This information applies to the use of cookies on this Bacs website.
Use of cookies on this site
Bacs aims to provide online services that are easy to use, quick and reliable. For some functions to work properly this may involve placing a small file known as a cookie on your computer or other devices used to access the internet. Cookies set by Bacs are a random series of letters and numbers, they cannot be used to identify you personally, or collect any personal information.
They use your computers IP address which is not linked to personally identifiable information. For information on the different types of cookies visit www.allaboutcookies.org.
For details of how to restrict or block cookies being used on your PC see ‘How to control and delete cookies’ below. Please be aware in doing so you will impact the functionality of some areas of the websites.
Cookies set by Bacs necessary for functionality
Several areas on the Bacs website require session cookies in order for the function to work.
Session cookies allows you to move around the website quickly and easily recognising you as you move between pages so you don’t get asked for information already given. For example, the details you enter across multiple pages of an online form, or when you are logged into the site you will not need to do it for every web page requested. Session cookies do not gather information that could be used to advertise products or services to you, or remember any information you may have given beyond your current visit.
These cookies only exist for the duration of your visit and are deleted when you close your browser. These are first party cookies owned and created by Bacs, accepting these cookies is a condition of using these functions.
You may choose to restrict or block cookies, see ‘How to control and delete cookies’ information below, but please be aware this will impact the functionality of these areas.
Below is a list of session cookies required and the reasons why they are necessary:
| Register | ASP.Net Session | The cookie allows the selections and details you have entered to be remembered when progressing through the form so you won’t be required to re-enter information you have already given |
| Log in | FedAuth | This cookie is created by Sharepoint and recognises that you have already given your username and password allowing you access to the relevant secure areas of the website so you will not need to login again as you move around the secure pages of the website |
| Load balancing (set by BT on behalf of Bacs) | BIGipServerVOC-NP-BACS-SharePoint-80-Pool | This cookie is used to efficiently route website traffic to our servers providing better performance by ensuring that load is balanced across more than one server |
| Content management (set by Sharepoint 2013 on behalf of Bacs) | WSS_FullScreenMode | This cookie is used internally by Bacs when using the content management system used to update content on the website |
| Software suppliers list | ASP.Net Session | The cookie enables the correct software supplier information page to open when you select to ‘view profile’ |
| All forms | ASP.Net Session | The cookie enables the parts of the form which have been completed to be redisplayed if the page is reloaded after pressing “submit”, for example if the form is incomplete or the information given is the wrong format |
Cookies set by Bacs to improve functionality
These cookies are used to remember if you have done something before for example completed a survey, rated content etc. These cookies do not gather any personal information and are not used for any purpose other than remembering if you have ‘done’ something previously. They are set by Bacs and are classed as ‘permanent’ cookies which stay on your device until they expire or you delete them.
You may choose to restrict or block these cookies, see ‘How to control and delete cookies’ information below, but please be aware restricting them may mean we can’t offer you some services or stop us remembering that you didn’t want a specific service.
Below are details of the areas and reasons for using these cookies.
| Cookie acceptance | CookieAcceptance
| Remembers that you have been shown a one-off message with details of our cookie usage policy when you first visit the website. This cookie expires one year after your last visit to the site |
Web analytics cookies
These cookies enable Bacs to better understand how visitors navigate to and through the websites, how long they spend viewing content and how often they return. Bacs uses this information to improve the users experience of the website. Below are details of the areas and reasons for using these cookies.
| Web analytics | _ga | Distinguishes unique users, remembers the number and time of previous visits, checks how long a visitor stays on the site and remembers information about where the visitor came from (e.g. a search engine, another site or by directly entering an address into the browser. This cookie expires two years after your last visit to the site |
| Web analytics | _gid | Distinguishes users. This cookie expires 24 hours after your last visit to the site
|
| Web analytics | _gat | Slows the request rate to ensure recording of analytics is performed efficiently. This cookies expires one minute after your visit, or one minute of inactivity |
How to control and delete cookies
Bacs do not use cookies to collect personally identifiable information about you. However, if you wish to restrict or block the cookies which are set by Bacs websites, or third parties whose tools are used on our sites, you can do this through your browser settings. The ‘Help’ function within your browser should tell you how.
Alternatively, you may wish to visit www.allaboutcookies.org which contains information on how to do this on a wide variety of browsers. You will also find details on how to delete cookies from your computer as well as more general information about cookies.
For information on how to restrict or block cookies on the browser of your mobile phone you will need to refer to your handset manual.
Bacs also uses facilities to enable visitors to share information with their friends through popular social networks. This requires the social network site setting a cookie. These cookies are managed by the third party, and you may use the third parties' own tools to restrict or block these cookies.
Please remember that restricting cookies will impact the functionality of some areas of our websites resulting in them not working properly.