Thinking about the benefits of single sign on and how it will affect your organization? If deployed properly, the right SSO Solution will save your end users from constantly re-entering their credentials throughout each day. SSO will ensure fast, secure access to the customized information a user needs, all while improving productivity and ensuring compliance.

Use our 10 tips below for a successful Single Sign On deployment!

Don't Rush Single Sign On

Biggest tip we've got. Take your time; no rushing single sign on in any way! Take your time during your research phase, during your migration phase, and during roll out to your end users. Deploying effectively the first time will lead to many less complications in the future.

Understand How SSO Works with Other Technologies

Thinking of integrating SSO with another software? Vendors will work together if that's the only way you'll allow them to work with you. So, if integration is Critical, push it to happen! Bring it up during your first conversation with a prospect and don't more forward unless each has made a commitment for it to happen! 

Let End Users Know the Ins & Outs of SSO

Reporting SSO implementation to your end users is critical to the effective usage of the solution. Let them know when the project has started and give them a specific timeline of what they should expect when. Proper end user training will also ensure that the feature will be used in a secure manner.

Learn That No Two User Groups Are the Same

Work with a critical user from each group or department from the beginning of your project. They'll give you an idea of necessary functionality, and most importantly they'll help you test and test again! SSO does make things much simpler, but as with any change, it's ultimately affecting everyone and everything. By gathering critical users early on, you'll speed up the project and release the most effective solution possible! 

Use SSO to Customize End User Content

Similar to our last tip, working with your critical users you will also have the opportunity to customize end user content. Restricting specific content, depending on what's necessary for specific user groups is a great way to keep your system secure and end user usage as efficient as possible. Every company will have a different set of customizations so you should consistently stay on top of this organization as well!

Have a Clear Understanding of Your Full Investment

Know what is required in terms of consulting if it is needed, and budget for that cost as well as for the product itself. Many times, implementation costs are not considered so SSO projects end up over budget. Keep your executives happy by clearly outlining your full SSO investment from the get go!

Don't Forget About Available Resources

If you're not sure where to start or you are having serious issues with your SSO configuration, there are a number of things you can do to help solve them. There are various online SSO resource libraries. You can reach out to your colleagues, and/or you can always reach out to a single sign on consultant. Many IT companies set up SSO for their customers every day, so identity management is something they've done over and over for all different types of environments! In fact, feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions!

Take a Phased Approach to Your Deployment

Starting with a test pilot will allow you to reduce complications by collecting much needed feedback. Begin by rolling out SSO to a small group of users, implement feedback, and then deploy the solution to your entire organization. This will alleviate most issues you'll face and will give you a blueprint for future software deployments as well!

Build a Detail-Oriented Team for Deployment

Having a dedicated project manager and/or deployment team will not only lessen the confusion, but also give you a roll out method for existing or future locations. Make the team as small as possible, ensure proper documentation, and if necessary, use a train the trainer approach. You'll be able to roll out SSO throughout your entire organization in no time!

Measure Your Progress and ROI

Putting measures on your project at the beginning will allow you to evaluate your return on investment much easier. We all know providing positive ROIs to upper management is the only way to guarantee investment satisfaction! Use user surveys and help desk support call frequency to calculate actual savings. Justifying your project spend will be a great resource to have next time you're asking for an increased budget! 

Want to learn more about what SSO with Active Directory can do for your organization? Use the button below to request your free Active Directory consultation, and we will reach out to get to know your IT environment goals and discuss the best possible SSO solution for you! Request your free consultation now!