Okta + Atlassian (Jira + Confluence) integration
Set up Okta as the identity provider for Atlassian (Jira + Confluence) via SAML + SCIM — across Atlassian Access for unified Jira + Confluence + Trello + Bitbucket SSO.
- Okta admin
- Atlassian Access subscription (org-level)
- Atlassian organization admin
- Verified domain in Atlassian Admin
1. Create a new SAML 2.0 application in Okta
In the Okta admin console, create a new SAML 2.0 application. Choose "Web Application" type. Note the placeholders for ACS URL + Entity ID — you'll get these from Atlassian in step 3.
2. Get the SAML metadata URL from Okta
Okta exposes the IdP metadata at a stable URL. Copy this URL — you'll paste it into Atlassian's SSO configuration. Alternatively, download the metadata XML if Atlassian doesn't support URL-based metadata.
3. Configure SSO in Atlassian
In Atlassian's admin → security → SSO settings, paste the Okta metadata URL (or upload the XML). Atlassian will display the ACS URL + Entity ID it expects — copy these.
4. Return to Okta + complete the SAML app config
Paste Atlassian's ACS URL into the Okta app's Single Sign-On URL field. Paste the Entity ID into the Audience URI field. Set the NameID format to EmailAddress (or persistent if Atlassian expects that).
5. Configure attribute mapping
Map the attributes the SP expects (see the Attribute Mapping section below). At minimum, email is required. Most apps also expect firstName + lastName.
6. Assign users + groups
In Okta, assign the SAML app to users or groups that should have access. Test with a pilot group before broad rollout.
7. Test end-to-end
Sign in to Atlassian via the IdP-initiated link (from Okta dashboard) AND via SP-initiated (direct Atlassian login URL). Both should work. Check the SAML Tracer browser extension or SAML decoder to inspect the assertion if anything fails.
What flows from where.
| Source (Okta) | Target (Atlassian (Jira + Confluence)) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| user.email | NameID | — |
| user.email | — | |
| user.firstName + lastName | name | — |
- Clock skew: Okta and Atlassian clocks must be within ~5 minutes. NTP-sync both. SAML's NotBefore + NotOnOrAfter are strict.
- NameID format mismatches are the most common failure. Atlassian typically wants EmailAddress; Okta defaults vary. Mismatch → cryptic "invalid assertion" errors.
- Just-in-time (JIT) provisioning vs SCIM: many apps support both. SAML JIT creates the user on first SSO; SCIM creates them ahead of time. Pick one — both can cause attribute drift.
- Audience restriction: Atlassian's expected Audience URI must match exactly what the IdP sends. Trailing slashes + protocol (http vs https) matter.
- Signed Response vs signed Assertion: many SPs require the Assertion to be signed (not just the Response envelope). Check the SP's docs.
- Atlassian Access vs per-product: Atlassian Access covers Jira + Confluence + other cloud products. Per-product SSO existed historically; modern integrations all use Access.
- Domain verification is required before SAML config. If domain claim isn't completed, users authenticate but don't get associated with the org.
- Email-based identity is canonical. Email changes need careful migration to avoid duplicate accounts.
- IdP-initiated SSO works (sign in from the IdP dashboard)
- SP-initiated SSO works (visit Atlassian directly + get redirected to IdP)
- User attributes flow through correctly (email, name, groups)
- Logout (single logout if supported) works as expected
- Step-up MFA fires when policy requires it
- Unauthorized users (not assigned to the app) get a clean denied message
- Capture a successful SAML response and inspect it (use the SAML decoder tool)
For the latest vendor-side configuration changes, refer to:
Atlassian Access SAML →