Using the SAML 2.0 standard, you can configure single sign-on (SSO) for a number of cloud apps. After you set up SSO, your users can use their Google Workspace credentials to sign in to an app using SSO.
Use SAML to set up SSO for Federated Directory
You must be signed in as a super administrator for this task.
Step 1: Set up Google as a SAML identity provider- Sign in with a super administrator account to the Google Admin console.
If you aren’t using a super administrator account, you can’t complete these steps.
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- Click Add app Search for apps.
- For Enter app name, enter Federated Directory.
- In the search results, point to Federated Directoryand click Select.
- In the Google Identity Provider detailswindow, for Option 2: Copy the SSO URL, entity ID, and certificate:
- Next to SSO URL, click Copyand save the URL.
- Next to Certificate, click Copyand save the certificate.
You need these details to complete the setup in Federated Directory.
- Leave the Admin console open. You'll continue with the configuration in the Admin console after the setup steps in the app.
- Open an Incognito browser window, go to the Federated Directory sign-in page , and sign in with your Federated Directory administrator account.
- At the top, click the menu icon Directories.
- Select the directory you want to connect to Google Workspace and then click the Configtab.
- Copy the IDand save it.
You need this value when you finish configuring SSO in the Admin console. - For Authentication method, select SAML authentication.
- For Login page URL, paste the SSO URL that you copied in Step 1.
- For Verification certificate, paste the certificate that you copied in Step 1.
- Click Save authentication method.
- Close your incognito browser window.
- Return to the Admin console browser tab.
- Click Continue.
- On the Service provider detailspage, for ACS URLand Entity ID, replace {directoryId}with the ID that you copied in Step 2.
- Click Continue.
- (Optional) To map Google directory attributes to the corresponding app attributes, in the Attribute Mappingwindow:
- Click Add Mapping.
- Click Select fieldselect a Google directory attribute.
- For App attributes, enter the corresponding app attribute.
- (Optional) To enter group names that are relevant for this app:
- For Group membership (optional), click Search for a group, enter one or more letters of the group name, and select the group name.
- Add additional groups as needed (maximum of 75 groups).
- For App attribute, enter the corresponding groups attribute name of the service provider.
Regardless of how many group names you enter, the SAML response includes only groups that a user is a member of (directly or indirectly). For more information, go to About group membership mapping .
- Click Finish .
Before you begin: To turn a service on or off for certain users, put their accounts in an organizational unit (to control access by department) or add them to an access group (to allow access for users across or within departments).
- Sign in with a super administrator account to the Google Admin console.
If you aren’t using a super administrator account, you can’t complete these steps.
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- Click Federated Directory.
- Click User access.
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To turn a service on or off for everyone in your organization, click On for everyoneor Off for everyone, and then click Save.
- (Optional) To turn a service on or off for an organizational unit:
- At the left, select the organizational unit.
- To change the Service status, select Onor Off.
- Choose one:
- If the Service status is set to Inherited and you want to keep the updated setting, even if the parent setting changes, click Override.
- If the Service status is set to Overridden, either click Inheritto revert to the same setting as its parent, or click Saveto keep the new setting, even if the parent setting changes.
Learn more about organizational structure .
- (Optional) To turn on a service for a set of users across or within organizational units, select an access group. For details, go to Use groups to customize service access .
- Ensure that the email domains of your Federated Directory user account match the primary domain of your organization’s managed Google Account.
Federated Directory supports both identity provider-initiated and service provider-initiated SSO.
Verify identity provider-initiated SSO
- Sign in with a super administrator account to the Google Admin console.
If you aren’t using a super administrator account, you can’t complete these steps.
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- Click Federated Directory.
- In the Federated Directorysection, click Test SAML Login.
The app should open in a separate tab. If it doesn’t, troubleshoot the error message and try again. For details on troubleshooting, go to SAML app error messages .
Verify service provider-initiated SSO
- Close all browser windows.
- Go to https://www.federated.directory/of/{your_company_name}, replace {your_company_name}with your company name, and sign in with your Federated Directory administrator account.
You should be redirected to the Google sign-in page. - Select your account and enter your password.
After your credentials are authenticated, the app should open.
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