Using Okta actions in action flows



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Verified AI summary ◀▼
Integrate Okta with action flows to automate user management tasks like creating, updating, activating, or deactivating users, and managing group memberships. Use a dedicated service account for secure connections and authorize necessary scopes. This integration streamlines processes and enhances collaboration across platforms while maintaining security by following best practices.


By connecting the action builder to external systems, such as Okta, admins can
integrate Zendesk with external systems in automated workflows, improving collaboration
and maintaining a seamless experience across multiple platforms.
Note: The steps associated with external systems in action flows are
referred to collectively as external actions.

This article contains the following topics:
Connecting Okta to action builder
Using Okta actions in action flows




Connecting Okta to action builder

Before you can include external actions in your action flows, you must connect the
action builder to the external system.
When connecting to external systems for use in action flows, the following best practices are recommended:
All external actions performed by an action flow are attributed to the user who connected the
external system. Therefore, it's a best practice to use a dedicated service
account rather than personal credentials when connecting to each external
system.
All integrations request access to necessary scopes. However, it's important that you review and validate the scopes before authorizing the connection to the external system.
When managing credentials for API key-based tools, such as OpenAI, it's best to store keys in a secure vault or credential manager.



Step 1: Create an OAuth Application in Okta
Sign in to your Okta Admin Console as an administrator.
Navigate to Applications > Applications.
Click Create App Integration.
Select OIDC - OpenID Connect, then Web Application.
Configure the application:

App integration name: Enter a meaningful name (for example:
"Zendesk Action Flow Connector").

Grant type: Select Authorization Code.

Sign-in redirect URI: Enter
https://zis.zendesk.com/api/services/zis/connections/oauth/callback.

Sign-out redirect URI: Enter
https://zis.zendesk.com/api/services/zis/connections/oauth/callback.

Controlled access: Assign the appropriate users and
groups.


Click Save.
After saving, securely record the following generated values:
Client ID
Client Secret


Navigate to Security > API > Authorization Servers to view and record
your Okta domain URL.


Step 2: Configure the Okta connector in Admin Center


In Admin Center, click
Apps and integrations in the sidebar, then select Actions > Action
flows.

Create or edit an action flow.
Open the step sidebar.
Under External actions, click Okta.
Click Connect.
Enter these values in their respective fields:
Client ID
Client Secret
Base URL (your Okta domain, for example:
https://your-domain.okta.com)


Follow Okta's prompts to authenticate and complete the connection. The
following scopes must be authorized during the OAuth connection process:
openid, okta.users.read,
okta.users.manage,
okta.groups.read,
okta.groups.manage.

Note: All external actions performed by an action flow are attributed to the
user who connected the external system. Therefore, it is a best practice
to use a dedicated service account rather than personal credentials when
connecting to each external system.



After you've connected to the system, you'll see an indicator that it's connected and
details about the instance you're connected to, as well as the actions available for
Okta.

Important: Use the Okta connector with caution, as it
interacts directly with your Identity and Access Management system and handles
sensitive authentication and authorization information. Misconfiguration or improper
use can lead to unauthorized access, breaches, or compromise of your platform
security. Follow best security practices, including the principle of least privilege
and secure credential management.



Using Okta actions in action flows

Okta action steps can be used to manage users, activate or deactivate accounts, and
manage group memberships.
The following Okta actions are available:
Create user
Update user
profile
Activate user
Deactivate user
Add user to group
Remove user from
group
Lookup user
Lookup group




Creating a user

Use the Create user action to create a user.
This action has the following inputs and outputs:










Variables




Inputs
Required: First name, Last
name, Login,
Email Optional: Activate
user, Password



Output
User details such as id, First
name, Last name,
Email, Status









Updating a user profile

Use the Update user profile action to update a user's profile.
This action has the following inputs and outputs:










Variables




Inputs
Required: User ID Optional:
First name, Last
name, Login,
Email



Output
User details including id, First
name, Last name,
Email, Status









Activating a user

Use the Activate user action to activate a user.
This action has the following inputs and outputs:










Variables




Inputs
Required: User ID



Output
Success (true or
false)








Deactivating a user

Use the Deactivate user action to deactivate a user.
This action has the following inputs and outputs:










Variables




Inputs
Required: User ID



Output
Success (true or
false)








Adding a user to a group

Use the Add user to group action to add a user to a group.
This action has the following inputs and outputs:










Variables




Inputs
Required: Group ID, User
ID



Output
Success (true or
false)








Removing a user from a group

Use the Remove user from group action to remove a user from a group.
This action has the following inputs and outputs:










Variables




Inputs
Required: Group ID, User
ID



Output
Success (true or
false)








Looking up a user

Use the Lookup user action to look up a user.
This action has the following inputs and outputs:










Variables




Inputs

Login/Email or User ID



Output
User details such as id, First
name, Last name,
Email, Status









Looking up a group

Use the Lookup group action to look up a group.
This action has the following inputs and outputs:










Variables




Inputs

Group ID or Group name



Output
Success (true or
false)








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