Single Sign On Portal Basics
Single Sign On (SSO) technology is a service that permits users to use One Logon to access multiple systems. On 1/25/2019 LSC implemented SSO using a software called Okta. Using Okta, we have a single, integrated platform that offers you secure access to enterprise applications and information and allows users to customize their SSO dashboard by adding additional work and personal applications. We are very happy to offer you this time-saving tool and hope that you will find it both useful and easy-to-adopt. Let's get started!
We have created a quick video tutorial to explain SSO portal, highlight some of the features of the system and provide you with a few User Tips and Tricks. If you would prefer to watch the movie, the link information is provided below. If you would prefer to read the book, skip on down to the section below entitled a Closer Look at SSO.
You can find the video linked from the Okta desktop or via the link below. Please go to your computer desktop. You should have a new icon (shortcut) on your desktop (step 1 image below). This is a shortcut to your SSO portal and one of the easiest ways you can access and use the additional features that the application makes available.
- Step 1 (below) Click on the Okta shortcut to open your portal
- Step 2 (below) Click on the Icon labled Okta User Training.
- Step 3 (below) This will take you to a short VIDEO walkthrough of your new SSO portal. Please enjoy.
Closer Look at SSO Portal
The SSO portal provides LSC users a handy workbench where you can find all your applications that have been implemented in SSO (including the NON-SAML applications you use like Paycom or Adobe). In addition to the preloaded applications we have provided, you can also add applications that you might use on a regular basis, such as ScreenSteps, and where you will go to update information for your SSO portal.
Let's take a tour of the workbench (pictured above):
- Home/Administrative Bar (item 1)
- You will use the links from this bar to manage your SSO portal, add new applications, etc.
- TABs (item 2)
- Your SSO portal will open to your main "Work" tab (Image 1)
- You can create additional tabs (up to five) and move your application quick link icons between tabs as well as add/remove icons as needed
- Quick Link Icons (item 3)
- On launch day, employees will have a set of preloaded Quick Link Icons on their SSO Portal. These are the applications, such as Box and Paycom, that LSC staff are expected to use in conducting LSC business
- While you won't likely be using the quick links for Box or other SAML applications (those applications you will automatically log into when you log into the LSC network in the morning), you may CHOOSE to access applications such as Paycom or eWeb using this workbench because access is easier and quicker using SSO. Your choice!
- In addition to using the pre-loaded Quick Links, you can add other applications that you use on a regular basis to your portal (perhaps, for instance, because of travel, you might want to add Orbitz or Avis Car Rental to your workbench). Once you have set up an application in SSO, it will manage your credentials and make logging into the application, even your personal or infrequently-used applications, a breeze
- On launch day, employees will have a set of preloaded Quick Link Icons on their SSO Portal. These are the applications, such as Box and Paycom, that LSC staff are expected to use in conducting LSC business
- Help Bar (item 4)
- You will use the links on this bar to request help from the OIT HelpDesk (email request), request OIT add an application to all LSC user portals, etc.
Applications like Box, Salesforce, and Office 365 will open transparently for you. If you are logged onto the LSC network (your computer in the office) you don't have to do anything to be able to access them except open the application. No more logging into these applications separately, and you certainly don't have to use the workbench (above) to navigate to these applications.
But, some applications, like Salesforce, PayCom and eWeb, require users to provide additional authentication before SSO can manage the login for you. IF you want to use SSO to access these applications, you will need to authenticate each application through SSO so it can manage your credentials for you.
If you want to utilize Okta to manage your other applications, please read on.
Authenticating Non-SAML applications (like PayCom and eWeb) is easy and quick.
- Notice the Amazon.com Quick Link (in the image above)?
- See the green triangle in the upper left corner of the link that says "NEW"?
- Quick Links that have the "New" identifier require validation before SSO can manage your credentials for that application
- Click on the Quick Link (with the "New" identifier) on your dashboard (number 1)
- It will open a Sign In dialog box for that application (number 2 below)
- In the Dialog box enter your User Name and Password for THAT APPLICATION (number 3)
- Click the sign in button in the lower right of the dialog box (number 4)
- SSO will attempt to log you into the application
- Once SSO attempts to log you in, you will get a Confirmation dialog box (number 5)
- If you were successful in logging in, then select "Yes"
- If you were not successful, then select "No" and try again
- You may need to refresh your memory of your user name and/or password for the site by using the application's "forgot my credentials" features
- If this is the case, you will need to do that outside of the SSO dashboard and then use this process to enter the credentials at a later time
- And you are done!
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