SSO Apps: Overview & Setup

Product: SP Connect, AppStore Module

Privileges: Primary Admin privileges

School Passport Single Sign-On (SSO) provides users with the ability to securely log in to connected applications via School Passport Portal. This means that users log in to School Passport just once with one set of credentials, or use a School Passport QR Code (Badge), and then click on the various app icons to be logged in automatically via SSO. Instead of having to remember separate sets of credentials for each application or service, users can simply log in once and access their full suite of applications.

SSO works based upon a trust relationship set up between an application, known as the service provider (School Passport), and an identity provider (e.g. ADFS, Active Directory, Google, etc.) This trust relationship is often based upon a certificate that is exchanged between the identity provider and the service provider.

School Passport SSO service uses SAML protocols. SAML is an extensible markup language (XML) standard that facilitates the exchange of user authentication and data authorization across secure domains. SAML-based SSO services involve communications among the user, an identity provider that maintains the user directory, and a service provider.

SSO authentication workflow:

1. A user logs in to School Passport via the district's Identity Provider (IDP) (e.g. ADFS, Active Directory, Google, etc.) from the School Passport login page;
2. School Passport authenticates the user through the district's IDP;
3. If the user is verified, School Passport creates a "token" that identifies the user and then logs them in successfully;
4. The user then clicks on the appropriate application icon to open an application, and School Passport provides the user's token to the application which authenticates the user. Because of this user does not need to enter login credentials a second time. 
5. The user is logged into the App.

To add and assign the SSO app, please follow the instructions below:

1. Log in to your School Passport profile, and navigate to Connect (Data-Sync) module;
2. Go to the Application Gallery section, and find the application you would like to use. Once identified, click ACTIVATE;
3. The following screen will provide you with an option to share the activated application with particular schools and types of users:
   
   
4. Once you have added the application and set up sharing rules, click the ACTIVATE button in the right-hand corner.

To continue configuration, please reach out to GG4L Customer Support with the request to provide corresponding instructions.