In this article:
Using Single Sign-On
Logging in through SSO or email/password
Changing or resetting a password for yourself or a student
Troubleshooting common logon issues
What is SSO and why is it used?
Single Sign-On allows you to use your Google, Microsoft, or Clever profile to authenticate you when logging into Formative. If your school account is tied to one of these providers, we encourage you to use SSO for efficiency.
If you have an existing account with Newsela, you can also use Single Sign-On with your Newsela profile to authenticate you when logging into Formative.
If you don't use one of those providers, you can create a unique password for your Formative login. Students and teachers can use either method.
Log In
Go to formative.com and click "Sign In"
Log in with a Google, Clever, or Microsoft account by clicking on the relevant icon, or if you have a Newsela account click the Newsela icon prompt.
If you don't use one of these services, type in your email and password in the designated fields, then click the blue 'Log In' button
Change your account's unique password
If your account is set with an email & password combination, you can change your password at any time. If you know your current password, log into your account and follow the steps below (if you don't remember your current password, click here for instructions):
Click 'My account' on the left-side menu and select 'Account info' from the dropdown list
Click on "Change Password"
Enter your current password
Enter the new password
Click on the "Update Password" button
Decide if you'd like to log out of all current sessions, or remain logged in and just close the confirmation window
I forgot my password
Note: If you use SSO from Google, Clever, or Microsoft, you have to find or reset your password with those providers.
If you signed up to Formative with an email & password combination:
Click the 'Forgot password?' link on the login page.
Enter your email address that you use for Formative.
Check your inbox for a link to reset your password.
Tip: If you don't see an email with a password reset link in your inbox, please check your spam folder.
Teachers: You can reset a password for a student who uses a username/password or email/password - see instructions below.
Reset the password for a student in your class
If your student is using a username/password or email/password combination to log into Formative, you can reset their password by following the steps below.
Note: You cannot reset students' Google, Clever, or Microsoft passwords by following these steps. If your student logs in with one of these systems and has forgotten their Google / Clever / Microsoft password, please contact the relevant system administrator at your school to have the password reset.
Go to the "Classes" tab.
Click on a class' tile to access its' Student Management page
Check the box next to the student whose password you want to reset
Select 'Reset password' fro the menu that appears at the bottom of the page
Proceed to type in the student's new password, and confirm the reset
Let your student know what their new password is
Link your account to multiple SSO login services
If your school district uses multiple SSO services (for example, both Google and Clever) you can connect your Formative account to all of them, which will allow you to log into your Formative account using any of them.
Once your account has been setup with any type of login method, follow the steps below to link your account to additional ones:
Log into your Formative account
Click on 'My account' on the left side menu
Select 'Account info' from the dropdown list
Identify the SSO method you would like to add and click 'Link' next to it
Proceed to enter your SSO service credentials and confirm linking it to Formative
Unlink SSO service from your account
To remove a Single Sign-On service from your Formative account:
Log into your Formative account
Click on 'My account' on the left side menu
Select 'Account info' from the dropdown list
Identify the SSO method you would like to remove and click 'Unlink' next to it
Troubleshooting
SSO is saying I don't have a Formative account, but I'm sure I do!
Check that you are logged into your browser/device with the account you use for Formative. If you are using a shared device, you may be on someone else's profile.
SSO is stuck in a loop, sending me back to the login screen.
Try these steps:
Check that your browser is updated to the latest version
Clear your cache and cookies
Allow third-party cookies
Unblock cross-site tracking
Since these steps vary between devices and browsers, try searching for the instructions for your device or contact your school's IT administrator. You can also reach out to Formative Support for assistance.
I am unable to link an SSO service to my account
It is possible that your district has restricted the types of SSO services they allow using with Formative. Reach out to your systems admin to inquire what SSO service you should use
If attempting to link with Google SSO and running into error message - it may be that your district has yet to add Formative as a Trusted App in Google Workspace for Education. Reach out to your school/district Google Workspace admin and provide them with the instructions listed here.
I signed up with SSO but it keeps getting blocked when logging in / The SSO button is grayed out
This normally will happen for one (or more) of the following reasons:
Your district selected to restrict the types of login methods allowed with Formative
Your district has not whitelisted Formative with the SSO service
Your district did not add Formative as a Trusted App in Google Workspace
To fully resolve please reach out to your district's systems admin so they could check on the above.
As a workaround - you can use the Envelope icon on Formative's login page to access your account in the meanwhile. Click the Envelope, enter your email address that is associated with your Formative account, then locate the one-time unique direct link sent from our platform to your Email inbox to gain access (if not found in your inbox, please check your Spam folder as well)
