How to configure an Okta application selector and fetch user information

The need: Grant access to customers to applications managed in Okta

In this context, we use a JSM portal to manage application access requests from users or customers, and Okta as access management tool.

When requesting for a new application access on the Jira portal, users must select which app they need to have access to. This means that Jira administrators must maintain a list with application names in order to keep it synchronized with what’s configured in Okta. In addition, agents don’t know if the user has the rights to request this access, or how to contact their manager easily.

We would like to:

• populate a select list with the active applications stored in Okta and keep it synchronized

• provide Jira agents with customer information stored in Okta (e.g. phone number, job title, manager)

Solution: Populate Connected custom fields with Okta application names and user information

We use Elements Connect to fetch directly applications from Okta by configuring a direct connection between Jira and Okta. We also provide Jira agents with user information stored in Okta, such as the user’s phone number or their job title.

Okta application selection with user information automatically calculated

How to configure an application selector and fetch logged-in user information directly from Okta

Prerequisites:

• Have Okta as your access management tool

• Have Elements Connect installed on your instance

Configuration steps

The configuration is done in 4 steps:

1. Generate an API key in Okta to be able to connect Jira and Okta with Elements Connect

2. Create and configure the datasource in Elements Connect

3. Create and configure the Connected custom fields in Elements Connect to retrieve Applications and User information from Okta

4. Associate the Connected custom fields to a request type in the JSM portal

5. Create a Post Function in your project

Overview of Okta’s configuration

You have configured application integrations in Okta.

To give user access to these aforementioned applications, they need to be created in the People section of Okta (https://{oktaURL}.okta.com/admin/users)

Each user has a profile listing different attributes such as:

• First name

• Last name

• Title

• Phone number

• Manager

• …

Steps

1 - Generating an API token in Okta

This tutorial uses the connection to Okta’s REST API using an API key that can be generated in the security section: https://{oktaURL}.okta.com/admin/access/api/tokens

Click on “Create Token” and follow the steps.

Elements Connect configuration

2 - Configuring the datasource

Make sure you have Elements Connect installed on your Jira instance.

→ Go to Elements Connect administration by clicking on “Apps”, then Elements Connect

The first step is to create a REST API datasource.

Click on “Create datasource” and select REST API.

Enter a name for your datasource, then configure the relevant fields:

• Base URL: https://{oktaURL}.okta.com

• API Documentation: Core Okta API | Okta Developer

• Authentication mode: API Key

• Send in: Request Header

• Header name: Authorization

• API Key: SSWS {API Token}

You can now save your datasource configuration.

3 - Configuring the connected custom fields 'Application' & 'User information'

What is a connected custom fields? As our official documentation mentions, an Elements Connect’s connected custom field is a fully integrated Jira custom field which can be connected to external data sources.

In this tutorial, we are going to create 2 connected custom field:

• Application: A select list that retrieves all the active applications configured in Okta

• User information: A read-only table that displays useful user information such as their name, job title and phone number

Application

Create one connected custom field called “Application” of type Select list. Set Okta (or the name you gave to the previously configured datasource) as the datasource.

apps?filter=status eq "ACTIVE" 

$

${row.id}

${row.label}

User information

Create a second Connected custom field called “User information” of type Read Only table. Set Okta (or the name you gave to the previously configured datasource) as the datasource.

/api/v1/users?filter=profile.login eq "${issue.reporter.emailAddress}"

$[0]

${row.id}

4 - Adding connected custom field to Jira Service Management project

Now that your connected custom fields are configured, you need to associate them to a request-type in your JSM project:

• Directly after saving a custom fields configuration, click on “Add field to portal”

• Or go to Elements Connect admin section and find “Add field to portal” in the “Actions” button.

• Select the targeted project and Request type.

• Add the Connected custom fields with a drag & drop action in the Request form or Work item section, as below:

5 - Create a Post Function in your project to automatically update your connected custom fields

As last step, for our connected custom field User information to be automatically filled when creating the ticket, we need to create a Post Function:

Enter the Workflow configuration

Go to your Jira workflow configuration

• Either through Space settings > Request management > Workflow

• Or on one of your issue, clicking on the status drop down and selecting View Workflow

Then click on Edit workflow.

Identify the transition

Identify the transition during which you want the custom field to be updated.

Add the Post Function

Under Rules, in the Perform Actions box, click on add Perform Actions rule and select the Update Elements Connect custom field value action.

Set up the Post Function

In that frame, you are providing with a recap of all elligible and non elligible fields.

Select custom fields to update on transitions among the elligible ones and click on Add to set up the rule.

Don’t forget to upgrade your workflow and you are good to go.