What You'll Achieve
- ✅ Staff will log into TrainMeUK using their Microsoft 365 work account
- ✅ No extra passwords to remember or manage
👤 Who Should Do This
A Microsoft 365 administrator with Global Admin or Application Admin rights.
🔄 Step-by-Step Setup
1. In TrainMeUK
- Go to: https://app.trainmeuk.co.uk/admin/settings → SSO & Provisioning
- Copy the Redirect URI shown on screen (keep this page open — you'll paste it into Microsoft Entra ID later)
2. In Microsoft Entra ID
- Go to entra.microsoft.com → App registrations → New registration
- Enter:
- Name: TrainMeUK SSO
- Supported account types: Accounts in this organisational directory only (Single tenant)
- Redirect URI: paste the Redirect URI you copied from TrainMeUK
- Click Register
3. Collect Details from Microsoft
From the app you just created in App registrations:
- Copy the Application (client) ID → this will be your Client ID in TrainMeUK
- Copy the Directory (tenant) ID → this will be your Tenant ID in TrainMeUK
- Go to Certificates & secrets → New client secret → copy the secret value (you'll only see it once)
4. Turn On Sign-In Tokens
- In Authentication, tick ID tokens
- Click Save
5. Back in TrainMeUK
- Paste the values you collected:
- Tenant ID → from Directory (tenant) ID
- Client ID → from Application (client) ID
- Client Secret → the secret value you created
- Click Enable SSO → Save ✅
🧪 Test It
- Log out of TrainMeUK
- Click Sign in with Microsoft
- Use a normal staff account → you should go straight in ✅
💡 Troubleshooting
"Needs admin approval"
A Microsoft admin must log in once to approve the connection.
Redirect error
Check the Redirect URI in TrainMeUK and Microsoft Entra ID match exactly.
Why Single Sign-On Matters
Single Sign-On (SSO) eliminates password fatigue and security risks while providing a seamless user experience. With Microsoft 365 integration, your staff can access their compliance training using the same credentials they use for email, Teams, and other Microsoft services. According to Microsoft and Forrester research, SSO reduces IT support tickets by 70% and improves user productivity by eliminating password management overhead.
Enhanced Security
Centralized authentication reduces password-related security risks and makes access management easier.
Better User Experience
Staff can access training without remembering additional passwords or going through complex login processes.
Reduced IT Support
Fewer password reset requests and login issues mean less burden on your IT support team.
Compliance Benefits
Centralized access control makes it easier to ensure all staff have appropriate training access.
Common SSO Configuration Issues
Frequent Setup Challenges
Redirect URI Mismatch
Ensure the Redirect URI in both systems matches exactly, including https:// and any trailing slashes.
Client Secret Expiration
Client secrets expire after a set period. Set a reminder to renew them before expiration.
Permission Issues
Ensure the app registration has the necessary API permissions for user authentication.
Tenant ID Confusion
Make sure you're using the Directory (tenant) ID, not the Application (client) ID for the Tenant ID field.
Security Best Practices
Keep Your SSO Secure
- Store client secrets securely and never share them in plain text
- Set appropriate secret expiration dates and renew them proactively
- Monitor sign-in logs regularly for any unusual activity
- Use conditional access policies to add extra security layers
- Test SSO regularly to ensure it continues working after updates
What Happens After Setup
Once SSO is configured, your staff will experience a seamless login process. They'll click "Sign in with Microsoft" on the TrainMeUK login page, authenticate with their Microsoft 365 credentials, and be automatically logged into their training dashboard.
Book a demo with TrainMeUK to see Microsoft 365 SSO in action and learn how it can improve user experience and reduce IT support overhead for your organization.
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Read More →Frequently Asked Questions
What is Single Sign-On (SSO) and why should I use it?
Single Sign-On (SSO) allows users to access multiple applications with one set of credentials. For TrainMeUK, this means staff log in using their existing Microsoft 365 credentials instead of remembering separate usernames and passwords. Benefits include: 70% reduction in IT support tickets (password resets, access issues), improved security through centralized authentication, better user experience (seamless access), reduced password fatigue and related security risks, faster training adoption due to easier access, and centralized access control for compliance. Organizations using SSO report higher training completion rates because access friction is eliminated.
What permissions do I need to set up Microsoft 365 SSO?
You need either Global Administrator or Application Administrator rights in Microsoft 365 to create app registrations and configure SSO settings. These permissions allow you to: create app registrations in Microsoft Entra ID, configure redirect URIs and authentication settings, create and manage client secrets, grant API permissions, and enable SSO for your organization. Standard user accounts lack these permissions. If you don't have admin access, request it from your IT team or work with an administrator to complete the setup. The actual configuration takes only 15-20 minutes for someone with proper permissions.
How long does Microsoft 365 SSO setup take?
Complete SSO setup takes approximately 15-30 minutes. The process includes: collecting Redirect URI from TrainMeUK (1 minute), creating app registration in Microsoft Entra ID (3-5 minutes), collecting application and tenant IDs (2 minutes), creating and copying client secret (2-3 minutes), enabling ID tokens in authentication settings (1 minute), configuring SSO in TrainMeUK (3-5 minutes), and testing with a user account (3-5 minutes). With our step-by-step guide and support documentation, most administrators complete setup within 20 minutes. Our support team can assist if needed.
What happens if the redirect URI doesn't match exactly?
Redirect URI mismatches are the most common SSO configuration error. The URI must match exactly between TrainMeUK and Microsoft Entra ID, including protocol (https://), domain, path, and any trailing slashes. Even a single character difference causes authentication to fail with a redirect error. If you encounter this: verify the Redirect URI shown in TrainMeUK admin settings, ensure it's copied exactly into Entra ID app registration (no extra spaces or characters), check for http:// vs https:// mismatch, and verify trailing slash matches or is absent in both places. Re-copying the URI carefully usually resolves the issue immediately.
What if I get a "Needs admin approval" error when testing SSO?
This error appears when the app requires administrator consent before users can access it. Resolution is simple: a Microsoft 365 administrator (Global Admin or Application Admin) must log in once to approve the TrainMeUK connection. After this initial approval, all users in your organization can use SSO without additional approvals. This is a security feature ensuring admins explicitly authorize third-party applications. The approval is a one-time process taking under a minute. Once complete, the SSO experience is seamless for all staff members.
What security benefits does Microsoft 365 SSO provide?
SSO significantly enhances security: eliminates password reuse across systems (users only remember one strong password), enables Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) from Microsoft 365 to protect LMS access, provides centralized access control (disable one account, lose access everywhere), creates complete audit trails of authentication events for compliance, reduces phishing risks (fewer credentials to compromise), enforces organizational password policies uniformly, and allows conditional access policies for additional security layers. These security improvements make SSO essential for organizations managing sensitive compliance training data and meeting regulatory requirements like GDPR, ISO 27001, and SOC 2. View pricing for our secure Microsoft 365 integration.
Ready to Set Up SSO?
Our team can help you configure Microsoft 365 SSO in under 30 minutes, with full support throughout the process.