For CUNY Community College employees, accessing your Nycaps Employee Self Service (ESS) account is a crucial first step to managing your payroll and personal information. It’s essential to claim your account to activate it and gain access to this important system. This guide will walk you through the simple steps to claim your NYCAPS ESS account and get you started.
To begin the process of claiming your account, follow these instructions:
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Navigate to the NYCAPS ESS Login Page: Start by opening your web browser and going to the NYCAPS Employee Self-Service (ESS) login page. You can find it at this address: NYCAPS Employee Self-Service (ESS). This is your starting point for accessing the system.
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Enter Your User ID: When you reach the login page, you will be prompted to enter your User ID. This is your unique 7-digit NYC payroll reference number. It’s important to note that this number is different from your 8-digit CUNY employee ID. Your payroll reference number is specifically used for NYCAPS ESS and can be located on your paystub. If you are unsure of your 7-digit reference number, your campus HR office will be able to provide it to you. Keep this number handy as you’ll need it every time you log in.
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Input Your Initial Password: Next, you’ll need to enter your initial password. This temporary password is system-generated and follows a specific format for security purposes. It is composed of:
- The last two digits of your Social Security Number (SSN).
- An underscore symbol (_).
- The first three letters of your birth month, written in uppercase (e.g., JAN, FEB, MAR).
- Your birth day, including a leading zero if necessary (e.g., 01, 08, 15).
- Your full birth year (e.g., 1970, 1985, 2000).
For example, if your SSN ends in 99 and your birth date is January 1, 1910, your initial password would be
99_JAN011910. Enter this initial password carefully. -
Create a New Password: Immediately after successfully logging in with your initial password, the system will require you to create a new, personal password. This is a crucial step for securing your account. Your new password must meet the following security criteria:
- It must be at least 8 characters long.
- It must include at least one number.
- It must contain at least one special character (like !, @, #, $, %, etc.).
Choose a strong and memorable password that adheres to these guidelines.
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Answer Security Questions: As part of the password creation process, you will also be presented with a list of ten security questions. You are required to choose and answer at least five of these questions. These security questions are vital for password recovery in case you forget your password in the future. Select questions that you can easily remember the answers to, and record your answers in a safe place if needed.
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Password Expiration and Updates: For security reasons, passwords in NYCAPS ESS expire every 90 days. When your password is about to expire, the system will prompt you to create a new one. When you update your password, the new password must still meet the complexity requirements mentioned earlier and cannot be any of your four previous passwords. This ensures ongoing security for your account.
By following these steps, CUNY Community College employees can easily claim their NYCAPS employee self service account and begin utilizing the system for their payroll and personal information needs. Remember to keep your login credentials secure and reach out to your campus HR office if you encounter any issues during the account claiming process.
