New Contributor II

We have exactly the same problem - not being able to reinstate a user once they have been deleted.  After several hours on the phone with Esri, our account representative was able to confirm this is not possible.  I have been in the business for over 3 decades and I have never seen this limitation in another application.  I was told by Esri support that this is a somewhat common request.  Given the sophistication of Esri software, you would think this limitation would have been addressed long ago.

KBERG_EGLE
New Contributor III

We have discovered you can reuse usernames ONLY if you have disabled Esri Access for BEFORE deleting. Otherwise, when you "delete" you're just removing them from the organization but not globally across all of ArcGIS Online. If they still have Esri Access enabled on deletion then their account persists (idk I guess so that they can access their training record and posts on GeoNet?). If you disable before deleting you can recreate the same name no problem. 

KBERG_EGLE_0-1643319410373.png

 

 

JeffThomasILM
Occasional Contributor II

When you delete a user with Esri Access disabled, is the username available for anyone to claim? If someone happened to claim it after you let it go, you wouldn't be able to recreate the username.

Alternate scenario: if you delete a user with Esri Access enabled and they later come back to your organization, couldn't you invite them to use that same account they still control? (The "invite members to join using an account of their choice" method.)

JackiBergman
New Contributor II

The "invite members to join using an account of their choice" method just worked for someone I deleted from our organization, thanks for the idea!

JeffThomasILM
Occasional Contributor II

Good to know that it actually works!

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LisaT
by
Occasional Contributor III

Has anyone found a solution to this? In my case, we were running low on user licenses so I deleted a user that had never logged into her account.  So, she had never even set up her password.  Now that we have purchased more licenses I want to re-instate the account with the same username.  It is a unique username, so I doubt anyone else grabbed it.

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KBERG_EGLE
New Contributor III

@LisaT , there's no way to do this once you deleted someone. The ONLY way to prevent this is to be sure to disable Esri Access before deleting.

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ValmirSantana
New Contributor II

I was facing this same problem recently. I did a test by adding a user and then deleting it. The "Enable Esri Access" option was disabled. I was able to add a new member with the same username without any problems. When I tried to add another username that was deleted with "Enable Esri Access" turned on, I couldn't.