Okta (SAML)

This guide provides instructions for configuring Okta as the SSO provider for Glean using SAML 2.0. You can set up the Okta side of the connection in one of two ways:

• Manual SAML app: Build a SAML 2.0 app integration in Okta yourself and enter the SAML settings. Choose this when you want full control over the app configuration or need SCIM provisioning on the same app.
• Glean OIN integration: Install the preconfigured Glean app from the Okta Integration Network (OIN) and choose SAML 2.0 as the sign-on method. Glean configures the SAML endpoints for you, so there are fewer settings to enter. Choose this for a faster setup.

Both methods result in the same SAML SSO connection. Either way, you finish the setup in the Glean Admin console.

Single Sign-On (SSO) is a user authentication service that permits a user to use one set of login credentials to access multiple applications. Glean supports SSO with Okta using OIDC (preferred) or SAML 2.0, both of which enhance security and simplify the login process for end users. To learn more about using OIDC with Okta, see Okta (OIDC).

Complete SSO setup in both Okta and the Glean Admin console.

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Customized instructions for your Glean environment are available in the Admin console:

 Admin console → Users & permissions → Single sign-on (SSO)

Supported features

Glean's SAML integration with Okta supports the following features:

• SP-initiated SSO: users begin the sign-in flow from Glean and are redirected to Okta to authenticate. See SP-initiated SSO.
• IdP-initiated SSO (requires opt-in): users begin the sign-in flow from Okta. Contact Glean support to enable IdP-initiated login for your tenant.
• SCIM deprovisioning (optional): deactivated Okta users are blocked from authenticating to Glean. See (Optional) SCIM provisioning.

For definitions of these features, see the Okta glossary.

Supported SAML attributes

Glean requires the user's email address as the SAML Name ID, in EmailAddress format. Glean uses the Name ID as the user's email. The Glean OIN app also sends a single Name attribute for the user's display name:

Name	Value
Name	${user.firstName} ${user.lastName}

SP-initiated SSO

Glean supports SP-initiated SSO, in which the sign-in process starts from Glean:

1. In a browser, navigate to app.glean.com.
2. Enter your work email and click Log in. Glean redirects you to Okta.
3. Enter your Okta credentials and sign in. With valid credentials, Okta redirects you back to Glean as an authenticated user.

Requirements and prerequisites

Complete the following prerequisites:

• Have an active Okta administrator account
• Have Admin or Setup Admin role access to Glean
• Have your tenant backend domain, found in the Server instance (QE) field at app.glean.com/admin/about-glean
• Have a basic understanding of Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) 2.0, System for Cross-domain Identity Management (SCIM) 2.0, and SSO concepts

warning

Glean restricts SSO authentication to pre-approved domains. Notify Glean of all domains that will be used for user authentication or else SSO will fail.

For example: company.com, company.co.jp, and subsidiary.co

Set up SSO before workspace initialization

If you're configuring SSO through Central Workspace Setup (CWS), a service that allows admins to configure SSO before a dedicated workspace is provisioned, you'll receive a magic link from Glean to access CWS at app.glean.com/admin.

Configuring SSO in CWS doesn't activate SSO sign-in

Configuring or verifying SSO in Central Workspace Setup (CWS) doesn't activate SSO for sign-in. Continue using magic links until Glean provisions your dedicated workspace.

Once the workspace is ready, return to the SSO page, complete any tenant-specific configuration updates, and switch the deployment to SSO. See Activate SSO.

Set up with the Glean OIN integration

With this method, you install the preconfigured Glean app from the Okta Integration Network (OIN), choose SAML 2.0 as the sign-on method, then copy its metadata URL for the Glean Admin console. Glean configures the SAML endpoints for you, so you don't enter them manually. This method requires permission to add integrations from the Okta App Catalog.

Add the Glean OIN integration

1. Sign in to Okta as a Super admin. Navigate to Applications → Applications, then click Browse App Catalog.
2. Search for Glean and select the Glean app.
3. Click Add Integration.
4. On the General Settings step, add the following details, then click Next:
   • Application label: Glean SSO (SAML)
   • Tenant: Your Glean tenant name, provided by Glean support or your Glean representative
5. On the Sign-On Options step:
   • Select SAML 2.0
   • Under Credentials Details, set Application username format to Email
   • Click Done
6. Under the Sign On tab of the app, copy the Metadata URL. You'll paste this into the Glean Admin console later.
7. Go to the Assignments tab and assign the app to the users and groups who need access to Glean. Only assigned users can authenticate through Okta.

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Find your tenant name at app.glean.com/admin/about-glean, or contact Glean support if you're unsure.

After you finish these steps in Okta, continue to Glean Admin console steps.

Set up with a manually created SAML app

To set Okta as your SSO provider, complete the following steps in the Okta admin dashboard:

1. Create the Glean SAML application
2. Configure SAML settings
3. Copy the metadata URL
4. Assign users and groups

Create the Glean SAML application

Create a SAML 2.0 application in Okta for Glean.

1. In the Okta admin dashboard, navigate to Applications → Applications.
2. Click Create App Integration.
3. Select SAML 2.0 and click Next.
4. Add the following details:
   • App name (required): Glean Search
   • App logo: Download this Glean icon
   • App visibility: Check Do not display application icon to users
5. Click Next.

info

IdP-initiated SSO requires opt-in. Contact Glean support to enable it for your tenant. If it isn't enabled, sign-in must start from Glean. Hide the app icon from users, and to include a Glean tile in the Okta App Library, create a Bookmark App linking to https://app.glean.com.

For more information on how to create a SAML app integration in Okta, see Create SAML app integrations.

Configure SAML settings

Configure the following SAML settings:

Field	Value
Single sign-on URL	https://<tenant_id-be.glean.com>/authorization-code/callback
Use this for Recipient URL and Destination URL	✓
Audience URI (SP Entity ID)	https://<tenant_id-be.glean.com>
Default RelayState	Leave empty
Name ID format	EmailAddress
Application username	Email
Update application username on	Create and update

Replace <tenant_id-be.glean.com> with your full backend domain.

Under Attribute Statements, add:

Name	Name format	Value
Name	Unspecified	String.join(" ", user.firstName, user.lastName)

After completing the SAML settings page, finish the Okta setup:

1. Select I'm an Okta customer adding an internal app.
2. Skip the remaining sections and click Finish.

SAML settings for CWS

If you are configuring SSO through Central Workspace Setup (CWS) before Glean provisions your dedicated workspace, use the following values instead. During CWS setup, you access Glean using a magic link provided by Glean.

Field	Value
Single sign-on URL	https://apps-be.glean.com/central_sso/authorization-code/callback
Use this for Recipient URL and Destination URL	✓
Audience URI (SP Entity ID)	https://apps-be.glean.com

All other fields remain the same as in the previous section.

Glean uses these central values for CWS verification only. They don't enable SSO sign-in to CWS. After Glean provisions your workspace, replace them with the tenant-specific values from Configure SAML settings.

Copy the metadata URL

Under the Sign On tab of the Glean Search app, copy the Metadata URL. You will paste this into the Glean Admin console later.

Assign users and groups

Assign users to the Glean Search app to grant them access via SSO. Glean recommends creating a dedicated group such as Glean Users.

1. Select the Assignments tab.
2. Click Assign.
3. Choose Assign to People or Assign to Groups.

Glean Admin console steps

To configure Glean to use Okta as your SSO provider, complete the following steps in the Glean Admin console:

Configure Okta SAML

1. In the Glean UI, navigate to  Admin console → Users & permissions → Single sign-on (SSO).
2. Select Okta SAML.
3. Paste the Okta metadata URL.
4. Click Save.

Activate SSO

You must activate SSO in the Admin console before your users can sign in to Glean using SSO. Complete this step after Glean provisions your dedicated workspace. Until then, administrators continue to sign in to CWS with magic links, even after verification succeeds.

1. Navigate to  Admin console → Users & permissions → Single sign-on (SSO).
2. If you configured SSO during CWS, replace the central apps-be.glean.com URLs in your Okta app with the tenant-specific values from Configure SAML settings.
3. Click Switch to Okta SAML SSO. Glean prompts you to confirm the switch.

After SSO activates, Okta SAML displays in the Glean Single sign-on (SSO) page with a Connected status. SSO is now active, and both administrators and end users sign in through Okta.

info

If you don't see the Switch to Okta SAML SSO button, it means that your Glean tenant is still provisioning and you must wait to switch to using SSO.

You can skip ahead to the Add connectors section and return to this step later.

(Optional) SCIM provisioning

Glean supports user deprovisioning via SCIM 2.0. When configured, deactivated users are blocked from authenticating to Glean.

To set up SCIM provisioning, complete the following steps:

1. Configure Glean for SCIM
2. Configure Okta SCIM
3. Configure provisioning
4. Push initial users
5. Save the Glean SCIM configuration

Configure Glean for SCIM

1. Go to Admin console → Platform → Connectors.
2. Add Okta SCIM.
3. Copy the bearer token.
4. Note the SCIM connector base URL, which has the format https://<tenant_id-be.glean.com>/instance/api/scim/v2.
5. Click Enable SCIM-based user deprovisioning check.

warning

Don't click Save yet. Leave this page open and continue to the next step.

If you did click Save, you may have received an error. Ignore it and continue.

Configure Okta SCIM

1. In your Okta admin dashboard, select your Glean SAML app (Glean Search if you created it manually, or Glean SSO (SAML) if you used the OIN integration).
2. Enable SCIM provisioning under App Settings.
3. Configure the Provisioning tab with:
   • SCIM connector base URL: From Glean
   • Unique identifier field for users: email
   • Supported provisioning actions: Enable all
   • Authentication mode: HTTP Header with Bearer Token
4. Test the connection.

Configure provisioning

Enable the following provisioning options:

• Create Users
• Update User Attributes
• Deactivate Users

Keep only the following attribute mappings:

• Username
• Given name
• Family name
• Email
• Manager
• Department

Push initial users

1. Push initial users using the Provision User button.
2. Verify SCIM events in Okta's System Log.

Save the Glean SCIM configuration

1. Return to the Okta SCIM page in the Glean Admin console.
2. Click Save.

Test the configuration

Test your SSO configuration to ensure proper authentication flow between Glean and Okta.

Test Glean to Okta redirect

1. Open a new Incognito or Private Browsing window and navigate to app.glean.com.
2. Enter your work email and click Log in.

Glean redirects you to Okta to complete the authentication flow.

tip

Test the configuration in an incognito or private browsing window to prevent existing cache, storage, sessions, and cookies from affecting the result.

Test Okta to Glean redirect

When redirected to Okta, sign in. Okta redirects you back to Glean as an authenticated user.

Test SCIM provisioning

If you configured SCIM, verify the following:

1. Bearer Token and SCIM URL are correct.
2. Provisioning options are enabled.
3. Users and groups are assigned to the Glean Search app.
4. System logs show successful sync events.

CWS verification

This verification step requires the https://apps-be.glean.com/central_sso/authorization-code/callback Single sign-on URL configured in your Okta application. See SAML settings for CWS for details.

1. In the CWS Okta SAML setup page, click Complete verification.
2. When prompted, sign in to Okta to return to Glean.

Verification confirms that your Okta SAML configuration works. Your SSO configuration is now Verified, but not Active: continue signing in to CWS with magic links.

Once Glean provisions your workspace, Glean prompts you to switch to SSO. Replace the central URLs with your tenant-specific values, then follow Activate SSO.

Troubleshooting

If any of the SSO flows fail, consult the following table. If you have issues that persist or issues not mentioned below, contact Glean support.

Issue	Description	Fix
Redirect to Okta fails	The SAML application is misconfigured.	Create a new Okta application and carefully follow the configuration steps. Contact Glean support if issues persist.
User not assigned	The user isn't assigned to the Glean Search app.	Add the user to the Glean Search app from the Assignments tab.
Login fails after Okta redirect	Mismatch in Single sign-on URL, Audience URI, Name ID format, Application username, or Attribute Statements.	Verify the SAML settings against Configure SAML settings.
Domain not approved	One or more authentication domains haven't been pre-approved by Glean.	Notify Glean support of all email domains that your users will be authenticating from.
Found empty SCIM users!	Okta isn't pushing users to Glean.	Verify the Okta SCIM configuration, confirm user synchronization, and retry saving the Glean SCIM configuration.
CWS SSO verification fails or does not redirect back to Glean	The apps-be.glean.com Single sign-on URL is missing from your Okta application.	Add https://apps-be.glean.com/central_sso/authorization-code/callback as the Single sign-on URL in your Okta application. See SAML settings for CWS for details.