Single sign-on (SSO)

Single sign-on lets users access many applications with one set of secure credentials, signing in once through a central identity provider instead of maintaining separate passwords for each service.

With SSO, applications trust a central identity system, such as Microsoft Entra ID or Google Workspace, to confirm who the user is. When an employee opens a connected app, it checks with that central system rather than asking for a separate password. Security rules, including multi-factor authentication, are applied in one place.

For a growing Alberta business using a mix of cloud tools for accounting, scheduling, CRM and file sharing, SSO reduces password fatigue and the risky habits that come with it. It also makes offboarding far more reliable. Disabling one account removes access to every connected application, rather than relying on someone to remember each service.

Practical tip: because SSO concentrates access in one account, protect it strongly with multi-factor authentication and conditional access rules. When choosing new software, ask whether it supports SSO with your existing identity platform, and note that some vendors only include it on higher-priced plans.