Glossary
What is single sign-on (SSO)?
Single sign-on (SSO) is a way of signing in where one login gives you access to several applications. The applications rely on a central identity service instead of each asking for its own password.
Single sign-on (SSO) explained
With SSO you sign in once to an identity service, such as Microsoft Entra ID, Google or Okta. Other applications then ask that service whether you are who you say you are, using standards such as SAML 2.0 or OpenID Connect. The application itself never sees your password.
For users it means fewer passwords; for administrators, one place to create and block accounts and enforce policies such as MFA. When an employee leaves, you close one account and they lose access everywhere.
The downside is dependency: if the identity service is unavailable or that account is compromised, every connected application is affected. External users, such as customers or dealers, do not all have an account with the same identity service, and then a separate login is often more practical.
Example
Acme Groothandel's employees sign in with their Microsoft account in the morning and then open their email, Teams and the HR system without signing in again. Acme's dealers have no Microsoft account at Acme, so they sign in to the dealer portal with their own account.
Single sign-on (SSO) in ENABLE
End users sign in to ENABLE with their own account and two-factor authentication; signing in with Microsoft Entra ID for end users is planned but not yet available. Within the portal, custom apps (pilot) sign in through the portal itself, so users do not need a separate login for them.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does single sign-on work?
You sign in once to a central identity service, and other applications ask that service whether you are signed in. This uses standards such as SAML 2.0 or OpenID Connect, without the applications seeing your password.
What is the difference between SSO and 2FA?
SSO is about one login for several applications; 2FA is about a second proof when signing in. They complement each other: you can require 2FA at the identity service used for SSO.
Is SSO more secure than separate passwords?
Usually, because users have fewer passwords to remember and administrators manage accounts and policies in one place. The central account must then be well protected, for example with MFA.
Further reading
- PlatformPower BI row-level security and dashboard accessAccess profiles, Power BI row-level security, two-factor authentication and an audit log.Read more
- PlatformBuild internal apps on your business dataDescribe an app in a chat and the AI Builder builds it on your own data (pilot). Plus all your other apps in one hub.Read more
- ResourcesShare Power BI dashboards securely: your optionsYou can share a Power BI dashboard in four ways: Publish to web, sharing in the Power BI service (directly or through an app), inviting external users as B2B guest users, or showing the reports in a portal with Power BI Embedded. For colleagues, the Power BI service is usually enough. To share Power BI dashboards securely with customers, suppliers and other external users, guest users or a customer portal are the right choice; Publish to web is public and never suitable for business data.Read more
- ResourcesGlossary of data, AI and Power BI termsWhat is a service principal, row-level security, a semantic model, text-to-SQL or RAG? Short, clear definitions of terms around data, Power BI and AI.Read more
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