SSO User ID Configuration for LMS Integrations

Overview of configuring Identity Providers to include custom user identifiers for Learning Management System integrations.

Overview

Learning Management System (LMS) integrations often require mapping users between your Identity Provider (IdP) and the LMS platform. This mapping is typically achieved through a custom SSO attribute called lms_user_id that contains the user’s identifier in the target LMS system.

This document provides an overview of the concepts and links to specific Identity Provider configuration guides.

Key Concepts

User Identity Mapping

When a user logs into an LMS through SSO, the system needs to:

1. Authenticate the user through your Identity Provider
2. Receive user attributes in the SAML assertion or OIDC claims
3. Map the user to an existing LMS account using the lms_user_id attribute
4. Grant access to the appropriate LMS resources

Common User ID Patterns

Different LMS platforms expect different identifier formats:

ID Type	Description	Example	Common LMS Platforms
Email Address	User’s email address	[e-mail]	Blackboard, some Canvas instances
Employee ID	Numeric employee identifier	123456	Cornerstone, Docebo, Workday Learning
Student ID	Academic student identifier	STU789123	Canvas, Moodle (academic)
Username	Login username	jdoe	Moodle, custom LMS platforms
External ID	External system identifier	EXT_ABC123	Multi-system integrations

SSO Protocols

Most LMS integrations use one of two SSO protocols:

SAML 2.0 (Recommended)

• More secure for enterprise environments
• Better support for custom attributes
• Standard protocol across most enterprise IdPs

OpenID Connect (OIDC)

• Modern OAuth 2.0-based protocol
• Good for cloud-native applications
• Flexible claim structure

Identity Provider Configuration Guides

Choose your Identity Provider for detailed configuration instructions:

Enterprise Identity Providers

Other Popular Identity Providers

If your Identity Provider isn’t listed above, the general principles remain the same:

1. Create/configure a SAML application or OIDC client
2. Add custom attributes or claims for lms_user_id
3. Map user attributes to the LMS identifier
4. Test the configuration with sample users
5. Deploy to production with proper access controls

Planning Your Implementation

Step 1: Identify LMS User Identifiers

Before configuring your IdP, determine:

• What identifier format does your LMS use?
• Where is this identifier stored in your user directory?
• Is the identifier unique across all users?
• Does it change over time (avoid changing identifiers)?

Step 2: Choose User Attribute Source

Common sources for lms_user_id:

Existing Attributes:

• Employee ID (for staff/faculty)
• Student ID (for academic institutions)
• Email address (universal but may change)
• Username (if stable and unique)

Custom Attributes:

• LMS-specific identifiers
• External system IDs
• Composite identifiers

Step 3: Configure Identity Provider

Follow the appropriate guide above to:

1. Set up the SSO application
2. Configure custom attributes/claims
3. Map to your chosen user identifier
4. Set up user access and permissions

Step 4: Test Configuration

Always test your configuration:

1. Validate SSO response contains the correct lms_user_id
2. Test user mapping in the LMS
3. Verify edge cases (new users, missing attributes, etc.)
4. Check error handling for failed mappings

Security Considerations

Attribute Security

• Minimize sensitive data in SSO attributes
• Use stable identifiers that don’t change frequently
• Encrypt assertions when possible (SAML)
• Validate user input before using in attributes

Access Control

• Limit application access to authorized users only
• Use organizational units or groups to control access
• Implement conditional access policies where supported
• Monitor authentication events regularly

Data Privacy

• Only include necessary attributes in SSO responses
• Follow data protection regulations (GDPR, CCPA, etc.)
• Document attribute usage and retention policies
• Provide user transparency about data sharing

Common Implementation Scenarios

Scenario 1: University Environment

Users: Students, Faculty, Staff Identifier: Student ID for students, Employee ID for staff Implementation:

• Use organizational units or groups to differentiate user types
• Map different attributes based on user type
• Include role/group information in SSO response

Scenario 2: Corporate Training

Users: All employees Identifier: Employee ID Implementation:

• Single attribute mapping for all users
• Include department/role information
• Sync with HR systems for user lifecycle management

Scenario 3: Multi-Tenant SaaS

Users: Multiple customer organizations Identifier: Tenant-specific user ID Implementation:

• Include tenant information in attributes
• Use composite identifiers (tenant + user ID)
• Separate SSO applications per tenant if needed

Troubleshooting Common Issues

User Not Found in LMS

Causes:

• lms_user_id doesn’t match LMS user identifier
• Case sensitivity issues
• User doesn’t exist in LMS yet
• Identifier format mismatch

Solutions:

• Verify identifier format and case
• Check LMS user provisioning
• Review attribute mapping configuration
• Test with known working users

Custom Attribute Not Appearing

Causes:

• User doesn’t have the attribute populated
• Incorrect attribute mapping
• IdP configuration issues
• SSO application not assigned to user

Solutions:

• Verify user attribute data
• Check IdP attribute mapping
• Review application assignments
• Test SSO response directly

Authentication Failures

Causes:

• Incorrect SSO URLs or certificates
• SAML configuration mismatch
• Token/assertion format issues
• Network or firewall blocks

Solutions:

• Verify SSO configuration details
• Check certificate validity
• Review error messages and logs
• Test network connectivity

Best Practices

Configuration Management

• Use version control for IdP configurations when possible
• Document attribute mappings and business logic
• Maintain staging environments for testing
• Plan for disaster recovery and backup configurations

User Experience

• Provide clear error messages for failed logins
• Offer alternative authentication methods as fallback
• Test user journeys regularly
• Monitor authentication performance

Maintenance

• Regularly review user attributes for accuracy
• Monitor for deprecated features in your IdP
• Update certificates before expiration
• Review access permissions periodically

Congratulations, you’re all set! If you face any issues with the steps mentioned above, please contact us by emailing [e-mail]. We’re always here to assist you!

Next Steps

1. Choose your Identity Provider from the guides above
2. Review your LMS documentation for specific requirements
3. Plan your user attribute mapping strategy
4. Configure and test in a development environment
5. Deploy to production with proper monitoring

For LMS-specific requirements and examples, refer to the individual integration guides in your LMS category documentation.