Objective

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This article explains how to log in to the ServiceNow mobile app when using an external authentication.

 

Versions affected

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• Fuji
• Geneva
• ServiceNow Mobile App for iOS v.2.0.3 or earlier

  

Procedure

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The login behaviours between web environments and the native app are slightly different.

On the mobile app, you must enter your username regardless of whether you are an external user. After entering your username, you can either select Use External Login (if you require external login) or enter your password and click Continue (if you are a local credential user).

Example:
user1@example.com = local user
user2@external.com = external user

• user1@example.com enters their username and password, then selects Continue
  - Local user is authenticated and logs in to the mobile app
• user2@external.com enters only their username, then selects Use External Login
  - At this point, user 2 is redirected to their IdP’s page.

 

Problem

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If using SSO with external authentication, you might receive the following error:

Error: No external identity provider found for the username: <username>

 

 

Resolution

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The error occurs because there is no valid Identity Provider (IdP) defined for the user who is trying to log in to the mobile app.

Since the resolution of PRB656174 (if no primary IDP is set for an instance iOS App login fails), the system property glide.authenticate.sso.redirect.idp with the sys_id of the IdP need not be set anymore.

• Using single provider SSO

  To set a default IdP, open the IdP record and select the default option.
  When this default is set to true and a user with no SSO configuration selects Use external login, the user is redirected to the default IdP. For more information, see Modify the primary and default IdP. 

• Using multi-provider SSO

  Configure the sso_source field with the sys_id for the IdP to which you want to connect, either in a company record that users are associated with or within the user record itself.

  For more information, see the topic Configuring Users for Multi-Provider SSO in the product documentation. 

 

Recommendations

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Many SSO issues are addressed in the latest releases so we recommend you use the following versions:

• Geneva Patch 5 (or higher)
• ServiceNow Mobile App 2.0.3 (Apr, 21, 2016) or higher
  
  

 

Related links

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See the following documentation topics:

• Configuring Users for Multi-Provider SSO - Geneva
• Modify the primary and default IdP - Geneva
• Add a property using sys_properties.list - Geneva
• Geneva Multi-SSO enhancements