Claiming a Profile#

When a research portal is first populated, contributor records are often imported from existing publications, CVs, or institutional sources. These records are unclaimed — they exist in the system but have no associated login account.

This guide explains how you can link an unclaimed contributor profile to your account so that your past contributions are automatically associated with your new account.

Why Claim a Profile?#

Claiming an existing unclaimed profile means:

Your publication history is intact. Any datasets, samples, or measurements already attributed to that profile will appear under your account.
You get a single connected identity. All future contributions are linked to one verified account.
Improved discovery. Other researchers can find your work through the portal’s search and contributor pages.

Three Ways to Claim a Profile#

FairDM portals support three separate pathways for claiming an unclaimed profile. Your portal administrator can tell you which pathways are enabled for your portal.

1. Signing In with ORCID#

If you have an ORCID iD and the unclaimed profile contains your ORCID iD as an identifier, the portal will automatically detect the match the moment you sign in via ORCID.

Steps:

On the sign-in page, choose “Sign in with ORCID”.
Authorise the portal to read your ORCID iD.
If the portal finds an unclaimed profile with a matching ORCID iD, it will automatically activate and link that profile to your new account.
You will be redirected to your profile page with all existing contributions visible.

Note

The ORCID claiming pathway requires the portal to have ORCID social authentication enabled. Contact your portal administrator if the ORCID sign-in button is not visible.

2. Registering with a Matching Email Address#

If the unclaimed profile contains an email address that matches the email you use to register, the portal will attempt to link the profile after you confirm your email address.

Steps:

Register a new account using the same email address that is stored on the unclaimed profile.
Check your inbox for the email verification message and click the confirmation link.
Once your email is confirmed, the portal automatically activates the matching unclaimed profile and links it to your account.
You will see your full contribution history on your next login.

Note

This pathway only works if your portal enforces email verification (the default setting). If you do not receive a confirmation email, check your spam folder or contact your portal administrator.

3. Using a Claim Link from an Administrator#

A portal administrator can generate a one-time claim link specifically for an unclaimed profile and share it with you directly (for example, by email).

Steps:

Open the claim link provided by your administrator. This link is unique and time-limited.
You will see a page confirming the details of the unclaimed profile (name, affiliations, etc.).
If you are not already signed in, you will be redirected to sign in or register first. After signing in you will be returned to the confirmation page.
Click “Confirm Claim” to link the profile to your account.
Your combined profile — including all past contributions — will be immediately available.

Warning

Claim links expire after a short period (typically 7 days). If your link has expired, contact your administrator to request a new one.

Each link is single-use. Once redeemed it cannot be used again.

Troubleshooting#

I can’t see my past contributions after signing in.

Verify that your ORCID iD or email address matches what is stored on the unclaimed profile. Contact your portal administrator if you are unsure.

The claim link says it has expired.

Ask your portal administrator to generate a new link.

The claim page shows an error (“profile not available”).

The profile may have been deactivated or already claimed by another account. Contact your portal administrator for assistance.

I accidentally claimed the wrong profile.

Contact your portal administrator. They can review the audit log and, if necessary, merge or adjust the records.

Next Steps#

After successfully claiming your profile:

Update your profile information (name, bio, affiliations, links) via Account → Profile Settings.
Review your contributions to confirm all data is attributed correctly.
Connect additional authentication providers (e.g. ORCID, institutional SSO) via Account → Connected Accounts.