# Provision users and groups from an external identity provider using SCIM
<a name="provision-automatically"></a>

IAM Identity Center supports automatic provisioning (synchronization) of user and group information from your identity provider (IdP) into IAM Identity Center using the System for Cross-domain Identity Management (SCIM) v2.0 protocol. When you configure SCIM synchronization, you create a mapping of your identity provider (IdP) user attributes to the named attributes in IAM Identity Center. This causes the expected attributes to match between IAM Identity Center and your IdP. You configure this connection in your IdP using your SCIM endpoint for IAM Identity Center and a bearer token that you create in IAM Identity Center.

**Topics**
+ [

## Considerations for using automatic provisioning
](#auto-provisioning-considerations)
+ [

## How to monitor access token expiry
](#access-token-expiry)
+ [

# Generate an access token
](generate-token.md)
+ [

# Enable automatic provisioning
](how-to-with-scim.md)
+ [

# Delete an access token
](delete-token.md)
+ [

# Disable automatic provisioning
](disable-provisioning.md)
+ [

# Rotate an access token
](rotate-token.md)
+ [

# Audit and reconcile auto-provisioned resources
](reconcile-auto-provisioning.md)
+ [

## Manual provisioning
](#provision-manually)

## Considerations for using automatic provisioning
<a name="auto-provisioning-considerations"></a>

Before you begin deploying SCIM, we recommend that you first review the following important considerations about how it works with IAM Identity Center. For additional provisioning considerations, see the [IAM Identity Center identity source tutorials](tutorials.md) applicable to your IdP.
+ If you are provisioning a primary email address, this attribute value must be unique for each user. In some IdPs, the primary email address might not be a real email address. For example, it might be a Universal Principal Name (UPN) that only looks like an email. These IdPs may have a secondary or “other” email address that contains the user’s real email address. You must configure SCIM in your IdP to map the non-Null unique email address to the IAM Identity Center primary email address attribute. And you must map the users non-Null unique sign-in identifier to the IAM Identity Center user name attribute. Check to see whether your IdP has a single value that is both the sign-in identifier and the user’s email name. If so, you can map that IdP field to both the IAM Identity Center primary email and the IAM Identity Center user name.
+ For SCIM synchronization to work, every user must have a **First name**, **Last name**, **Username** and **Display name** value specified. If any of these values are missing from a user, that user will not be provisioned.
+ If you need to use third-party applications, you will first need to map the outbound SAML subject attribute to the user name attribute. If the third-party application needs a routable email address, you must provide the email attribute to your IdP.
+ SCIM provisioning and update intervals are controlled by your identity provider. Changes to users and groups in your identity provider are only reflected in IAM Identity Center after your identity provider sends those changes to IAM Identity Center. Check with your identity provider for details on the frequency of user and group updates.
+ Currently, multivalue attributes (such as multiple emails or phone numbers for a given user) are not provisioned with SCIM. Attempts to synchronize multivalue attributes into IAM Identity Center with SCIM will fail. To avoid failures, ensure that only a single value is passed for each attribute. If you have users with multivalue attributes, remove or modify the duplicate attribute mappings in SCIM at your IdP for the connection to IAM Identity Center.
+ Verify that the `externalId` SCIM mapping at your IdP corresponds to a value that is unique, always present, and least likely to change for your users. For example, your IdP might provide a guaranteed `objectId` or other identifier that’s not affected by changes to user attributes like name and email. If so, you can map that value to the SCIM `externalId` field. This ensures that your users won’t lose AWS entitlements, assignments, or permissions if you need to change their name or email.
+ Users who have not yet been assigned to an application or AWS account cannot be provisioned into IAM Identity Center. To synchronize users and groups, make sure that they are assigned to the application or other setup that represents your IdP’s connection to IAM Identity Center.
+ User deprovisioning behavior is managed by the identity provider and may vary by their implementation. Check with your identity provider for details on user deprovisioning.
+ After setting up automatic provisioning with SCIM for your IdP, you can no longer add or edit users in the IAM Identity Center console. If you need to add or modify a user, you must do so from your external IdP or identity source.

For more information about IAM Identity Center’s SCIM implementation, see the [IAM Identity Center SCIM Implementation Developer Guide](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/singlesignon/latest/developerguide/what-is-scim.html).

## How to monitor access token expiry
<a name="access-token-expiry"></a>

SCIM access tokens are generated with a validity of one year. When your SCIM access token is set to expire in 90 days or less, AWS sends you reminders in the IAM Identity Center console and over the AWS Health Dashboard to help you rotate the token. By rotating the SCIM access token before it expires, you continually secure automatic provisioning of user and group information. If the SCIM access token expires, the synchronization of user and group information from your identity provider into IAM Identity Center stops, so automatic provisioning can no longer make updates or create and delete information. Disruption to automatic provisioning may impose increased security risks and impact access to your services.

The Identity Center console reminders persist until you rotate the SCIM access token and delete any unused or expired access tokens. The AWS Health Dashboard events are renewed weekly between 90 to 60 days, twice per week from 60 to 30 days, three times per week from 30 to 15 days, and daily from 15 days until the SCIM access tokens expires. 

# Generate an access token
<a name="generate-token"></a>

Use the following procedure to generate a new access token in the IAM Identity Center console.

**Note**  
This procedure requires that you have previously enabled automatic provisioning. For more information, see [Enable automatic provisioning](how-to-with-scim.md).

**To generate a new access token**

1. In the [IAM Identity Center console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/singlesignon), choose **Settings** in the left navigation pane.

1. On the **Settings** page, choose the **Identity source** tab, and then choose **Actions > Manage provisioning**.

1. On the **Automatic provisioning** page, under **Access tokens**, choose **Generate token**.

1. In the **Generate new access token** dialog box, copy the new access token and save it in a safe place.

1. Choose **Close**.

# Enable automatic provisioning
<a name="how-to-with-scim"></a>

Use the following procedure to enable automatic provisioning of users and groups from your IdP to IAM Identity Center using the SCIM protocol.

**Note**  
Before you begin this procedure, we recommend that you first review provisioning considerations that are applicable to your IdP. For more information, see the [IAM Identity Center identity source tutorials](tutorials.md) for your IdP.

**To enable automatic provisioning in IAM Identity Center**

1. After you have completed the prerequisites, open the [IAM Identity Center console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/singlesignon).

1. Choose **Settings** in the left navigation pane.

1. On the **Settings** page, locate the **Automatic provisioning** information box, and then choose **Enable**. This immediately enables automatic provisioning in IAM Identity Center and displays the necessary SCIM endpoint and access token information.

1. In the **Inbound automatic provisioning** dialog box, copy the SCIM endpoint and access token. You'll need to paste these in later when you configure provisioning in your IdP.

   1. **SCIM endpoint** - For example, https://scim.*us-east-2*.amazonaws.com/*11111111111-2222-3333-4444-555555555555*/scim/v2

   1. **Access token** - Choose **Show token** to copy the value.
**Warning**  
This is the only time where you can obtain the SCIM endpoint and access token. Ensure you copy these values before moving forward. You will enter these values to configure automatic provisioning in your IdP later in this tutorial. 

1. Choose **Close**.

After you complete this procedure, you must configure automatic provisioning in your IdP. For more information, see the [IAM Identity Center identity source tutorials](tutorials.md) for your IdP.

# Delete an access token
<a name="delete-token"></a>

Use the following procedure to delete an existing access token in the IAM Identity Center console.

**To to delete an existing access token**

1. In the [IAM Identity Center console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/singlesignon), choose **Settings** in the left navigation pane.

1. On the **Settings** page, choose the **Identity source** tab, and then choose **Actions > Manage provisioning**.

1. On the **Automatic provisioning** page, under **Access tokens**, select the access token you want to delete, and then choose **Delete**.

1. In the **Delete access token** dialog box, review the information, type **DELETE**, and then choose **Delete access token**.

# Disable automatic provisioning
<a name="disable-provisioning"></a>

Use the following procedure to disable automatic provisioning in the IAM Identity Center console.

**Important**  
You must delete the access token before you start this procedure. For more information, see [Delete an access token](delete-token.md).

**To disable automatic provisioning in the IAM Identity Center console**

1. In the [IAM Identity Center console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/singlesignon), choose **Settings** in the left navigation pane.

1. On the **Settings** page, choose the **Identity source** tab, and then choose **Actions > Manage provisioning**.

1. On the **Automatic provisioning** page, choose **Disable**.

1. In the **Disable automatic provisioning** dialog box, review the information, type **DISABLE**, and then choose **Disable automatic provisioning**.

# Rotate an access token
<a name="rotate-token"></a>

An IAM Identity Center directory supports up to two access tokens at a time. To generate an additional access token prior to any rotation, delete any expired or unused access tokens.

If your SCIM access token is close to expiring, you can use the following procedure to rotate an existing access token in the IAM Identity Center console.

**To rotate an access token**

1. In the [IAM Identity Center console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/singlesignon), choose **Settings** in the left navigation pane.

1. On the **Settings** page, choose the **Identity source** tab, and then choose **Actions > Manage provisioning**.

1. On the **Automatic provisioning** page, under **Access tokens**, make a note of the token ID of the token you want to rotate.

1. Follow the steps in [Generate an access token](generate-token.md) to create a new token. If you have already created the maximum number of SCIM access tokens, you will first need to delete one of the existing tokens.

1. Go to your identity provider's website and configure the new access token for SCIM provisioning, and then test connectivity to IAM Identity Center using the new SCIM access token. Once you've confirmed that provisioning is working successfully using the new token, continue to the next step in this procedure.

1. Follow the steps in [Delete an access token](delete-token.md) to delete the old access token you noted earlier. You can also use the token’s creation date as a hint for which token to remove.

# Audit and reconcile auto-provisioned resources
<a name="reconcile-auto-provisioning"></a>

SCIM enables you to automatically provision users, groups, and group memberships from your identity source to IAM Identity Center. This guide helps you verify and reconcile these resources to maintain accurate synchronization.

## Why audit your resources?
<a name="reconcile-auto-provisioning-why-audit"></a>

Regular auditing helps ensure your access controls remain accurate and your identity provider (IdP) stays properly synchronized with IAM Identity Center. This is particularly important for security compliance and access management.

Resources you can audit:
+ Users
+ Groups
+ Group memberships

 You can use AWS Identity Store [APIs](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/singlesignon/latest/IdentityStoreAPIReference/welcome.html) or [CLI commands](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/identitystore/) to conduct the audit and reconciliation. The following examples use AWS CLI commands. For API alternatives, refer to the [corresponding operations](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/singlesignon/latest/IdentityStoreAPIReference/API_Operations.html) in the * Identity Store API reference*. 

## How to audit resources
<a name="how-to-audit-resources"></a>

Here are examples for how to audit these resources using AWS CLI commands.

Before you begin, ensure you have:
+ Administrator access to IAM Identity Center.
+ AWS CLI installed and configured. For information, see the [https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/cli-chap-welcome.html](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/cli-chap-welcome.html).
+ Required IAM permissions for Identity Store commands.

### Step 1: List current resources
<a name="list-current-resources"></a>

You can view your current resources using the AWS CLI.

**Note**  
 When using the AWS CLI, pagination is handled automatically unless you specify `--no-paginate`. If you’re calling the API directly (for example, with an SDK or a custom script), handle the `NextToken` in the response. This ensures you retrieve all results across multiple pages. 

**Example for users**  

```
aws identitystore list-users \
  --region REGION \
  --identity-store-id IDENTITY_STORE_ID
```

**Example for groups**  

```
aws identitystore list-groups \
  --region REGION \
  --identity-store-id IDENTITY_STORE_ID
```

**Example for group memberships**  

```
aws identitystore list-group-memberships \
  --region REGION \
  --identity-store-id IDENTITY_STORE_ID
  --group-id GROUP_ID
```

### Step 2: Compare with your identity source
<a name="compare-idenity-source"></a>

Compare the listed resources with your identity source to identify any discrepancies, such as:
+ Missing resources that should be provisioned in IAM Identity Center.
+ Extra resources that should be removed from IAM Identity Center.

**Example for users**  

```
# Create missing users
aws identitystore create-user \
  --identity-store-id IDENTITY_STORE_ID \
  --user-name USERNAME \
  --display-name DISPLAY_NAME \
  --name GivenName=FIRST_NAME,FamilyName=LAST_NAME \
  --emails Value=EMAIL,Primary=true

# Delete extra users
aws identitystore delete-user \
  --identity-store-id IDENTITY_STORE_ID \
  --user-id USER_ID
```

**Example for groups**  

```
# Create missing groups
aws identitystore create-group \
  --identity-store-id IDENTITY_STORE_ID \
  [group attributes]
  
# Delete extra groups
aws identitystore delete-group \
  --identity-store-id IDENTITY_STORE_ID \
  --group-id GROUP_ID
```

**Example for group memberships**  

```
# Add missing members
aws identitystore create-group-membership \
  --identity-store-id IDENTITY_STORE_ID \
  --group-id GROUP_ID \
  --member-id '{"UserId": "USER_ID"}'
  
# Remove extra members
aws identitystore delete-group-membership \
  --identity-store-id IDENTITY_STORE_ID \
  --membership-id MEMBERSHIP_ID
```

## Considerations
<a name="audit-resources-consideratons"></a>
+ Commands are subject to [service quotas and API throttling](limits.md#ssothrottlelimits).
+ When you find many differences during reconciliation, make small, gradual changes to AWS Identity Store. This helps you avoid mistakes that affect multiple users.
+ SCIM synchronization can override your manual changes. Check your IdP settings to understand this behavior.

## Manual provisioning
<a name="provision-manually"></a>

Some IdPs do not have System for Cross-domain Identity Management (SCIM) support or have an incompatible SCIM implementation. In those cases, you can manually provision users through the IAM Identity Center console. When you add users to IAM Identity Center, ensure that you set the user name to be identical to the user name that you have in your IdP. At a minimum, you must have a unique email address and user name. For more information, see [Username and email address uniqueness](users-groups-provisioning.md#username-email-unique).

You must also manage all groups manually in IAM Identity Center. To do this, you create the groups and add them using the IAM Identity Center console. These groups do not need to match what exists in your IdP. For more information, see [Groups](users-groups-provisioning.md#groups-concept).