Integrating iSpring Learn with your system: User Management and Single Sign On

The iSpring Learn system provides various methods that make integration — in terms of user management and single sign on with your system (a website or service) — possible.

iSpring Learn LMS Single Sign On

If your own website authenticates users, and you want them at some point to be smoothly redirected to the iSpring Learn portal without entering their details again, you need to set up single sign on (SSO). This technology automatically authenticates users between two or more independent web services (websites) within a particular browser session, once they are logged into one of these services. It eliminates additional prompts, which reduces password fatigue, creates an uninterrupted user experience, and eventually makes users more satisfied with your services.

Google Account usage is the most common single sign-on example, which almost everybody experiences every day. The system prompts you to login just once and then gives you access to all its services: Gmail, YouTube, Google Drive, etc., without asking you to enter your details again.

There are four ways to set up Single Sign-On in your environment:

1. 1

   JSON Web Token
   JWT Technology for SSO works best if you have a website with an authorization system. When a user logs into your website and eventually goes to your iSpring Learn account, they automatically log in there as well.

2. 2

   ADFS + SAML
   If you have Microsoft Active Directory Federation Services running on a server inside your company, it is possible to bring iSpring Learn into your company’s environment to create a seamless experience for the users navigating inside of it.

3. 3

   Azure AD + SAML
   Those using the cloud solution from Microsoft, Azure AD, instead of the on-prem AD FS, can enjoy Single Sign-On with iSpring Learn as well.

4. 4

   WordPress plugin
   If your website is WordPress-based and has an authorization system, our official plug-in can be found in the plugin directory of WordPress. You can install it on your server to give your users access to iSpring Learn directly from the WordPress website without the need to enter the credentials twice.

Please note that if a new user logs in using SSO, this user (email) will be automatically added to the user list on the iSpring Learn side.

User Management

Other than manual user management, iSpring Learn provides two other methods to perform bulk user import or apply external automation with API.

1. Import users using a CSV spreadsheet file, if you have a pre-defined list of users. It will do a bulk import of many users or change the existing users’ profile fields simultaneously.
2. Automate user management using iSpring Learn API. You can use REST and SOAP API in your web services to manage users in iSpring Learn remotely. For instance, you can sync user lists between your website’s SQL database and iSpring Learn (where direct SQL access is not allowed).

Important Note on User ID

Email is a unique field for each user in iSpring Learn. Two different users can’t have the same email address, because it’s a unique identifier. In terms of SSO, it’s important that you use the same user email on your website as in the iSpring Learn system.

If you need to change a user email in the iSpring Learn system, you can only do it manually in the admin settings panel and per user individually. Automatic or bulk methods of changing the email are not available.