CIPFA publications subscription: FAQs

Using CIPFA’s digital publications: questions and answers

How do I access a digital publication I have purchased?

When you purchase a CIPFA publication in digital format you will receive a confirmation email. To access the publication you will need to be registered on the CIPFA website and logged in.

If you are not registered follow the instructions below:

Go to www.cipfa.org and select ‘Register’.
Enter your details. Use your work email address and you don’t need a PNID so ignore this box.
Once registered log in using your work email address and password.

When the purchase has gone through, the email will direct you to the CIPFA website.

Go to policy and guidance > publications and resources
Select ‘My Pubs’ from the list of filter options
Within the ‘My Pubs’ tab, click the ‘My Publications’ link (the number of titles available to you will be shown in brackets).

All your titles will be listed under the box. It will include free thought pieces and reports.

What’s my PNID?

This is your personal ID number that identifies you on our system. It ends in CIP and will be allocated to you when you place an order using our CRM. You don’t need the PNID to register on the CIPFA website so you can ignore this box. The reference number on your welcome letter should only be used when corresponding with CIPFA about the subscription.

I have registered and logged in but the publication is not showing. What do I do?

Check you have registered using your CIPFA Publications login details and haven’t used a password for another CIPFA service such as TISonline. If necessary log out and log back in again.
Make sure you have used the right email address to register and log in.
There will be a slight delay in purchasing a publication and being able to access it. We recommend allowing 12 hours.
If the above options are not successful email E: customerservices@cipfa.org and let them know about the problem. They will need to know what publication was purchased, who purchased it and the name of the organisation.

My organisation has a CIPFA publications subscription/we’ve purchase a digital publication but I can’t get access. Why is this?

Check you have registered using your CIPFA website log in and haven’t used a password for another CIPFA service such as TISonline. If necessary log out and log back in again.
Make sure you have used your work email address to register and log in
Go to ‘My CIPFA’ and check that ‘CIPFA Publications Subscription’ is showing in your memberships list and that it is still current.
Make sure the publication was purchased using a role within your organisation. Even a small difference in an organisation’s name will mean the access isn’t recognised by our database. If you’ve merged or re-branded please let CIPFA know.
Your purchase may not have been invoiced yet. Until we have processed your purchase you won’t be able to access the publication. Please contact E: customerservices@cipfa.org and we can check. We will need to know what publication you were accessing, and the name of the organisation.

Who can access purchased digital publications?

Anyone in your organisation can access the digital publications you have purchased, but each user must register individually first. When a user registers, our system will automatically provide access to your organisation’s purchases.

My organisation has a CIPFA publications subscription but I only see 20 publications in the ‘my publications’ list. Why is this?

Try logging out and back logging in – we recommend closing your browser before logging back in.
Check you have registered using your CIPFA website login and haven’t used a password for another CIPFA service such as TISonline.
Make sure you have only registered once on the CIPFA website as the system will only recognise one set of details.
There will be a slight delay in purchasing a subscription and being able to access anything. We recommend allowing 12 hours.

I’m getting a ‘500 server error’ message when I click on the link. What is this?

Sometimes our system needs attention and for a short time the website becomes unavailable. Our technical team are made aware immediately and the issue is usually sorted quickly. We suggest you wait a short time and try again. If you get the same message email E: customerservices@cipfa.org with details of the publication.

I’ve tried to download a PDF but it gets stuck before the end of the download. Why does this happen and what do I do?

This tends to be an issue with your browser settings and is less likely to happen if you use Chrome. Try the options below:

Go to the settings tab on the top right of the browser (click on the cog icon)
Select ‘Manage Add-ons’
Highlight Adobe PDF reader, click ‘disable’ and then close. The PDF should then open.

Right click on the ‘view PDF’ button
Select ‘save target as …’
Save PDF to desktop. The PDF should then open.

Select ‘view in browser’
Select ‘resources and PDF’
Open the PDF

If these fail contact E: customerservices@cipfa.org.

Can I print the publication?

Yes. If you print from the PDF you can print the pages, section or whole publication as required and it will look like the hard copy version. The HTML will print a whole chapter and will be affected by your printer settings

The system says my account has been disabled. What do I do?

If you have tried to log in several times using the wrong details the system will lock you out. If this has happened contact E: customerservices@cipfa.org and let them know about the problem. We will reset your password and release the lock.

Are there any technical requirements I need to be aware of?

Users need to have one of the following browsers: Edge, Firefox, Safari, or Chrome
Users need to have one of the following systems: Windows, Mac, iPad or Android Tablet
Adobe Acrobat Reader (http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader) or other PDF Viewer
Javascript must been enabled in your browser settings (http://www.enable-javascript.com)
The screen has been designed to fit devices a minimum device width of 960 pixels. No other plugins are required for the publication to be viewed correctly.

I have forgotten my password

Contact E: customerservices@cipfa.org and we will reset your password.

Can I change my password?

Go to My CIPFA at the top of the home page and click on ‘change password’. If you experience any difficulties E: customerservices@cipfa.org.

I’ve changed my job role/details on the system but I now can’t register. What do I do?

Contact E: customerservices@cipfa.org and we’ll sort this out for you as quickly as possible. Let us know your name, email address and organisation.

Are there any tips about searching the content?

Searching for individual words will bring up any reference to each word. Quote marks round several words will bring up references to all the words used together (ie “capital accounting”). Using an asterisk will match words starting with the preceding letters (ie acc* will bring up account, accountancy, accounting). Results are shown by chapter and highlighted in the text.

Can I share content?

The publication is available to everyone with the same email suffix within your organisation who has registered on the website. You won’t be able to share the content with anyone beyond your organisation without permission from CIPFA (and this includes the PDF).

Who is responsible for any queries?

Questions should be emailed to E: customerservices@cipfa.org.

Can I give feedback on CIPFA publications?

Yes, we welcome feedback of any kind. If you would like to make a comment please contact E: customerservices@cipfa.org.

Why do I need to register?

You need to register to use CIPFA digital publications so that when you log on, we can provide access according to your organisation’s subscription or purchases.

I have already registered with another CIPFA service. Can I use these login details to register on the main CIPFA website to access publications?

Yes, if you have registered with one of CIPFA’s online services you can use the same details to register on the main website.

Does my organisation have a single login name and password?

No, each member of your organisation must register separately and log in using their own email address and password for security and so that they can set their personal online preferences

I am a CIPFA member. Does this mean I can access CIPFA publications?

You will only be able to access digital publications if you or your organisation has a subscription or has purchased digital titles individually. To check whether your organisation subscribes, click on My CIPFA or contact E: customerservices@cipfa.org.