Okta Workflows is a no-code platform for automating identity processes.
This blog post is based on a question asked during office hours or the #okta-workflows channel in MacAdmins Slack: How to read a custom user profile attribute?
Prefer a video? Skip to the walkthrough to see how to read custom user profile attributes.
Getting started
Okta has a built-in default user type and allows the creation of custom user types.
From the Admin dashboard, go to Directory > Profile Editor. You will see one or more user types listed (you might have more than two listed). In the screenshot below, two user types are shown:
- User (default) – this is the default user type
- Atko User – this is a custom user type
Okta user types
Reading a custom attribute on the default user type
Clicking on User (default) opens up a profile editor shown below.
Profile attributes
On the left side, you see All attributes, Base attributes, or only Custom attributes. In this example, you have added one custom attribute to the default user type:
- LinkedIn profile
Custom user profile attribute
User Stella Green has the default user type and has the LinkedIn profile custom attribute set:
Profile with a custom attribute
The custom attribute is on the default user type. You use the Okta – Read User card to read the user information, including the custom attribute.
Reading user information with the Read User card
As the custom attribute is on the default user type, you can choose to show the field from ⚙️ > Choose fields:
Choosing card fields
Running the flow shows the custom LinkedIn profile attribute:
Read User card history
Reading a custom attribute on a custom user type
Click on the custom Atko User user type:
Okta user types
This custom user has one custom attribute, Portfolio URL:
A custom user type with a custom attribute
User Irene Johnson has a custom user type:
Custom user type
Irene also has the Portfolio URL custom attribute set:
Custom attribute on a custom user type
If you use the Okta – Read User card, the card doesn’t know about the custom user type and doesn’t know about the custom attribute. The Read User card only knows about the built-in default user type.
Choosing card fields
The solution is to use a Custom API Action card to read a custom attribute on a custom user type.
Reading a custom attribute on a custom user type with a Custom API Action card
Use Okta’s Custom API Action card to read user information, whether it’s the default user type or a custom user type.
Make an API call to this endpoint:
/api/v1/users/{userid}
This is a flow to read user information:
Reading user information with Custom API Action card
In the above flow:
- The Assign card sets the user ID
- The Concatenate card appends the user ID to the end point (
/api/v1/users/{userid}) - The Custom API Action makes an API call
- The Get Multiple card retries the Portfolio URL attribute
Learn how to use the Custom API Action card:
How to Call an API When It’s Not Available From an Existing Card (Connection)
Flow history:
Reading user information flow – history
What you learned
In this blog post, you learned how to read a custom attribute on the default user type and a custom user type.
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