---
title: "📋 FTAPI Platform: Configuring usernames and synchronizing with SAML"
url: "https://support.ftapi.com/en/article/-ftapi-plattform-benutzernamen-konfigurieren-und-mit-saml-synchronisieren"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2026-06-22T07:10:51.850Z"
---

# 📋 FTAPI Platform: Configuring usernames and synchronizing with SAML

Learn how usernames are assigned in the FTAPI platform and synchronized with SAML authentication.

### Usernames in standard login

Usernames are assigned manually by the administrator in the user management section of the FTAPI platform. Users cannot change their assigned username themselves.

**Tip for self-registration:** In the system settings (`System > Registration`), you can activate the option *"Email address as username"*. Then, for users who register themselves, the email address is automatically set as the username.

### Usernames with SAML integration (Single-Sign-On)

When you activate SAML, usernames are automatically adopted from your directory service (e.g., Active Directory). The username is synchronized initially when the user is created.

#### Synchronization behavior

The synchronization is unidirectional:

-   **From the directory service to the FTAPI platform:** Changes in Active Directory (e.g., name changes) are automatically applied to the FTAPI platform as soon as the user logs in again.
-   **Not vice versa:** Changes made only in the FTAPI platform are not written back to Active Directory.

> **Important: SAML users must use the SAML login button. The input fields for username/password are disabled for these accounts.**

### Exception: Shared mailboxes & technical users

Since the Outlook Add-In supports only one SAML account per instance, **shared mailboxes** must be created as regular database users (non-SAML). These accounts require a manually assigned username and an FTAPI-specific password to be used in parallel with the personal SAML account.

### Related articles

-   [📋 SecuMails: Configuring shared mailboxes with Outlook Add-In (SAML restriction)](https://support.ftapi.com/de/article/einschrankungen-bei-der-verwendung-von-sammelpostfachern-in-ftapi-secumails)
-   [🎓 System settings part 2 (Registration)](https://support.ftapi.com/de/article/systemeinstellungen-teil-2)