---
title: "Configure Password Policies"
slug: "configure-password-policies"
updated: 2025-09-10T17:25:59Z
published: 2025-09-10T17:25:59Z
canonical: "help.workeasysoftware.com/configure-password-policies"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.workeasysoftware.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Configure password policies

This article is for administrators who manage authentication and security settings in WorkEasy to add a password policy. It explains what each field means, and how to use a custom regular expression and error messages for validation.

1. Go to **Global Settings**. Under **General Settings**, select **Password Policies**.
2. Click **Add**.
  - **Name**: a unique name for the policy.
  - **Effective date**: date and time when the policy becomes active.
  - **Password history depth**: number of previous passwords the system remembers to prevent reuse.
  - **Reset in days**: required rotation interval.
  - **Min length** and **Max length**: allowed character range for passwords.
  - **Min numbers required**: minimum count of numeric digits.
  - **Min capitals required**: minimum count of uppercase letters.
  - **Min symbols required**: minimum count of symbols.
  - **Eligible symbols**: set of allowed special characters.
  - **Custom regular expression**: optional regex to enforce advanced rules.
  - **Error message**: text shown to users when a password fails validation.

### Example based on the screen

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/88d7ebef-752e-45d9-95e1-ee13bd7279c5/Images/Documentation/image(927).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T13%3A39%3A29Z&se=2026-11-01T14%3A39%3A29Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=nmkd95btiRjii1KhL1Kzr%2FxVmUfEpJgj4BWXUniFvps%3D)

The following values mirror the example shown in the image and are suitable for a strong, user friendly baseline:

- **Password history depth**: `5`
- **Reset in days**: `90`
- **Min length**: `8`
- **Max length**: `25`
- **Min numbers required**: `1`
- **Min capitals required**: `1`
- **Min symbols required**: `1`
- **Eligible symbols**: `~!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]|{}<>?,.;:`

### What custom regular expression is

Regex (regular expression) is a pattern-matching language used to validate or search text. In password policies, regex enforces rules like minimum length, required characters, or forbidden patterns.If you use a custom regular expression, make sure the Error message explains the rule in plain language.

### Best practices for using regex in password policies

- **Keep it simple:** Avoid overly complex rules that frustrate users.
- **Explain clearly:** Always pair regex with a plain-language error message.
- **Focus on essentials:** Enforce length, variety of character types, and prevention of weak patterns.
- **Don’t overrestrict:** Allow a wide range of symbols and avoid forcing arbitrary sequences.
- **Test before rollout:** Validate that your regex accepts strong passwords and blocks weak ones.

### Custom regular expression example

This regex requires at least 12 characters including an uppercase letter, a lowercase letter, a number, and a special character.

```plaintext
^(?=.*[A-Z])(?=.*[a-z])(?=.*\d)(?=.*[@$!%*?&])[A-Za-z\d@$!%*?&]{12,}$
```

### Error message examples

- Password must be at least 12 characters long and include at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number, and one special character.
- Use 8+ characters with an uppercase letter, lowercase letter, number, and special character.

### Save and apply

1. Review all fields and confirm the effective date and time.
2. Click **Save**.