# Alias
### **Overview**
Alias user accounts in MangoApps provide a flexible and secure way for teams and departments to communicate officially under a shared identity. This feature is particularly useful for roles like HR, IT, and Communications, where messages need to reflect a department rather than an individual. Alias accounts offer full functionality across the platform and ensure accountability through audit tracking.
The **Alias User Account** feature enables network administrators to designate specific users as alias accounts. Authorized employees can then switch into these alias profiles to send messages, post updates, and interact across modules—all under the alias identity, rather than their own.
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### **Setup Process**
Alias accounts are set up in two steps: First, a user account is designated as an alias. Then, selected team members are authorized to use it.
#### **Step 1: Designate a User Account as an Alias Account**
Admins must convert a standard user account into an alias account.
Network admins can do this from **Admin Portal > Users > Manage Users**.
Select the user account to convert. From the **User Tools** dropdown on the right, choose **Make Alias User**.
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#### **Step 2: Assign Authorized Users to the Alias**
Once the alias account is created, assign the employees who should have access to it.
To do this, network admins can navigate to **Admin Portal >** **Users > Aliases**.
Find the alias name and click the **Add** button in the **Assigned Users** column.
In the **Add** popup menu, select users to assign as authorized alias users. Multiple users can be assigned at once.
Click **Save** to confirm. These users can be changed at a later time.
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### **Using an Alias Account**
This section guides users on how to switch to an alias profile and how the experience differs from using their personal account.
Authorized users can operate as the alias by first, clicking the profile icon on the top-right corner of the screen and selecting **Switch to Alias Profile**.
Choose from the alias accounts available.
While operating under the alias:
* All activity (posts, comments, messages) is done in the alias name.
* A **banner** at the top of the screen will clearly indicate the user is acting as the alias.
* Users can **switch back** to their own profile at any time.
{% hint style="success" %}
All alias switching activity is logged in the **audit log** for transparency.
{% endhint %}
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### **Additional Details**
Alias accounts:
* Can be **@mentioned** like any user.
* **Cannot be logged into directly**—users must switch from their authenticated account.
Alias users have **full access to modules**, unlike [Assistant](https://guides.mangoapps.com/admin-guide/user-provisioning-and-management/assistants) accounts.
This feature supports up to **100 alias accounts**, each with up to **25 authorized users**.
{% hint style="warning" %}
This is a **web-only feature** and is not currently available on mobile.
{% endhint %}
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### **Alias vs. Assistant Accounts**
This section compares the alias account functionality with the assistant feature to clarify their use cases.
| Feature | **Alias Account** | **Assistant Account** |
| ------------------------- | ----------------- | --------------------- |
| Full module access | ✅ | ❌ (Posts only) |
| Shared identity for teams | ✅ | ✅ |
| Can be @mentioned | ✅ | ✅ |
| Requires profile switch | ✅ | ❌ |
| Logged in audit history | ✅ | ❌ |
| Platform availability | Web only | Web only |
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