Customize claims issued in the JSON web token (JWT) for enterprise applications (Preview)
The Microsoft identity platform supports single sign-on (SSO) with most preintegrated applications in the Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) application gallery and custom applications. When a user authenticates to an application through the Microsoft identity platform using the OIDC protocol, the Microsoft identity platform sends a token to the application. The application validates and uses the token to sign the user in instead of prompting for a username and password.
These JSON Web tokens (JWT) used by OIDC and OAuth applications (preview) contain pieces of information about the user known as claims. A claim is information that an identity provider states about a user inside the token they issue for that user. In an OIDC response, claims data is typically contained in the ID Token issued by the identity provider in the form of a JWT.
View or edit claims
To view or edit the claims issued in the JWT to the application, open the application in Azure portal. Then select Single sign-on blade in the left-hand menu and open the Attributes & Claims section.
An application may need claims customization for various reasons. For example, when an application requires a different set of claim URIs or claim values. Using the Attributes & Claims section, you can add or remove a claim for your application. You can also create a custom claim that is specific for an application based on the use case.
The following steps describe how to assign a constant value:
- In the Azure portal, on the Attributes & Claims section, Select Edit to edit the claims.
- Select the required claim that you want to modify.
- Enter the constant value without quotes in the Source attribute as per your organization, and then select Save.
The Attributes overview displays the constant value.
Special claims transformations
You can use the following special claims transformations functions.
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| ExtractMailPrefix() | Removes the domain suffix from either the email address or the user principal name. This function extracts only the first part of the user name. For example, joe_smith instead of joe_smith@contoso.com. |
| ToLower() | Converts the characters of the selected attribute into lowercase characters. |
| ToUpper() | Converts the characters of the selected attribute into uppercase characters. |
Add application-specific claims
To add application-specific claims:
- In User Attributes & Claims, select Add new claim to open the Manage user claims page.
- Enter the name of the claims. The value doesn't strictly need to follow a URI pattern. If you need a URI pattern, you can put that in the Namespace field.
- Select the Source where the claim is going to retrieve its value. You can select a user attribute from the source attribute dropdown or apply a transformation to the user attribute before emitting it as a claim.
Claim transformations
To apply a transformation to a user attribute:
In Manage claim, select Transformation as the claim source to open the Manage transformation page.
Select the function from the transformation dropdown. Depending on the function selected, provide parameters and a constant value to evaluate in the transformation.
Treat source as multivalued indicates whether the transform is applied to all values or just the first. By default, the first element in a multi-value claim is applied the transformations. When you check this box, it ensures it's applied to all. This checkbox is only enabled for multi-valued attributes. For example,
user.proxyaddresses.To apply multiple transformations, select Add transformation. You can apply a maximum of two transformations to a claim. For example, you could first extract the email prefix of the
user.mail. Then, make the string upper case.
You can use the following functions to transform claims.
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| ExtractMailPrefix() | Removes the domain suffix from either the email address or the user principal name. This function extracts only the first part of the user name. For example, joe_smith instead of joe_smith@contoso.com. |
| Join() | Creates a new value by joining two attributes. Optionally, you can use a separator between the two attributes. For NameID claim transformation, the Join() function has specific behavior when the transformation input has a domain part. It removes the domain part from input before joining it with the separator and the selected parameter. For example, if the input of the transformation is joe_smith@contoso.com and the separator is @ and the parameter is fabrikam.com, this input combination results in joe_smith@fabrikam.com. |
| ToLowercase() | Converts the characters of the selected attribute into lowercase characters. |
| ToUppercase() | Converts the characters of the selected attribute into uppercase characters. |
| Contains() | Outputs an attribute or constant if the input matches the specified value. Otherwise, you can specify another output if there's no match. For example, if you want to emit a claim where the value is the user's email address if it contains the domain @contoso.com, otherwise you want to output the user principal name. To perform this function, you configure the following values:Parameter 1(input): user.email Value: "@contoso.com" Parameter 2 (output): user.email Parameter 3 (output if there's no match): user.userprincipalname |
| EndWith() | Outputs an attribute or constant if the input ends with the specified value. Otherwise, you can specify another output if there's no match. For example, if you want to emit a claim where the value is the user's employee ID if the employee ID ends with "000", otherwise you want to output an extension attribute. To perform this function, you configure the following values: Parameter 1(input): user.employeeid Value: "000" Parameter 2 (output): user.employeeid Parameter 3 (output if there's no match): user.extensionattribute1 |
| StartWith() | Outputs an attribute or constant if the input starts with the specified value. Otherwise, you can specify another output if there's no match. For example, if you want to emit a claim where the value is the user's employee ID if the country/region starts with "US", otherwise you want to output an extension attribute. To perform this function, you configure the following values: Parameter 1(input): user.country Value: "US" Parameter 2 (output): user.employeeid Parameter 3 (output if there's no match): user.extensionattribute1 |
| Extract() - After matching | Returns the substring after it matches the specified value. For example, if the input's value is Finance_BSimon, the matching value is Finance_, then the claim's output is BSimon. |
| Extract() - Before matching | Returns the substring until it matches the specified value. For example, if the input's value is BSimon_US, the matching value is _US, then the claim's output is BSimon. |
| Extract() - Between matching | Returns the substring until it matches the specified value. For example, if the input's value is Finance_BSimon_US, the first matching value is Finance_, the second matching value is _US, then the claim's output is BSimon. |
| ExtractAlpha() - Prefix | Returns the prefix alphabetical part of the string. For example, if the input's value is BSimon_123, then it returns BSimon. |
| ExtractAlpha() - Suffix | Returns the suffix alphabetical part of the string. For example, if the input's value is 123_Simon, then it returns Simon. |
| ExtractNumeric() - Prefix | Returns the prefix numerical part of the string. For example, if the input's value is 123_BSimon, then it returns 123. |
| ExtractNumeric() - Suffix | Returns the suffix numerical part of the string. For example, if the input's value is BSimon_123, then it returns 123. |
| IfEmpty() | Outputs an attribute or constant if the input is null or empty. For example, if you want to output an attribute stored in an extension attribute if the employee ID for a given user is empty. To perform this function, configure the following values: Parameter 1(input): user.employeeid Parameter 2 (output): user.extensionattribute1 Parameter 3 (output if there's no match): user.employeeid |
| IfNotEmpty() | Outputs an attribute or constant if the input isn't null or empty. For example, if you want to output an attribute stored in an extension attribute if the employee ID for a given user isn't empty. To perform this function, you configure the following values: Parameter 1(input): user.employeeid Parameter 2 (output): user.extensionattribute1 |
| Substring() - Fixed Length (Preview) | Extracts parts of a string claim type, beginning at the character at the specified position, and returns the specified number of characters. SourceClaim - The claim source of the transform that should be executed. StartIndex - The zero-based starting character position of a substring in this instance. Length - The length in characters of the substring. For example: sourceClaim - PleaseExtractThisNow StartIndex - 6 Length - 11 Output: ExtractThis |
| Substring() - EndOfString (Preview) | Extracts parts of a string claim type, beginning at the character at the specified position, and returns the rest of the claim from the specified start index. SourceClaim - The claim source of the transform. StartIndex - The zero-based starting character position of a substring in this instance. For example: sourceClaim - PleaseExtractThisNow StartIndex - 6 Output: ExtractThisNow |
| RegexReplace() (Preview) | RegexReplace() transformation accepts as input parameters: - Parameter 1: a user attribute as regex input - An option to trust the source as multivalued - Regex pattern - Replacement pattern. The replacement pattern may contain static text format along with a reference that points to regex output groups and more input parameters. |
If you need other transformations, submit your idea in the feedback forum in Azure AD under the SaaS application category.
Regex-based claims transformation
The following image shows an example of the first level of transformation:
The following table provides information about the first level of transformations. The actions listed in the table correspond to the labels in the previous image. Select Edit to open the claims transformation blade.
| Action | Field | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transformation |
Select the RegexReplace() option from the Transformation options to use the regex-based claims transformation method for claims transformation. |
| 2 | Parameter 1 |
The input for the regular expression transformation. For example, user.mail that has a user email address such as admin@fabrikam.com. |
| 3 | Treat source as multivalued |
Some input user attributes can be multi-value user attributes. If the selected user attribute supports multiple values and the user wants to use multiple values for the transformation, they need to select Treat source as multivalued. If selected, all values are used for the regex match, otherwise only the first value is used. |
| 4 | Regex pattern |
A regular expression that is evaluated against the value of user attribute selected as Parameter 1. For example, a regular expression to extract the user alias from the user's email address is represented as (?'domain'^.*?)(?i)(\@fabrikam\.com)$. |
| 5 | Add additional parameter |
More than one user attribute can be used for the transformation. The values of the attributes would then be merged with regex transformation output. Up to five more parameters are supported. |
| 6 | Replacement pattern |
The replacement pattern is the text template, which contains placeholders for regex outcome. All group names must be wrapped inside the curly braces such as {group-name}. Let's say the administration wants to use user alias with some other domain name, for example xyz.com and merge country name with it. In this case, the replacement pattern would be {country}.{domain}@xyz.com, where {country} is the value of input parameter and {domain} is the group output from the regular expression evaluation. In such a case, the expected outcome is US.swmal@xyz.com. |
The following image shows an example of the second level of transformation:
The following table provides information about the second level of transformations. The actions listed in the table correspond to the labels in the previous image.
| Action | Field | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transformation |
Regex-based claims transformations aren't limited to the first transformation and can be used as the second level transformation as well. Any other transformation method can be used as the first transformation. |
| 2 | Parameter 1 |
If RegexReplace() is selected as a second level transformation, output of first level transformation is used as an input for the second level transformation. To apply the transformation, the second level regex expression should match the output of the first transformation. |
| 3 | Regex pattern |
Regex pattern is the regular expression for the second level transformation. |
| 4 | Parameter input |
User attribute inputs for the second level transformations. |
| 5 | Parameter input |
Administrators can delete the selected input parameter if they don't need it anymore. |
| 6 | Replacement pattern |
The replacement pattern is the text template, which contains placeholders for regex outcome group name, input parameter group name, and static text value. All group names must be wrapped inside the curly braces such as {group-name}. Let's say the administration wants to use user alias with some other domain name, for example xyz.com and merge country name with it. In this case, the replacement pattern would be {country}.{domain}@xyz.com, where {country} is the value of input parameter and {domain} is the group output from the regular expression evaluation. In such a case, the expected outcome is US.swmal@xyz.com. |
| 7 | Test transformation |
The RegexReplace() transformation is evaluated only if the value of the selected user attribute for Parameter 1 matches with the regular expression provided in the Regex pattern textbox. If they don't match, the default claim value is added to the token. To validate regular expression against the input parameter value, a test experience is available within the transform blade. This test experience operates on dummy values only. When more input parameters are used, the name of the parameter is added to the test result instead of the actual value. To access the test section, select Test transformation. |
The following image shows an example of testing the transformations:
The following table provides information about testing the transformations. The actions listed in the table correspond to the labels in the previous image.
| Action | Field | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Test transformation |
Select the close or (X) button to hide the test section and re-render the Test transformation button again on the blade. |
| 2 | Test regex input |
Accepts input that is used for the regular expression test evaluation. In case regex-based claims transformation is configured as a second level transformation, provide a value that is the expected output of the first transformation. |
| 3 | Run test |
After the test regex input is provided and the Regex pattern, Replacement pattern and Input parameters are configured, the expression can be evaluated by selecting Run test. |
| 4 | Test transformation result |
If evaluation succeeds, an output of test transformation is rendered against the Test transformation result label. |
| 5 | Remove transformation |
The second level transformation can be removed by selecting Remove transformation. |
| 6 | Specify output if no match |
When a regex input value is configured against the Parameter 1 that doesn't match the Regular expression, the transformation is skipped. In such cases, the alternate user attribute can be configured, which is added to the token for the claim by checking Specify output if no match. |
| 7 | Parameter 3 |
If an alternate user attribute needs to be returned when there's no match and Specify output if no match is checked, an alternate user attribute can be selected using the dropdown. This dropdown is available against Parameter 3 (output if no match). |
| 8 | Summary |
At the bottom of the blade, a full summary of the format is displayed that explains the meaning of the transformation in simple text. |
| 9 | Add |
After the configuration settings for the transformation are verified, it can be saved to a claims policy by selecting Add. Select Save on the Manage Claim blade to save the changes. |
RegexReplace() transformation is also available for the group claims transformations.
Transformation validations
A message provides more information when the following conditions occur after selecting Add or Run test:
- Input parameters with duplicate user attributes were used.
- Unused input parameters found. Defined input parameters should have respective usage into the Replacement pattern text.
- The provided test regex input doesn't match with the provided regular expression.
- No sources for the groups in the replacement pattern are found.
Emit claims based on conditions
You can specify the source of a claim based on user type and the group to which the user belongs.
The user type can be:
- Any - All users are allowed to access the application.
- Members: Native member of the tenant
- All guests: User moved from an external organization with or without Azure AD.
- AAD guests: Guest user belongs to another organization using Azure AD.
- External guests: Guest user belongs to an external organization that doesn't have Azure AD.
One scenario where the user type is helpful is when the source of a claim is different for a guest and an employee accessing an application. You can specify that if the user is an employee, get the NameID from user.email. If the user is a guest, then the NameID comes from user.extensionattribute1.
To add a claim condition:
- In Manage claim, expand the Claim conditions.
- Select the user type.
- Select the group(s) to which the user should belong. You can select up to 50 unique groups across all claims for a given application.
- Select the Source where the claim is going to retrieve its value. You can select a user attribute from the source attribute dropdown or apply a transformation to the user attribute before emitting it as a claim.
The order in which you add the conditions are important. Azure AD first evaluates all conditions with source Attribute and then evaluates all conditions with source Transformation to decide which value to emit in the claim. Azure AD evaluates conditions with the same source from top to bottom. The claim emits the last value that matches the expression in the claim. Transformations such as IsNotEmpty and Contains act like restrictions.
For example, Britta Simon is a guest user in the Contoso tenant. Britta belongs to another organization that also uses Azure AD. Given the following configuration for the Fabrikam application, when Britta tries to sign in to Fabrikam, the Microsoft identity platform evaluates the conditions.
First, the Microsoft identity platform verifies whether Britta's user type is All guests. Because the type is All guests, the Microsoft identity platform assigns the source for the claim to user.extensionattribute1. Second, the Microsoft identity platform verifies whether Britta's user type is AAD guests. Because the type is All guests, the Microsoft identity platform assigns the source for the claim to user.mail. Finally, the claim is emitted with a value of user.mail for Britta.
As another example, consider when Britta Simon tries to sign in using the following configuration. Azure AD first evaluates all conditions with source Attribute. The source for the claim is user.mail when Britta's user type is AAD guests. Next, Azure AD evaluates the transformations. Because Britta is a guest, user.extensionattribute1 is the new source for the claim. Because Britta is in AAD guests, user.othermail is the new source for this claim. Finally, the claim is emitted with a value of user.othermail for Britta.
As a final example, consider what happens if Britta has no user.othermail configured or it's empty. The claim falls back to user.extensionattribute1 ignoring the condition entry in both cases.
Advanced claims options
Configure advanced claims options for OIDC applications to expose the same claim as SAML tokens. Also for applications that intend to use the same claim for both SAML2.0 and OIDC response tokens.
Configure advanced claim options by checking the box under Advanced Claims Options in the Manage claims blade.
Next steps
- Learn more about the claims and tokens used in Azure AD.
Feedback
Submit and view feedback for