SSO Configurations for Zoho

Zoho Apps and Mail (Zoho Workplace) is a comprehensive suite of productivity and collaboration tools designed for businesses. It offers a range of applications helping teams streamline workflows and improve efficiency.

This document provides a step-by-step guide for setting up SSO Configuration to configure Zoho Apps and Mail, allowing users to sign in to Zoho services using their OneIdP credentials and securely access these services.

Pre-requisites

1. The Custom Domain for which you are authorising, should be verified through OneIdP. 

2. Users belonging to custom domain should be added to Scalefusion Dashboard and migrated to OneIdP.

3. IT Admins should have access to Zoho admin console (https://accounts.zoho.in/ and

   https://mailadmin.zoho.in ).

Create SSO Configuration for Zoho

1. Sign in to Scalefusion Dashboard and navigate to OneIdP > SSO Configuration 

2. Click on New SSO Configuration button on top right.
   

   

3. This opens the SSO Configuration wizard with following tabs on the left panel:

   1. Application Basics

   2. SSO Scope Management

   3. Permissions

   4. SSO Settings

   5. Conditional Access

   6. User Facing Messages
      Navigate to each tab and enter required details. You can navigate to next tab only after you have entered complete details in the current section. All are explained in detail below.
      
      
      

Application Basics 

Configure basic application details by entering the following:

• Select Application Type: Select Zoho Apps and Mail as application type from the drop-down. 

• Enter Application Name: Enter a name for your App which will be an identifier for your configuration. The name must be at-least 5 characters long. The maximum allowed length is 128 characters.

• Select Hosting Type: This will be pre-selected as Cloud 

• Select Domains: All the custom domains you have configured and verified using OneIdP, will be listed here. Select the domain(s) which you want to be SAML SSO enabled.

• Enter Login URL: Provide URL that you use to sign in to that service.
  
  Once you have entered all details click Next
  
  

  

  
  
  

SSO Scope Management

With SSO scope management you can configure the procedure for managing the users who will be accessing this application. It basically allows how SAML settings for the users are going to be managed. Following are the settings:

User assignment 

SSO Configuration would allow only assigned users to access the app. Choose one from the following options:

1. Allow all users imported to Scalefusion to access the application: All users (belonging to the domain) imported to Scalefusion and migrated to OneIdP will be allowed to access the application.

2. Allow only assigned users to access the application: Only the user(s) whom you have assigned the SSO configuration, will be allowed to access the application. With this option, after SSO configuration is created, you need to manually select and assign the users.

   1. Revoke access for all users once when the configuration is saved: If this is checked, the access is revoked from the users who are currently assigned with the configuration. As a result, it will invalidate all user sessions and logout users from their current running session.
      
      
      

Enforcement Rules 

From here, you can configure and enforce users that at what point of time SSO Configuration should invalidate the current session and logout users. Following options can be selected:

1. Immediately on User Assignment and post grace period if applied: Once SSO configuration is assigned to user

2. Immediately on User Un-Assignment: When user is unassigned the SSO configuration

3. Immediately on Deleting this configuration: When SSO configuration is deleted from Scalefusion Dashboard

   Users will not get logged out in case of Zoho Apps and Mail

   
   

   

Permissions

Here, you do not need to grant any additional permissions. Click Next to go to the next step.

SSO Settings

This section allows admins to configure the Service Provider (Zoho) settings and obtain the SSO URLs which will be added on the Zoho portal.

OneIdP SSO Settings

1. For this, you need to perform configurations on Zoho admin console. Visit here to know what configurations need to be done.

2. After configuring the settings on Zoho console, navigate back to Scalefusion Dashboard and click Next to go to next step.

Conditional Access

From this section you can define the additional conditions on the basis of which users will be allowed/disallowed from accessing the application on device. This is divided into following sections:

1. Conditional Access Settings

2. Access Exceptions

Conditional Access Settings

Device Policy

1. For Android, iOS/iPad OS, Windows & macOS, Linux, Chrome OS: Choose one from the following two conditions:

   1. Only if the device is managed by Scalefusion: The application will be accessible only on devices managed (enrolled) by Scalefusion.
      

   2. If the device is managed by Scalefusion or an OTP using Scalefusion Authenticator app from a managed device: The application is accessible if any of the following conditions is met:

      1. Device is managed by Scalefusion: If device is managed you will not be asked to enter OTP for authentication, or

      2. If device is unmanaged, OTP is required for authentication. OTP can be taken from Authenticator app installed on a Scalefusion managed device.

   3. Allow users to access by setting up MFA using third party authenticator app or OTP sent on email: This option is activated only when Multi-factor Authentication is enabled in Directory Settings.
      Note: The left side panel is for configuring Device Policy on Android & iOS/iPad OS and right side is for Windows & macOS and Linux, ChromeOS below them. Hence, you can configure separate device policies based on platform.
      

      

      
      

Browser Policy

From here, you can select one or more browsers and specify minimum versions on which you want to allow the access to the application. Following are the options:

• All Browsers

• Google Chrome with minimum version 

• Microsoft Edge with minimum version

• Safari with minimum version

• Mozilla Firefox with minimum version

Important Points on Browser Policy:

1. By default all browsers are allowed.

2. Only major versions are validated. For eg. if you mention browser version: 23.5.8.10 then the respective browser with minimum major version(23) will be allowed. After configuring Device Policy and Browser Policy, click Next
   

Access Exceptions

From this section you can configure the exceptions where the users are allowed to access the applications even if the conditions are not met. In general, these exceptions will be useful or addresses scenarios where :

1. IT Admins have setup Android Enterprise using Google Workspace Or

2. IT Admins have setup Apple User Enrollment with ABM/ASM federated to Google Workspace

Following are the exceptions that can be configured:

1. Enrollment Exceptions

   1. Allow users to access the application till they enroll their first device: Allows users to access the application till they enroll at-least one device. This option is helpful in conditions where the enrollment steps requires them to authenticate with the service provider. With this, you can also configure the following:

      1. Maximum sessions allowed per user: Configure no. of sessions that should be exempted. It can range from 1 to 3. Ideally 1 session per user is recommended.

      2. Configure the OS where the exceptions are applied: Select the platform(s) on which this exemption would be allowed to users. 

2. User Exceptions
   Here you can add the users who are always exempted from the conditions and will never be asked to manage their device. Enter comma separated email addresses of users or click on Add Users on the right and in the new window, select the users who should be exempted.
   Note: These users still need to sign in with their OneDirectory credentials if they fall under the SSO Scope, however the conditions will not be enforced.
   
   

User Facing Messages

User Facing Messages helps admins configure messages that end users may be shown when they are unable to access the application if any of the compliance conditions are not met. You can configure messages under following:

• Configure Instructions for a Non-Compliant Device: This message is shown when the device is not compliant and needs to be enrolled to Scalefusion

• Configure Instructions for a Non-Compliant Browser: Shown when the browser is not compliant as per configurations 

• Configure a Message to be displayed when Access is Denied: Any other cases where access to application is denied.

There are some pre-configured messages displayed on Dashboard which you can edit as per requirement.

After configuring user facing messages, click on Save

The SSO configuration is created and listed on SSO Configuration page as a separate card with the name you have defined. You can create multiple SSO configurations in the same manner.

The next document explains how the configurations can be managed and other actions you can perform through SSO configurations.

Configure SSO Settings on Zoho admin console

Follow these steps on Zoho admin console:

Prerequisites:

• A Super Administrator account for your Zoho organization

• Access to the Scalefusion Dashboard

Steps:

1. Configure Zoho SAML Authentication:

   • Login to https://accounts.zoho.in/ with your Super Admin credentials.

   • Navigate to Organization > SAML Authentication.

   • Click Set up Now.
     

     

2. Enter Scalefusion OneIdP Details:

   • In the Zoho portal:

     • Copy the OneIdP SSO URL from Scalefusion. Paste it into the Sign-in URL textbox.

     • Copy the OneIdP SLO URL from Scalefusion. Paste it into the Sign-out URL textbox.

     • Download the OneIdP Verification Certificate from Scalefusion. Upload it in the X.509 Certificate section.

   • Click Submit.
     

     

3. Save Configuration in Scalefusion:

   • Navigate back to Scalefusion Dashboard to complete the SSO configuration and assign the desired users or user groups to this configuration, ensuring they can leverage SSO access.

After completing these steps, your Zoho Mail and Apps users will be able to access the platform using their existing Scalefusion credentials.

User Login to Zoho after SSO Configuration

1. On Zoho login page, enter your user credentials

2. Zoho will redirect you to OneIdP page to authenticate

3. After entering credentials, click on Sign In
   

   
   

4. You should be logged in to Zoho

Once SSO for Zoho is configured, it will apply to all user accounts, including administrator accounts. This means that administrators will also need to authenticate via OneIdP to access the Zoho console.

Synchronizing Users Between Scalefusion and Zoho

To ensure integration between Scalefusion and Zoho, you'll need to synchronize user accounts. With Zoho’s User Provisioning tools, follow these steps to add any new users added on Scalefusion, to the Zoho portal:

Follow these steps on Zoho admin console:

Step 1: Configure OneIdP SSO in Zoho and enable Just-In Time provisioning

1. Login to https://accounts.zoho.in/ with your Super Admin credentials.

2. Navigate to Organization > SAML Authentication.

3. Click Set up Now.

4. Enter Scalefusion Details:

   • Copy the OneIdP SSO URL from Scalefusion and paste it into the Sign-in URL field in the Zoho portal.

   • Copy the OneIdP SLO URL from Scalefusion and paste it into the Sign-out URL field in the Zoho portal.

   • Download the OneIdP Verification Certificate from Scalefusion and upload it in the X.509 Certificate section of the Zoho portal.

5. Scroll down and enable the setting Just-In Time Provisioning

   • In the mapping section, enter the following attributes:

     • Zoho Attribute: First Name

     • IdP Attribute: firstname

6. Click Submit.
   

   

Step 2: Configure Custom Attributes on Scalefusion Dashboard

1. Now go to Scalefusion Dashboard.

2. In the SSO Configuration created for Zoho, navigate to SSO Settings > Custom Attributes and enter the following custom attributes:

   1. Attribute Key: firstname

   2. Attribute Value: $user.name
      

      

3. Save the SSO Configuration

Step 3: Obtain customized Login URL

For JIT, end users will need to log in via a customized login URL. To get a customized login URL:

1. Login to https://mailadmin.zoho.in/ with the Super Admin account.

2. Navigate to Organization > White Labeling

   Note: White Labeling is a paid service from Zoho
   

   

3. Visit here to learn how to get a customized login URL.  

4. Copy the customized login URL to access Zoho mail. You will be redirected to Scalefusion’s OneIdP.

5. Now, when you enter the user credentials to login, the same user will automatically get added on Zoho portal. On Zoho’s portal, you will need to import the user from Users section.