Updated - Test Mode

Note: This help topic describes new single sign-on (SSO) setup options for Azure AD. To enhance security and stability, Blackbaud has switched to a new SSO authentication service. Organizations that already use SSO will now see a New single sign-on tab on the Authentication settings page in Security and must set up new SSO connections by Oct. 31.

After you set up your identity provider (IdP) and claim your email domains, you can test the connection to verify your organization can now use its IdP to sign in to Blackbaud solutions. In test mode, you use a special URL — https://app.blackbaud.com/signin/?ssoTest=true — to test single sign-on with Blackbaud IDs at your organization. With this URL:

  • You access a test sign-in that sends Blackbaud IDs with a claimed email domain to your IdP.

  • Users who sign in to Blackbaud solutions through your IdP automatically use your organization's sign-in the next time they sign in with the same browser.

Users at your organization who are not in test mode can continue to use their usual URL to sign in through Blackbaud's secure authentication service with their current Blackbaud ID credentials.

  1. In Security, select Authentication.

  2. Under Single sign-on, select Manage SSO settings.

  3. Under Test connection, select Learn about test connection.

  4. Select Turn on test mode.

  5. Copy the test mode URL and send it to members to use to sign in and test your connection.

    Warning: To avoid sign-in errors and possible lockout, ensure test members sign in through the test mode URL before they sign in to any Blackbaud solution.

You can turn off test mode as necessary, such as to wait to turn on your SSO connection. When you turn off test mode, users who signed in through your test connection will instead sign in through Blackbaud's secure authentication service. These users will receive email to reset their passwords to ensure they meet Blackbaud's requirements. When you turn off test mode, your connection settings will remain saved so you can easily turn on test mode again.

To turn off test mode, select Turn off test mode on the Authentication settings page in Security, and then select Turn off test mode.