Link Staff and Authentication

The most basic use of the Active Directory integration is to authenticate a user's username/password. This allows the system administrator to manage the user outside of PowerSchool Special Programs, and eliminates the need for the user to remember another set of credentials – they can use their network credentials to log in.

Once the Active Directory module is enabled on the web servers, the login screen may appear slightly different for users. This screen resembles the standard Windows™ login screen that allows a user to select the domain to which they belong.

The first option, (Local) logs in using credentials managed by PowerSchool Special Programs. This would be used by the consultant, admin, students and parents. Additionally, staff that are not linked to Active Directory users would select this option.

• The User ID field supports multiple formats for integrated users:
• The Staff ID (standard PowerSchool Special Programs login)
• The Windows username with the corresponding domain selected
• The User Principal Name (UPN) configured in Active Directory (e.g. user@school.edu)
• The NT-style username (e.g. domain\user)

When the Active Directory module is installed, the User ID field appears as plain text (similar to the Windows login screen).

The first thing to do to take advantage of authenticating users with Active Directory is to have them linked to Active Directory users. There are several ways to accomplish this, depending on how you have setup PowerSchool Special Programs and Active Directory. Also review the section Automatic Provisioning to see how to have users automatically created and linked when they first log into PowerSchool Special Programs.

• The links from PowerSchool Special Programs objects (users, security groups, and locations) to Active Directory users and groups are "strong" links. This means that renaming or moving an Active Directory object will not affect PowerSchool Special Programs and the integration. However, deleting the object in Active Directory will mean that PowerSchool Special Programs will no longer be able to resolve the object. Even recreating the same type of object by the same name in Active Directory will not be sufficient and PowerSchool Special Programs will need re-linked to another object.
• PowerSchool recommends having Staff IDs in PowerSchool Special Programs match the SAM Account Name in Active Directory, where possible.