Only a few attorneys and representatives have online access to their clients' Social Security files. I am fortunate enough to be one of them. It has been very useful. Unfortunately, in the last week two serious problems have developed in the online access.
First, when trying to access client files, one must input a numerical code sent by text message. Yes, the text messaging is weird in and of itself but that is not the problem. The code must be entered in a box. When you click on that box to start entering data, nothing happens. The box does not open up. You can enter nothing. I have heard that there is a workaround of using the tab key to get the block open. At best, that is laborious. This also presents a problem for me in that I have found a way of receiving text messages by e-mail. I had been copying the numerical code and pasting it in the block. I have not been able to make that work so I must laboriously copy the code. Maybe Social Security likes to make it laborious.
The first problem is bad enough but the second is worse. You can no longer review an individual item from the electronic folder. When you click to view an item, you get a message saying "We Cannot Process Your Request At This Time." The only thing you can do is to download the entire record and that can take hours.
First, when trying to access client files, one must input a numerical code sent by text message. Yes, the text messaging is weird in and of itself but that is not the problem. The code must be entered in a box. When you click on that box to start entering data, nothing happens. The box does not open up. You can enter nothing. I have heard that there is a workaround of using the tab key to get the block open. At best, that is laborious. This also presents a problem for me in that I have found a way of receiving text messages by e-mail. I had been copying the numerical code and pasting it in the block. I have not been able to make that work so I must laboriously copy the code. Maybe Social Security likes to make it laborious.
The first problem is bad enough but the second is worse. You can no longer review an individual item from the electronic folder. When you click to view an item, you get a message saying "We Cannot Process Your Request At This Time." The only thing you can do is to download the entire record and that can take hours.
I delayed posting anything about this hoping that Social Security would get the problem solved quickly but they have so far been unable to do so. This is getting frustrating.
I find your troubles very odd, Mr. Hall. I have been using the service without issue for months. Even this morning it worked perfectly fine for me. I see on the bulletin board to the right on the initial page that there is some sort of issue with a new or newer version of Internet Explorer. My firm uses old versions of Windows XP and IE so it probably doesn't affect us.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds pretty terrible, what you're going through.
I, too, have encountered this problem, as recently as yesterday; it's a real pain. It makes you wonder whether this is ready for prime time. That being said, however, I much prefer online access, when it works, to the old way. I hope SSA gets it fixed soon.
ReplyDeleteOverall my experience is that it has been great. However I encountered this same problem this am. I entered the code, entered the ssn, got the file, clicked on the exhibit I wanted to see and was told they cannot process my request at this time and then I was out of their system so I had to request another code and download the entire file. Laborious yes but better than photocopying the file the way I used to.
ReplyDeleteI work in a SSA field office. SSA has a great many labor intensive and difficult, inconsistent systems for us to work with. Systems problems are endemic. Work-arounds complex and difficult. . . . When we complain, the response is usually: We know about that and will create a 'fix' in future. In the meantime, use 'this' as a workaround.
ReplyDeleteI have had the exact same problem with both the box and ability to access individual exhibits.
ReplyDeleteI spoke to the SSA and after first being given the run a round, the senior tech agreed they have a problem and are working on it.
They have two work arounds. One involves settings on Internet Explorer, but since I use Firefox on a Mac, this is not available. The other is to select all exhibits and download as a PDF. I do this anyway, but not being able to immediately see an exhibit is a pain.
They said they are working on it but so far, no improvement.
Anon #1 here. I hate to make you all feel bad but I still have no problems accessing the system at all. I have had none of the problems you folks described. Typical gov't.
ReplyDeleteSeveral people in our office have had this problem and we were able to work around it by clicking the compatibility button at the top right side of the screen which looks like a green rectangle that is broken in the middle. This should fix your problem with being able to click and view documents.
ReplyDeleteI have found that I experience the problems mentioned by Mr. Hall regarding not being able to type in the box etc. when using firefox but not when using internet explorer. I have solved this my always reviewing files using IE.
ReplyDelete