GETTING STARTED GUIDE

for Mac OS

Introduction

SplashID provides quick and easy access to all of your personal identification information, including usernames, passwords, credit cards, PINs, calling card numbers, frequent flyer numbers, insurance info and more. Data is stored in a secure, encrypted, password protected format and can be synchronized between SplashID on your mobile device and SplashID on the desktop (Windows, Mac OS, and web). You may prefer to do most of your data entry on the desktop, however, since it's faster and easier with a keyboard, and then synchronize that data to your other SplashID apps.

Account Types

SplashID is now the only password manager that lets the user choose how to handle sensitive records:

SplashID Cloud Services is first and foremost seamless automatic sync across all your computers & devices via our secure cloud server: anywhere, anytime. It's the quintessential "set it and forget it" sync solution for secure data.

In addition to automatic sync, the optional SplashID Cloud Services also include a web-based version of SplashID, in-app support, security dashboard, and cloud backup.

This is the familiar Wi-Fi sync solution that has been in SplashID since version 4. Manually connect the handheld and desktop apps over your local Wi-Fi network.

This option exists for those users who don't plan on synchronizing their SplashID data. Your data will exist only in the local database on the device, and will not be automatically backed up or synchronized with any desktop or web app.

User Interface

When you launch SplashID for Mac OS you are presented with a 3-panel layout.

Main View

Here's a breakdown of the different panels in the interface. Click on each heading to expand and see the specific tools.

The Side Menu is similar to the side menu that slides out on the iOS and Android apps, where you can access the following options:

  • Add Record -- Creates a new record. This is one UI element on Mac that differs in location from other versions of SplashID
  • SplashID Safe -- This is the Record List, where you search, view, and edit your secure records.
  • Dashboard -- Access the Dashboard, where you can analyze your records and improve your security.
  • SplashID Backup -- Cloud sync users will be able to access and restore online backups on those rainy days.
  • Settings -- Access all the SplashID Settings. See the next section for details.
  • Edit Categories -- Displays the Categories which you may edit or delete. Select an existing type and click edit, or click New to create a new one.
  • Edit Types -- Displays the Types which you may edit or delete. Select an existing type and click edit, or click New to create a new one.
  • Help Center -- Access the SplashData Help Desk at support.splashdata.com.
  • Lock Now -- Locks and encrypts the SplashID database.

The middle panel is known as the Record List. From here you will browse, search, add, edit, and view records. Starting from the top left, here are the functions of the Record List:

  • Category and Type filters - Select a Category or Type to filter by
  • Search - Search on any field with dynamic results
  • Select - Brings up an action bar on the bottom of the screen so you can select multiple records to Select All, Share, Move, or Delete
  • Sort - Change view to sort by Name, Category, Type, Date, or Most Visited

When you click on a record in the Record List, it opens the Record Details on the right panel. This is also what you see when you click the New Record button from the Record List.

The right panel is for Record Details, which displays the details of the record you select in the Record List. This is also what you see when you click the Add Record button in the top right.

While viewing a record, click a field and then the Edit button to make changes. This is also what you see when you click the New Record button from the Record List. We've designed this screen to give you everything you need on one level so you don't have to drill down to make changes. We'll go into more detail in the Record Details and Editing Records sections below.

Record Details

When you click on a record in the Record List, it opens the Record Details screen. We've designed this screen to give you everything you need on one level so you don't have to drill down to make changes.

Record Details

Click a field to edit it or access tools, such as Copy, Generate (password), and Mask. You can set password generator settings in the main Settings screen. If you want to add additional fields, click an existing field, then click Edit, then you can enter data on the extra fields or add attachments.

Click the Login button next to field 1 if the record is a Web Login to open the browser and autofill the username and password. You can also turn on Auto-Submit in Settings.

Make Local will designate any record in your SplashID database as Local only. This means the record stays local on the device and does not sync to the cloud server. If the record is already on the web app or on any other devices running SplashID, it will get deleted from those apps. At any point, you can set the record back to sync with the cloud. The record would then sync back to the cloud server and appear on all devices.

Duplicate will make a copy of the current record so you can edit it and save it as a new record.

Share will send the record as a secure file for SplashID users or a limited use self-destructing web page for non-SplashID users.

Delete will delete the current record.

Editing Records

While viewing a record, click a field or field label to make changes. This is also what you see when you click the New Record button from the Record List. We've designed this screen to give you everything you need on one level so you don't have to drill down to make changes.

Click the Category or Type menus to change the assigned category or type.

Click the Icon to access the icon picker and make a new selection. This may not be necessary, however, as many logos are automatically assigned after you enter the record name. For example, type "Amazon" for the record name and the Amazon logo shows up when go to the next field or save.

Click the field in the data space or the field label to edit directly.

Click the Notes field to add notes up to 4000 characters.

Click the Add Attachment button to add a photo or document (up to 1 MB).

 

Categories & Types

Note: Only Categories and Types that contain records are displayed in the filter menus on the Record List screen. So if you create a new Category/Type, it will not show up in the filter list until you create a new record and select the new Category/Type, and save the record.

The difference between Categories and Types is best illustrated by example. You use Categories to separate your Business records from your Personal records, while you use Types to separate your Credit Card records from your Web Login records.

Categories act as filters for grouping related records. The two predefined Categories are Business and Personal, though you may add more by choosing Categories & Types from the left panel.

Types act as templates, which define the structure for the items you want to store in SplashID. You may define up to nine Custom field labels and a default icon for each type, as well as specify the fields you wish to mask.

Edit Type

  • Edit Types -- Click the Edit Types button in the side menu on the left. You may create an unlimited number of Types. Several sample Types are provided, which you may edit or delete. Select an existing type and click edit, or click Add Type (top right) to create a new one. The Define type dialog is displayed.
  • Define Type -- Enter a name for the Type and up to 9 custom field labels. The Mask check box specifies whether or not the data in that field will be masked. And you may also specify a default icon for the Type.

Settings

When you click the Settings from the side menu, you will see the following options. Click to expand:

Application Settings

  • Run SplashID on Startup -- Automatically start SplashID when you log into you system.
  • Play sound on Lock/Unlock -- Turns on or off the "click" sound you hear at login.

Security

  • Clear Clipboard -- Instruct SplashID to clear copied text from your system's clipboard on exit and/or after a specified number of minutes.
  • Clear Filters on Exit -- Resets the filter settings to the default when you quit the app.
  • Auto lock -- Set the period of inactivity that must pass before the application locks itself.

Web Logins

  • Auto-Fill Web Logins -- Fill in username and password fields automatically.
  • Auto-Submit Web Logins -- Check this box to automatically submit forms when using the Web Auto-fill feature.

Password Generator -- Change settings for password generator - length and included characters.

Auto Backup -- If enabled, a VID backup file of your database will be exported in your SplashID data folder. Here you can set how often this happens. The VID file can be imported in case of a catastrophic loss of data. Your SplashID password protects the file. More details in the Backup & Import section below.

This is where you select your sync settings for SplashID. In SplashID 8, a SplashID Pro license is required for either sync method (cloud or WiFi), but you can choose and change at any time. We'll go into more detail in the Synchronization section below, but here you can select whether to use:

  • SplashID Cloud Services -- Seamless automatic sync using our secure cloud solution.
  • Local WiFi Sync -- Good old fashioned manual WiFi sync over your local WiFi network. Here you can also set the sync direction for the next WiFi sync.
  • No Sync enabled -- If you don't need to sync data to any other devices or computers.
  • Email -- Select to edit the email address you associate with your SplashID account.
  • Password -- Select to edit the password protecting SplashID. See Security for more info.
  • Sync -- Select Change Sync to switch to a different sync solution.
  • Plan -- View your plan details and license status.

Security

Setting a Password -- You must set a password to protect your data.
  • Remember this password. You will need to use this same password to open SplashID on all platforms.
  • Your password must be at least 4 characters in length.
  • This password is case sensitive.
  • A strong password of at least 6 characters including at least one number, one upper case character, and one non-alphanumeric character is strongly recommended.
  • Once you set a password, SplashID encrypts your data using 256-bit Blowfish encryption to ensure data security.
  • You can optionally enter a hint to remind you of your password if you forget.

Setting a Pattern -- A more fun and convenient way to login is using a pattern. To set a pattern, click the Pattern button in the Set Password dialog. Then draw your pattern using the numbered dots supplied (no overlapping or repeating). Click Continue and confirm the pattern, then make a note of the numeric equivalent - this must match the SplashID desktop if you plan on synchronizing. In version 6 of SplashID desktop, you can use a pattern to login as well.

Entering a Password -- You will be required to enter your password each time you launch SplashID, or when you turn on your handheld if SplashID was last running when it was turned off.

Changing a Password -- To change a password, select Change Password from the Settings menu, enter your Old Password, then enter and confirm the New Password.

2-Factor Authentication -- 2-factor Authentication is a recommended option to increase the security of your SplashID account. The 2nd factor is an additional code that needs to be entered when your SplashID account is accessed from a new desktop, device or browser. One you confirm access is authorized with the additional code, you will no longer need to enter the 2nd factor code when you log in from that device or browser.

To use 2-Factor Authentication, login to your SplashID account using the web client. Under Settings > 2-factor authentication, select 'Enable 2-Factor Authentication' and click on Save. Once enabled, if you attempt to log in to your SplashID account from a new browser, desktop, tablet or phone, you will be required to enter a 6-digit code which is emailed to your SplashID account email. Once you enter the second factor code, you should never be asked for the code again on that browser or device. If you want to authorize access on a another new browser or device, you will need another second factor authorization code sent.

Sharing Records

You can share information with other SplashID users in a few different ways:

  • Share Multiple Records -- When in the List View, click the Select button on the top toolbar, and then choose records you wish to share. Then click the Share button on the bottom toolbar.
  • Share Single Record -- When viewing the Record Info, click the Share button on the bottom toolbar.

Synchronization

You have a choice between local Wi-Fi sync and SplashID Cloud Services. Here's how they are used:

Our cloud syncing service seamlessly updates any changes to your records when you launch the application. No more fussing with Wi-Fi sync (unless you want to).

Here's the great thing about it - we don't have to explain how to use it. Just login to your various SplashID versions (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Android, Windows 8, Windows Phone, BlackBerry 10, and web app!) with the same email address, and your data synchronizes automatically. Never is it out of sync, never do you have to worry about loss of data or backing up. It just works.

This is the familiar Wi-Fi sync solution that has been in SplashID since version 4. Manually connect the handheld and desktop apps over your local Wi-Fi network.

Items may be created or edited on the Handheld or Desktop and the changes can be synchronized over your local Wi-Fi network. You can download the SplashID desktop for Mac or Windows from splashid.com.

By default information is synchronized in both directions, but you can adjust the settings, in Sync settings.

In most cases, you will wish to leave the Default setting (on the right) set to Synchronize. This means that after changing it to Desktop Overwrites Handheld and doing a sync, it will revert back to Synchronize for the next sync so you don't have to go back in and change the setting back manually.

Here are the possible sync settings and the results they will bring about:

  • Synchronize -- Changes made on the Handheld or the Desktop will be synchronized. If a record is edited on both sides between syncs, the latest edit will win.
  • Desktop overwrites handheld -- All data on the Desktop is copied to the handheld. Any data on the Handheld will be replaced.
  • Handheld overwrites Desktop -- All data on the Handheld is copied to the Desktop. Any data on the Desktop will be replaced.

In order to synchronize, you must do the following:

  1. Turn Wi-Fi on on your handheld device, then select the same network that your computer is on for your handheld to join
  2. Open the SplashID desktop
  3. Select the correct user from the User menu in the SplashID desktop to match the device name
  4. Set the passwords the same on both the desktop and handheld software
  5. Adjust the Sync settings in Options > Sync if you wish
  6. Start the Sync on the handheld, by dragging down on the Record List with your finger, or selecting Wi-Fi sync from the Settings screen

Manual IP Address Sync

If you have trouble connecting your handheld and desktop SplashID, or if you want to want to sync remotely over the Internet, you can sync using a manual IP address.

To do this, open the Sync dialog on the handheld and click where it says Enter an IP Address "To sync with."

Enter the IP address of the desktop computer, either on the local network or the public IP if connected directly to the Internet You can find this IP address in the SplashID Desktop under Options > Sync.

Backup & Restore

In version 8, we added an automatic cloud backup service which is available to cloud sync users. Expand the sections below to view details:

With SplashID 8, cloud sync users have a new backup service that protects them from data loss forever. Every week, a new encrypted backup is automatically created for you. Your 5 most recent backups are available anytime to download or restore as your current database. And you can lock in any backup (or your current database) as your master backup.

Hopefully you'll never need to use it, but if you do, here's how.

Login to any SplashID 8 client app - iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, or Web - and select the SplashID Backup tab on the side menu.

To restore a backup, select the backup you would like to restore, based on the date and number of records it contains, then click Restore.

You can also make your current database the "master" backup by clicking the check mark in the first control. The master never gets overwritten by newer backups, giving you a reliable restore point once you set it. If you want to release the master backup, click the Unlock button. Or you can just replace the current master backup with your current database at any time using the first control again.

SplashID Backup

Automatic vID Backups
SplashID has an automatic backup feature which will allow you to easily recover data in most cases. A vID export file is created (and encrypted with the same password you are using in SplashID) and stored in:

~/Library/Containers/com.splashdata.splashidmac/Data/Library/SplashID Safe/Backup/

Up to 5 backups will be saved incrementally. You can see which is most recent by the file date. If you later need to import this data, simply double-click the .vid file and you will be prompted for a password and the data will be imported into SplashID.

Manual vID Backups
You may also perform a manual backup of your data by selecting Export from the App menu. This will export your SplashID Database in vID format to whatever location you select. You will be given the option to set a password as well, which will encrypt the data and require the password to import it.

Desktop
The SplashID database file is automatically saved to the SplashID directory on your hard drive each time you exit the application. You may back up this file as an added precaution in case of a hard drive failure. To restore the backup file simply copy it into the SplashID directory. Then the next time you launch SplashID it will open the file. This file is stored here:

~/Library/Containers/com.splashdata.splashidmac/

Dashboard

It seems like every day you hear about a new hacking incident or data breach, and you know you should be combing through your SplashID records, changing your old or weak passwords, and of course making sure you're not using the same passwords on multiple sites. That's what you should be doing, but the task is too often put off since it can be time-consuming and overwhelming.

That's where our new dashboard comes in, constantly analyzing your SplashID records to identify old, weak, and reused passwords and enabling you to fix them with just a few clicks!

The graph shows you the overall growth of your SplashID database over time, and under that you will find a table indicating the total number of categories, types, and records in your database.

Below that you will find an analysis of how many of your passwords are Repeated, Weak, or Old. The progress indicator to the left shows how much of your database contains these weaknesses (in red). Click the View and Fix button to access a list of the records that contain these weaknesses. The idea is that you take on one of these weak records, generate a stronger password in SplashID while login into the website and updating your password with the service.

At the bottom of the Dashboard screen is a handy shortcut to the SplashID Backup feature.

Dashboard

Getting Support

SplashData offers technical support and other resources online. SplashID support is customized to meet your needs. Please visit:

/support.html

You can view knowledge base articles, ask public questions, and contact customer support to get the answers you need.