Keeping User Data Updated Automatically With Salesforce SAML JIT
Introduction
Salesforce Security Identity offers a powerful feature: SAML JIT (Just In Time) Single Sign-On, providing a straightforward way to create and update user data automatically. For organizations using Single Sign-On with an identity provider, SAML JIT becomes an invaluable tool for syncing user data between the identity provider and Salesforce or another service provider. This blog post explores the mechanism and method of using SAML JIT for automatic user data updates.
Understanding SAML JIT Single Sign-On
SAML JIT Single Sign-On allows for the automatic passing of user data every time a user logs in, ensuring that their data is consistently updated. For instance, consider a user named Homer who has different profiles on two Salesforce organizations. If Homer updates his phone number in the identity provider profile, SAML JIT can ensure this change is reflected in the service provider profile during the login process, maintaining data consistency across platforms.
Configuring SAML JIT
Custom Attributes Setup:
Log in to the identity provider (IDP) and navigate to the current user’s record. For our example, we update Homer's phone number.
Go to the service provider’s configuration on the IDP and view the connection settings.
Scroll to custom attributes and add necessary attributes. For example, adding a user.phone attribute and setting up the attribute substitution to include the user’s phone number in the SAML payload at every login.
Service Provider User Data Update:
Navigate to the service provider organization and access the user records.
Find the user whose data needs to be synced and make the necessary updates to their profile. For instance, updating Homer's phone number.
Single Sign-On Settings Adjustment:
Go to single sign-on settings and enable user provisioning.
Create and assign a custom class that overrides the standard JIT Handler and ensure it's executed by a user with the appropriate permissions.
Implementing SAML JIT Handler
In the integrated development environment (IDE), create a new class, e.g., 'STA_SamlJitHandler'.
Override two methods: 'createUser' and 'updateUser'.
'createUser': Set up a new user record and select a profile for the new user.
'updateUser': Retrieve and update the user record based on the received attributes.
Logging In and Verifying User Data Sync
When a user attempts to log in to the service provider, they are redirected to the IDP for authentication. After successful login, the user’s data is updated and synced automatically. For verification, you can use tools like SAML Tracer to inspect the SAML payload and ensure the user data is transmitted and updated accurately.
Conclusion
With minimal coding and configurations, Salesforce SAML JIT Single Sign-On provides a robust mechanism to keep user data in sync between the identity provider and service providers. While updates only occur upon user logins, this feature offers a hassle-free alternative to setting up and managing batch processes for user data synchronization. For users and administrators seeking real-time data updates without the need for nightly batches, SAML JIT is an efficient solution worth considering.
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