Phin Security

Google: User Sync (Open Beta)

Google User Sync, currently in open beta for all partners with admin-level Google Workspace permissions, allows administrators to automatically import and manage users from Google Groups or Organizational Units into Phin by enabling and configuring a sync integration that requires careful setup and offers troubleshooting steps for sync failures.

Overview

Google User Sync enables administrators to connect company-level accounts to Google Workspace and automatically import users from Google to Phin. This integration is in open beta and available to all partners. Admin-level permissions in Google Workspace are required. The integration reduces manual user management but depends on accurate group or organizational unit (OU) setup in Google Workspace.

How to Enable Google User Sync

  1. 1.Navigate to the integration page using the sidebar at the company level.
  2. 2.Click the 'Google User Sync' tile.
  3. 3.Review the permissions regarding how Phin will use the connection with Google Workspace.
  4. 4.Click Continue. You will be redirected to the Google permissions page. After confirming permissions, you will be redirected back to Phin.
  5. 5.You should now see the Google User Sync page, where you can manage groups or OUs to be automatically synced from Google to Phin.

Managing Users in Google User Sync

  1. 1.Select your source type: Groups or Organizational Units (OUs).
    • Important: Only one source type can be synced at a time. Switching from Groups to OUs (or vice versa) after enabling auto sync will end the sync, and you must re-establish it by choosing new groups/OUs.
  2. 2.Use the drop-down menu to add one or more Groups/OUs. The table below will display employee information, including name, email, and source location.
  3. 3.The total number of users staged will update as you add or remove Groups/OUs. This number reflects staged users prior to enabling auto sync.
  4. 4.Click 'Enable Auto Sync' when ready to sync users into Phin.
    • A notification will indicate if enabling auto sync was successful. After a successful sync, you can view synced users on the user management page.
    • If unsuccessful, you will be prompted to retry. If sync repeatedly fails:
      1. 1.Disconnect and reconnect the feature.
      2. 2.Re-select Groups/OUs and click 'Enable Auto Sync' again.
      3. 3.If issues persist, contact the support team.
  5. 5.After enabling auto sync, changes to Groups/OUs are saved automatically for the next sync.
  6. 6.Alternatively, you can choose 'Sync Now' to push changes immediately.

Auto Sync Schedule

When Auto Sync is enabled, it runs every 6 hours relative to the time it was enabled. For example, enabling sync at 4:32 PM will check for updates at 10:32 PM, 4:32 AM, 10:32 AM, etc.

Groups vs. Organizational Units

  • Organizational Units (OUs): Structure your organization's hierarchy and determine which services and features are available to a group of users.
  • Google Groups: Allow for more granular control, enabling you to customize settings and access for specific users or groups without altering the organizational structure.

The 'Root' Organizational Unit

The root (top-level) organizational unit is the default group containing all users and devices in your account. All settings in the Google Admin console apply to this unit and its users/devices by default.

Note: Filtering campaign audiences by Google Workspace Groups and OUs is not currently possible. Groups and OUs can only be synced as part of the initial sync process.

Best Practice: For large companies, create a group in Google for all users who need access to Phin and sync only that group. This simplifies ongoing management.

De-duplicating Users

  • User records are matched by email. When Google User Sync is enabled, the integration checks for duplicate records and updates manually input records with the synced user record.
    • This does not affect the user's active training or training history.
  • If a user is found in multiple groups, only one user record is imported into Phin, though the group column will reflect all sources.

Additional Considerations After Enabling Auto Sync

  1. 1.Auto sync runs every 6 hours; the next run time is shown at the bottom left of the user table on the Google User Sync page.
  2. 2.If automatic welcome emails are enabled, newly synced users will receive one without further configuration.
  3. 3.The same applies to campaigns: if a continuous campaign was set up before enabling Google User Sync, newly synced users matching the audience filter will be enrolled automatically.
  4. 4.If users were imported manually and are found during sync, their data will be merged, with sync data as the source of truth.
  5. 5.Users who were slept before enabling Google User Sync will remain slept and must be unslept manually.
  6. 6.Users deleted from Google Workspace will be slept in Phin.
  7. 7.Users marked as "suspended" in Google Workspace will appear as slept users in Phin. If a user becomes suspended, Phin will sleep them during the next sync.
  8. 8.Changes to user information in Google Workspace will be reflected in Phin at the next scheduled sync.
  9. 9.If a user is deleted and re-added, they are considered a new user. Deleted users will still appear under the 'Deleted' filter in analytics but not in PDF reports.

Disconnecting Google User Sync

  1. 1.Navigate to the "Overview" tab.
  2. 2.Scroll past the integration permissions information.
  3. 3.Select Disconnect.

Phin updates its Knowledge Base with new features with every release. For more information, visit: https://www.phinsec.io/knowledge

Feedback is welcome to help shape the product's future. For help or to submit ideas, contact the support team.