Integration with Microsoft Entra ID

One of the key aspects of this integration is the ability to synchronize users. This means that any changes in a user’s status in Microsoft Entra ID are automatically reflected in the application. For example, when a new user is registered in Microsoft Entra ID, he or she is automatically added to the FlexiProject user list. The user thus added can log in to FlexiProject using his or her Microsoft account.

In addition, if the organization has a Microsoft 365 package deployed, then it is possible to retrieve users’ full-day absences from the Outlook calendar.

In the following sections, we will discuss the detailed steps needed to connect FlexiProject to Microsoft Entra ID

NOTE!

If you have an existing connection to your organization’s local Active Directory in the form of an individual integration, users are only synchronized based on that integration.

Creating an additional Microsoft Entra ID connection with FlexiProject will only enable integration with Microsoft 365 and the associated synchronization of user calendars.

Configuring Azure Active Directory service

The first step in the integration process is to register a FlexiProject account in the Microsoft Entra ID service.

Registration will allow the Microsoft Entra ID administrator to generate the connection parameters necessary to connect FlexiProject to the service:

• Tenant ID
• Client ID
• Client Secret

1. Go to office.com to log in using your Office 365 account.
2. In the application menu on the left side of the window, find and go to the Administrator tool.
3. When clicked, the welcome screen of the admin panel will open.
4. In the menu on the left, select View All.
5. In the advanced menu, click Microsoft Entra ID.
6. When the application loads, the initial view is displayed.
7. In the menu on the left, click Microsoft Entra ID again.
8. Once clicked, an advanced menu will open and select Application Registration.
9. A new window will open.
10. In the new window, select +New Registration to register the application.
11. An application registration window will open with the following items.
12. Enter a name for the application, e.g. “FlexiProject”.
13. Select the account type “Single tenant”.
14. Assign permissions to the application: to read calendars, groups and user information.
15. Click the Register button in the lower left corner under the list.

Connecting your environment with the Microsoft Entra ID tenant

After registering your application, you will be redirected to the Overview section, where your registration data will be provided:

Application ID and Directory ID , which will be needed to connect FlexiProject to Microsoft Entra ID (Tenant ID and Client ID).

To complete the Microsoft Entra ID setup in FlexiProject, you still need to specify the Client Secret value

1. On the Microsoft Entra ID app registration page, go to the Certificates and Secrets module, located in the menu on the left side of the window.
2. When the module opens, click +New client secret.
3. Select the expiration time of the code. We recommend two years.
4. In the Description field, you can enter a description for easy identification.
5. Click the Add button to generate the code.
6. Once clicked, the generated client secret will appear in the Client Secrets list.
7. You will need it to connect FlexiProject to Microsoft Entra ID. You can write it down by selecting Copy to clipboard.

FlexiProject configuration

In order to create a connection, it is required to generate Microsoft Entra ID admin panel parameters: Tenant ID, Client ID and Client Secret, described in the previous section.

Once you have access to the connection parameters, in FlexiProject:

1. Expand the Administration group and go to the System Settings module.
2. Go to the Microsoft Entra ID Integration tab.
3. On the tab, click the Add Connection button.
4. The Microsoft Entra ID connection form window will open.
5. Enter the following in sequence:
   • Tenant ID – the tenant’s ID
   • Client ID – the ID of the application
   • Client Secret – paste the value copied in the Secret value field, in the admin panel.
6. Optional: You can limit the list of imported users to selected groups. In the text field, enter the group IDs (the group’s Object ID in Microsoft Entra ID), separated by commas. Do not enter group names — only group IDs are accepted.
7. After entering all the necessary information into the form, save the settings using the Save button in the lower right corner.
   • When the connection is established, the window with the data for the connection will disappear, and a message about successful connection will appear in the lower right corner.
   • A list will appear in the application showing the parameters of the created connection and its status.
   • When the connection is not established, a message about no connection will appear in the lower right corner. The window with data for connection will remain active.

User synchronization

Successful establishment of a connection to Microsoft Entra ID enables automatic synchronization of users. Accounts that have a specified email address (smtp) are retrieved from Microsoft Entra ID.

• A new user added in Microsoft Entra ID has an account automatically created in FlexiProject.
• A deleted user in Microsoft Entra ID is automatically marked as Deleted in FlexiProject.

Active user

• Any new user who is only on the Microsoft Entra ID list is registered in the FlexiProject domain. In the list of users, it appears with the status “Active” additionally marked with arrows, which symbolize the association with an account in Microsoft Entra ID.
• Current users registered in the FlexiProject domain will be automatically linked to Microsoft Entra ID by email address. The status of such a user will be further marked with arrows that symbolize the association with an account in Microsoft Entra ID.
• An added user that does not appear in Microsoft Entra ID has an active status.

Deleted user

• A user in Microsoft Entra ID is given a Deleted status, indicated by arrows that symbolize the association with an account in Microsoft Entra ID.
• A user deleted via FlexiProject is marked with a status without arrows.

Synchronize users' calendars

Creating a connection to Microsoft Entra ID additionally enables you to record full-day absences scheduled by users in Microsoft 365 platform calendars (Outlook calendar). The registered absences are automatically added to the FlexiProject user’s calendar in resources.

Activate the calendar connection

1. Expand the Administration group in the main menu, and then go to the System Settings module.
2. A list of possible system settings will open.
3. Select the Resources tab.
4. The Resources module will open with the default calendar view. When the connection to Microsoft Entra ID is active, the option “Connect to Outlook calendar” is available under the calendar.
5. Enable the “Connect to Outlook Calendar” option,
6. All-day events with “Free” status from Outlook calendar entered by synchronized users will be saved in their availability in FlexiProject.
7. In the calendar in Resources, they will be marked with a two-arrow icon.
8. Such exceptions cannot be edited. They will be automatically deleted when the event is deleted in the Outlook calendar or when the connection to the Outlook calendar is deactivated.