Why Sync Microsoft Entra ID Users with iSpring LMS Groups?

  • In Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD), users are added to groups. There, they can be part of multiple groups at the same time.
  • In iSpring LMS, users are added to departments. Each user is only allowed to be a part of one department. However, besides departments, you can create groups, and users can be members of multiple groups.

If you want to keep this multi-group membership when syncing users, enable the Add users to groups in iSpring LMS setting. This will automatically create groups in iSpring LMS that match those in Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD). This way, you can assign learning content items by group.

Departments will also be created in iSpring LMS. Users will be added to one department as well, because every user must belong to a department within iSpring LMS.



If you don't select Add users to groups in iSpring LMS, users from Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) will only be synchronized with a single department in iSpring LMS.

Which Departments Are Users Moved To

When you sync Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) with iSpring LMS, iSpring LMS creates departments that match the group names in Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD). Users are then moved to these departments one at a time. Users remain in the last department they moved to because each user can only be in one department in iSpring LMS.



Let's say User A belongs to the "Project A" and "Team X" groups in Microsoft Entra ID.

  • After synchronization in iSpring LMS, the "Project A" and "Team X" departments will be created.

  • User A will be added to the "Team X" department because it is the final department in the order of synchronization.

Let's consider User A, who belongs to the "Project A" and "Team X" groups in Microsoft Entra ID.

iSpring LMS will create:

  • The "Project A" and "Team X" departments.
  • The "Project A" and "Team X" groups.
  • User A is added to the "Team X" department and also becomes a member of both the "Project A" and "Team X" groups.

If the departments within iSpring LMS have an Automatic Enrollment rule, then, as the user transitions through the departments, they will be automatically enrolled in all courses assigned to the users of these departments.

Understanding the Synchronization Process between Microsoft Entra ID Users and iSpring LMS Groups

  • Synchronization between Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) and iSpring LMS occurs every 40 minutes, but only if there have been changes made to Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) — if a user's surname has been corrected, for instance.

  • Please note that supervisors from Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) are not transferred over. They must be assigned manually in iSpring LMS.
  • For users added without a group in Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD), they will be placed in the root department in iSpring LMS.

Enabling the option "Add users to groups in iSpring LMS"

  • If this setting was enabled when turning on the integration
    During the first synchronization, groups identical to those in Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) will be created in iSpring LMS, and users will be automatically added to these groups.

  • If the setting was enabled after the first synchronization
    The system will not create groups automatically. However, updates will occur when changes are made in Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD), such as adding or removing users from a group. To force synchronization without waiting for changes, click on Restart provisioning in Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD).



    If you disable the "Add users to groups in iSpring LMS" option, the groups already created in iSpring LMS will be preserved, and synchronization will proceed within departments.