CPF1394: User profile cannot sign on

What it means

The text reads "User profile name cannot sign on." It appears on the sign-on display. The profile exists, but the system won't start an interactive job for it.

By far the most common reason is that the profile is disabled. The system disables a profile when failed sign-on or password attempts reach the QMAXSIGN limit and QMAXSGNACN is 2 or 3. When that happens, CPF1393 is sent to the operator, and every later sign-on gets CPF1394 until someone enables the profile again. Typing the correct password doesn't help while the profile is disabled.

A security administrator can also disable a profile on purpose, for example when someone leaves, or the system can disable it when the profile's own expiration date passes (USREXPDATE or USREXPITV). The message looks the same in each case, so the profile's status and history tell you which applies.

Common causes

• The profile was disabled after too many wrong passwords. This includes failures from PC clients and scripts, not only the sign-on display.
• An administrator disabled it with CHGUSRPRF STATUS(*DISABLED), often as part of a leaver or inactivity process.
• The profile reached its user expiration date and the expiration action disabled it.
• An inactivity tool or security product disabled profiles that hadn't signed on for a set number of days.

How to find the problem

1. An administrator can run DSPUSRPRF USRPRF(name) and check Status, Sign-on attempts not valid, Previous sign-on and the user expiration fields.
2. WRKUSRPRF USRPRF(name) with option 5 gives the same detail, and option 2 changes it.
3. Search QSYSOPR or the history log for CPF1393 with DSPLOG LOG(QHST) MSGID(CPF1393). If it's there, the system disabled the profile after failed attempts, and the message shows where they came from.
4. If there is no CPF1393, the change was probably made by a person or a tool. A CP entry in the QAUDJRN audit journal records who changed the profile, if that auditing is on.

How to fix it

• Ask the security administrator or help desk to enable the profile with CHGUSRPRF USRPRF(name) STATUS(*ENABLED).
• If the password may be the problem, reset it at the same time and add PWDEXP(*YES) so the user picks a new one.
• If a client caused the failures, fix its saved password first, or the profile will be disabled again.
• If the profile was disabled because it expired, set a new expiration date or interval before enabling it, or the system will disable it again.

DSPMSGD MSGID(CPF1394) MSGF(QSYS/QCPFMSG)

Technical reviewer: Albert Joseph, WND Software.

Last reviewed 2026-10-18 by the WND Software team. Written in our own words. For the full reference, check IBM’s documentation for your IBM i release.