5 min read
Apr 16, 2025

Configuring SAML Single-Sign-On

Enterprise organizations can use SAML to connect with their identity provider, such as Okta or Microsoft Entra ID.

SAML SSO and SCIM Member Management

SAML SSO allows organizations to integrate Pivot with their identity provider (IdP), enabling members to log in with their company credentials. This simplifies authentication, improves security, and ensures centralized access management.

Admins can configure SAML in the Domains and Security settings by entering IdP details and verifying the connection. Once SSO is enabled, all members must log in through SSO unless otherwise specified.

Enterprise organizations can use SAML to connect with their identity provider, such as Okta or Microsoft Entra ID.

SP-initiated vs IDP-initiated SSO

Pivot supports two SAML sign-on flows:

  • SP-initiated (Service Provider initiated): The user starts from Pivot’s login page, enters their email, and is redirected to their IdP to authenticate. This is the default flow and requires no additional configuration beyond the basic SAML setup.

  • IDP-initiated (Identity Provider initiated): The user starts from their IdP portal (e.g., Microsoft My Apps or the Okta dashboard) and clicks the Pivot app tile. The IdP sends a SAML response directly to Pivot, and the user is logged in without visiting Pivot’s login page first.

To enable IDP-initiated SSO, you need to configure your IdP with the IDP-initiated SSO URL. You can find this URL in Pivot’s domain settings after enabling SAML for a domain.

  • Metadata URL: The URL provided by your IdP that contains the SAML metadata.

  • Signing Certificate: The signing certificate used by the IdP to sign SAML assertions.

  • Entity ID: The unique identifier for your service in the SAML configuration.

Configuring SAML in Pivot

1

Access the SAML configuration

  • Log in to Pivot and navigate to your organization’s Domains and Security settings.

  • Click the settings icon next to the domain you want to configure SAML for.

  • Check Enable SAML to reveal the SAML configuration fields.

2

Add Metadata URL

3

Configure Signing Certificate

  • Paste the IdP’s signing certificate into the Signing Certificate field.

  • Ensure the certificate begins with -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- and ends with -----END CERTIFICATE-----.

4

Set the Entity ID

  • Enter the Entity ID that uniquely identifies your SAML service.
    Example: https://pivot.app

5

Configure SSO options

  • Optionally check Require SAML to enforce SSO for all users with email addresses on this domain.

  • Optionally check Enable just-in-time (JIT) provisioning to automatically create Pivot accounts for users who sign in via SAML for the first time.

6

Copy the SAML Reply URL (ACS)

  • After enabling SAML, the SAML Reply URL (ACS) is displayed at the bottom of the SAML settings. This URL is used as the Reply URL / ACS URL in your IdP configuration for both SP-initiated and IDP-initiated sign-on.

  • Click the copy button to copy the URL. You will paste this into your IdP’s configuration (see the IdP-specific instructions below).

7

Save and verify

  • Click Save changes to apply the configuration.

  • Test the configuration by logging in through your Identity Provider.

  • If you configured IDP-initiated SSO, also test by clicking the Pivot app tile in your IdP portal.

Configuring Supported Identity Providers

Create the SAML application:
  • In the Azure portal, go to Enterprise Applications > New application.

  • Select Create your own application, give it a name (e.g., “Pivot”), and select

    Integrate any other application you don’t find in the gallery (Non-gallery)

    .

  • After creating the application, go to Manage > Single sign-on and select SAML.

Basic SAML Configuration:
  • Identifier (Entity ID): Enter your Entity ID.
    Example: If the application ID is 3f218b53-d33c-4dbe-ada7-51a0db5ba71e , use spn:3f218b53-d33c-4dbe-ada7-51a0db5ba71e. Or use a custom value like https://pivot.app.

  • Reply URL (Assertion Consumer Service URL): Paste the SAML Reply URL (ACS) from Pivot’s domain settings (e.g.,

    https://auth.pivot.app/login/callback/saml/idp/yourdomain.com?pcb=https%3A%2F%2Fpivot.app%2F_%2Fverifying

    ). This single URL is used for both SP-initiated and IDP-initiated sign-on.

  • Sign on URL: Leave this field empty. If a Sign on URL is set, clicking the app tile in My Apps will redirect to that URL instead of performing IDP-initiated sign-on.

  • Relay State: Leave empty.

Attributes and Claims:Certificate:
  • Under SAML Certificates, download the certificate in Base64 format.

  • Open the downloaded file and paste its contents into the Signing Certificate field in Pivot’s domain settings.

Pivot configuration values:
  • SAML Metadata URL: Copy the App Federation Metadata Url from the SAML Certificates section and paste it into Pivot’s SAML Metadata URL field.

  • Entity ID: Enter the same Entity ID you configured in Azure.

Create the SAML application:
  • In the Okta Admin Console, go to Applications > Create App Integration.

  • Select SAML 2.0 and click Next.

  • Give the application a name (e.g., “Pivot”) and click Next.

SAML Settings:Attribute Statements:Pivot configuration values:
  • SAML Metadata URL: After creating the app, go to the Sign On tab and copy the Metadata URL from the SAML 2.0 section. Paste it into Pivot’s SAML Metadata URL field.

  • Entity ID: Enter the same Audience URI you configured in Okta.

  • Signing Certificate: Download the certificate from Okta’s SAML Signing Certificates section and paste its contents into Pivot’s Signing Certificate field.

Create the SAML application:
  • In the Google Admin Console, go to

    Apps > Web and mobile apps > Add app > Add custom SAML app

    .

  • Enter a name for the application (e.g., “Pivot”) and click Continue.

  • On the Google Identity Provider details step, download the Certificate and copy the SSO URL and Entity ID. Click Continue.

Service Provider Details:Attribute Mapping:Enable the application:
  • After creating the app, click the app name, then go to User access. Turn the service ON for everyone (or for specific organizational units).

Pivot configuration values:
  • SAML Metadata URL: Use the SSO URL from the Google Identity Provider details step (copied during app creation). Paste it into Pivot’s SAML Metadata URL field.

  • Entity ID: Enter the same Entity ID you configured in Google Workspace.

  • Signing Certificate: Open the certificate downloaded during app creation and paste its contents into Pivot’s Signing Certificate field.

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