Since the modernized Gateway went live on July 2, 2018, users have been logging in and filing transactions through a simplified and more secure platform. As of August 29, 2018, Gateway users have successfully filed more than 1 million transactions, with a total value of nearly $4 billion. This represents an increase of more than 115,000 transactions and $660 million flowing through the Gateway over the same time period in 2017.
Gateway users – from CPAs to small business owners to corporate employees – have been proactively going online to explore the new Gateway. More than 229,000 users accessed the modernized Gateway between July 2 and August 29, 2018, and established their new OH|ID accounts, resulting in a more secure user experience.
These figures highlight the business community’s experience and ability to successfully navigate the modernized Gateway functionality and file their transactions in a timely and efficient manner. However, we know that some business users have experienced issues when visiting the modernized Gateway for the first time. A majority of the issues reported are related to accounts of existing users who file on behalf of multiple businesses and who may share log in credentials.
In the modernized Gateway, each OH|ID username and password is associated with an individual user, not a company or business account, and should not be shared. This aligns with the latest in security best practices and allows for verification of the individual who is filing a transaction on behalf of the business account – improving security for both Service Providers and their clients.
A help desk is in place and has been substantially expanded to continue to support users who have yet to access the modernized Gateway and those who need assistance ensuring their accounts align with the enhanced security measures implemented as a part of the modernization efforts.
The goal of the Gateway Modernization Project continues to be to make doing business in Ohio easy and efficient by providing e-government services that are simple and secure. Over the coming months, we will be continuing design, development and testing activities for Phase 2 of the project. If you have feedback or suggestions for the Gateway Modernization Project Team, complete the Contact us by email form on the Help page of gateway.ohio.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions from Gateway Users
Since go-live of the modernized Gateway, the project team has continued to provide answers to Gateway users contacting the Gateway Help Desk. Below you will find answers to some of the most common questions. A complete list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) can be found by navigating to the FAQs page on gateway.ohio.gov.
1. Do I need to create an OH|ID for every business I have access to? Can I create OH|IDs on behalf of my clients?
No, you should only create one OH|ID that represents you as an individual! OH|IDs are associated with an individual user, not a company or business account. In other words, OH|IDs are “user-based” not “business-based.”
This change aligns with the latest in security best practices and allows for verification of the individual who is filing a transaction on behalf of the business account. This improves security both for Service Providers and their clients. Never share your OH|ID username or password as the credentials represent you as an individual practitioner; they do not represent your employer’s or client’s business account.
Should you need access to multiple business accounts on the Gateway, you can request access from within the Gateway after logging in with your individual OH|ID credentials.
Check out this video tutorial for step-by-step instructions on creating an OH|ID the first time you visit the modernized Gateway.
2. How do I gain access to multiple business accounts in the modernized Gateway?
After logging in to the Gateway with your individual OH|ID username and password, you can request access to a business account by clicking the “Request Business Access” hyperlink on the left-hand side of the Business Dashboard. A Filing Administrator user on the business account – an individual who owns or works for the company whose account you have requested to access – is then responsible for approving that request, as well as determining the Service Area and transaction permissions you will have on the business account.
This video tutorial provides step-by-step instructions on how to request access to a business account, as well as request Service Area and transaction filing permissions.
3. How do I add a Service Area/transaction to my business account?
The one-time set-up process for adding new Service Areas and transactions has changed in the modernized Gateway. Now, a Filing Administrator user on the business account must visit the Account Access Management page (by clicking on the “lock” icon in the Gateway) and move the appropriate Service Areas from the Available Service Areas column to the Authorized Service Areas column in the Service Areas tab. Then, Filing Administrators navigate to the Transaction Types tab and perform the same action for the appropriate transactions. The final step is navigating to the User Authorization tab to set the correct permissions for users to access the newly added transactions.
Watch this video tutorial for step-by-step instructions on how to complete this process.
With the release of the modernized Gateway, business users have a variety of options to receive help. Business users can still call (866) OHIO-GOV (866-644-6468) to speak to a customer service representative, but there are now two additional avenues for getting help within the Gateway.
By utilizing the Search bar at the top of every Gateway page, users can locate helpful content such as video tutorials, FAQs and how-to documents to assist in answering their questions. In addition, the Gateway’s new online help case functionality allows business users to submit help cases to the modernized Gateway team at any time.
To learn more about the options for getting help on the Gateway, watch this brief video.
