Okta Single Sign-On (SSO) Setup for Kadence (Custom Okta App)
This guide explains how to configure Okta as an Identity Provider (IdP) for Kadence using OpenID Connect (OIDC).
By the end of this guide you will be able to:
Create a custom Okta application
Add the Okta integration in Kadence
Control which users can access Kadence
Test the SSO login flow
Estimated setup time:
5–10 minutes
Kadence Login Domain
Your Kadence environment uses a regional login domain.
Region | Login Domain |
EU | |
US |
Throughout this guide you will see the placeholder:
{KADENCE_LOGIN_DOMAIN}Replace this with the login domain for your region.
Example:
EU → <https://login.onkadence.co> US → <https://login.us.onkadence.co>
Prerequisites
Before starting, make sure you have:
Admin access to Okta Admin Console
Admin access to Kadence
An active Okta tenant
At least one test user in Okta
For testing we recommend using a private/incognito browser window.
Step 1 — Create a Custom Okta Application
Log in to the Okta Admin Console.
In the left navigation menu, go to:
Applications
Then click:
Applications
At the top right of the page, click:
Create App Integration
You will see the Create App Integration screen.
Select:
Sign-in method: OIDC – OpenID Connect Application type: Web Application
Click:
Next
Step 2 — Configure the Okta Application
You will now see the New Web App Integration screen.
App Name
Enter a name for the application.
Example:
Kadence SSO
Grant Types
Under Grant type, enable:
Authorization Code Refresh Token
Leave other settings as default.
Sign-in Redirect URL
Scroll to Login settings.
In Sign-in redirect URLs, add:
{KADENCE_LOGIN_DOMAIN}/sso/authenticateExample:
EU → <https://login.onkadence.co/sso/authenticate> US → <https://login.us.onkadence.co/sso/authenticate>
⚠ Important
Kadence uses a shared OAuth callback endpoint:
/sso/authenticate
This is not the Kadence login page.
If this URL is missing, Okta will return an error such as:
redirect_url must be a Login redirect URL
Sign-out Redirect URL (optional)
Under Sign-out redirect URLs, add:
{KADENCE_LOGIN_DOMAIN}Step 3 — Choose How Users Access the Application
Scroll further down the page until you see:
Assignments
Here you decide how users are allowed to access the application.
There are two supported configurations.
Option 1 — Federation Broker Mode Enabled (Recommended)
This is the simplest and most common setup.
Where to find the setting
At the bottom of the application setup screen you will see:
Enable immediate access (Recommended)
This includes the option:
Enable immediate access with Federation Broker Mode
Configure the settings like this
Under Controlled access, select:
Allow everyone in your organization to access
Ensure the checkbox is enabled:
Enable immediate access with Federation Broker Mode
What this configuration does
With Federation Broker Mode enabled:
Okta acts only as the authentication provider
Users authenticate through Kadence
The Okta application does not require manual user assignment
After saving the application, open:
Applications → Kadence SSO → Assignments
You will see the message:
This app is implicitly assigned to users
This is expected behaviour.
Users can sign in as long as:
the user exists in Okta
the user satisfies the Okta sign-on policy
This option is recommended because it simplifies setup and scales better for large organisations.
Option 2 — Manual User Assignment
If you prefer to control exactly which users can access Kadence, you can disable Federation Broker Mode.
⚠ Note
Okta warns that disabling Federation Broker Mode may impact performance at scale, because Okta must evaluate application assignments during login.
Most organisations will not notice a difference but large deployments may prefer to leave this enabled.
How to Disable Federation Broker Mode
After creating the application:
Navigate to:
Applications → Applications
Click your Kadence SSO application.
Open:
General
Click:
Edit
Locate:
Enable immediate access with Federation Broker Mode
Disable the checkbox.
Click:
Save
Step 4 — Copy Okta Credentials
Inside the Okta application open:
General
Scroll to:
Client Credentials
Copy the following values:
Client ID Client Secret
You will also need your Okta Base URL.
Example:
<https://integrator-5977303.okta.com>
⚠ Use the base domain only.
Do not include:
/oauth2/default
Step 5 — Add the Okta Integration in Kadence
Log in to Kadence.
Navigate to:
Settings → Integrations → Single Sign-On
Select:
Okta
Enter the following values.
Field | Value |
Client ID | From Okta |
Client Secret | From Okta |
Base URL | Your Okta domain |
Kadence SSO Alias | Example: okta |
Example configuration:
Base URL: <https://integrator-5977303.okta.com> Alias: okta
Click:
Add
Step 6 — Kadence Login URL
Users start the login process from:
{KADENCE_LOGIN_DOMAIN}/en/login/ssoExample:
EU → <https://login.onkadence.co/en/login/sso> US → <https://login.us.onkadence.co/en/login/sso>
Kadence will then redirect users to Okta for authentication.
Step 7 — Test the Login
Open a private/incognito browser window.
Visit:
{KADENCE_LOGIN_DOMAIN}/en/login/ssoExpected login flow:
User opens Kadence login page ↓ Kadence redirects user to Okta ↓ User enters Okta credentials ↓ Okta redirects back to Kadence ↓ User is logged in
Step 8 — Add Users in Okta
Users must exist in Okta before they can authenticate.
Navigate to:
Directory → People
Click:
Add Person
Example user:
Save the user.
Step 9 — Assign Users to the App (Only if Federation Broker Mode is Disabled)
If Federation Broker Mode is disabled users must be assigned manually.
Navigate to:
Applications → Applications → Kadence SSO
Open:
Assignments
Click:
Assign → Assign to People
Select users and click Save.
If you instead see:
This app is implicitly assigned to users
manual assignment is not required.
Access is controlled through Okta sign-on policies.
Troubleshooting
redirect_url error
Ensure the Okta application contains:
{KADENCE_LOGIN_DOMAIN}/sso/authenticate404 route not found
Ensure you are starting login from:
{KADENCE_LOGIN_DOMAIN}/en/login/ssoUser cannot log in
Check:
the user exists in Okta
the user has a password set
the user is assigned to the application (if assignment is enabled)
MFA requirements are satisfied
Quick Reference
Okta App Type
OIDC → Web Application
Redirect URL
{KADENCE_LOGIN_DOMAIN}/sso/authenticateKadence Login URL
{KADENCE_LOGIN_DOMAIN}/en/login/sso
Common Okta SSO Errors and How to Fix Them
If users encounter issues during setup or login, the following table lists the most common errors and how to resolve them.
Error Message | Cause | Solution |
| The OAuth redirect URL is missing or incorrect in the Okta app configuration. | Ensure the following redirect URI is added to the Okta application: |
| The incorrect Kadence login URL was used. | Start login from: |
| The user has not been assigned to the Okta application (when manual assignment is enabled). | Assign the user via: |
Cannot assign users / "This app is implicitly assigned to users" | Federation Broker Mode is enabled, which disables manual user assignment. | Either leave this enabled (recommended) or disable Enable immediate access with Federation Broker Mode in the Okta app settings if you want manual user assignment. |
User login loops back to login page | The Okta base URL was entered incorrectly in Kadence. | Ensure the base URL is your Okta domain only, for example: |
Invalid client or authentication error | The Client ID or Client Secret entered in Kadence does not match the Okta app configuration. | Copy the Client ID and Client Secret directly from the Okta application’s General tab and re-enter them in Kadence. |
Visual Setup Guide (Okta Screens)
The screenshots below show what the Okta configuration screens should look like during setup.
Use these as checkpoints while configuring the integration.
1. Create App Integration
Navigate to:
Applications → Applications → Create App Integration
Select:
Sign-in method: OIDC – OpenID Connect Application type: Web Application
Expected screen:
Create App Integration -------------------------------- Sign-in method ○ OIDC - OpenID Connect Application type ○ Web Application
Click Next.
2. Configure the Application
Enter the application name.
Example:
Kadence SSO
Enable the following grant types:
☑ Authorization Code ☑ Refresh Token
Your configuration should look similar to:
Application type: Web Grant types: ☑ Authorization Code ☑ Refresh Token
3. Configure Redirect URLs
Under Login settings, add the redirect URL:
{KADENCE_LOGIN_DOMAIN}/sso/authenticateOptional sign-out redirect URL:
{KADENCE_LOGIN_DOMAIN}Your screen should look like:
Sign-in redirect URIs -------------------------------- {KADENCE_LOGIN_DOMAIN}/sso/authenticate Sign-out redirect URIs -------------------------------- {KADENCE_LOGIN_DOMAIN}4. Configure Access Settings
In the Assignments / Controlled Access section select:
Allow everyone in your organization to access
Example configuration:
Controlled access ● Allow everyone in your organization to access ○ Limit access to selected groups ○ Skip group assignment for now
5. Federation Broker Mode
You may see this option enabled:
Enable immediate access with Federation Broker Mode
This is expected.
If enabled, the application page will display:
This app is implicitly assigned to users
This means:
Users do not need to be manually assigned
• Access is controlled via Okta sign-on policies
6. Locate Client Credentials
After saving the application, open the General tab.
Copy the following values:
Client ID Client Secret
These will be entered in Kadence.
Your screen should show something similar to:
Client Credentials Client ID xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Client Secret xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
7. Verify the Assignments Tab
Open:
Applications → Kadence SSO → Assignments
You may see the message:
This app is implicitly assigned to users
This is expected when Federation Broker Mode is enabled.
If you want manual assignment instead:
Disable Federation Broker Mode
You will then see:
Assign → Assign to People
8. Test the Kadence Login Page
Open a private browser window.
Visit the Kadence SSO login page:
{KADENCE_LOGIN_DOMAIN}/en/login/ssoExpected flow:
Kadence login page ↓ Redirect to Okta ↓ User enters credentials ↓ Redirect back to Kadence ↓ User logged in
What a Successful Login Looks Like
Successful authentication will redirect the user to Kadence and create a session.
Authentication sequence:
Kadence → Okta → Kadence
Behind the scenes this uses:
OAuth 2.0 Authorization Code Flow
Helpful Tip
Always test SSO setup using:
Private / Incognito browser window
This prevents existing Okta sessions from interfering with testing.
Need Help?
For support, reach out to:
📩 [email protected]
For more helpful articles see:
📚 Kadence Help Center

