What single sign-on does

At work, people use many apps, like email, chat and shared files. Without single sign-on, each app needs its own password. People forget them, or they reuse the same one in several apps.

With single sign-on, you sign in once, with your company account. That account lives at an account provider, a service that keeps a list of everyone at the company.

When you open a work app, it sends you to the account provider first. The app asks the provider who you are. The provider confirms it is you, and the app lets you in.

The next app does the same. You already signed in, so the provider answers right away. The apps never see your password. Only the provider checks it.

Now say someone leaves the company. The company turns off their account at the provider. From then on, when any app asks about that person, the provider says no. So one switch at the provider stops them from signing in to every app.

Single sign-on gives each person one company account for all their work apps. They sign in once, and the company can turn off access in one place.