Why MSPs automate routine identity tasks
Much of identity management is routine: checking which certificates are close to expiring, watching for unusual sign-ins, keeping track of what changed in the admin console and who changed it. The challenge is doing it the same way, on time, for every client, every time.
Manual checks depend on someone remembering to run them. Alerts set up even slightly differently for each client are harder to support. And the more clients you manage, the more time these small tasks take—time your technicians could spend on work that needs their judgment. It’s this type of work that automation is built for.
Okta Workflows is included with Okta Pro
Okta Workflows is a no-code platform for automating processes across Okta and third-party systems. Each automation is built from one or more flows: a trigger, such as a user signing in or an admin changing a setting, followed by the actions you want to take.
Every Okta org with ZeroTek's Okta Pro licensing includes up to 5 active flows. Flows that are turned off don't count toward that limit, so you can build and keep more than you run at any one time.
For many clients, 5 active flows is enough to cover the automations that matter most. Okta Workflows' visual, no-code builder makes it straightforward to create your own, and for the most common MSP tasks, you can move even faster by starting from workflows that have already been built and tested by the ZeroTek team.
ZeroTek's library of field-tested Okta workflows
ZeroTek Technical Services maintains a library of field-tested Okta workflows that partners can use at no charge. Each one comes with documentation that shows exactly what the workflow does, a map of the configured flow, how many flows it uses, and step-by-step instructions for importing it and customizing it for a client.
A few that MSPs find especially useful:
Alerts when Okta admin actions are taken. Notifies the right people when impactful changes are made in a client's Okta org, so changes don't go unnoticed—whoever made them.
SAML certificate expiry notifications. Checks expiration dates on SAML certificates for a client's apps and warns admins in time to renew, before an expired certificate causes a sign-in outage.
Lockout alerts from unrecognized devices. Detects account lockouts triggered from devices Okta doesn't recognize and alerts the right team in real time.
Microsoft 365 session revocation on password change. Ends a user's Microsoft 365 sessions when their Okta password changes, so old sessions don't linger with outdated credentials.
Sign-in alerts from outside a defined region. Sends an alert when someone signs in from outside the US or any other zone you configure. For risk-based detection and automatic response, see how Okta Identity Threat Protection works for MSPs.
Some library workflows use more than one flow, and each workflow's documentation says so up front, so you can plan a client's flows before you import anything. If you're a ZeroTek partner, you can see the full library in the Help Center when you have an active session in ZeroTek.
Standardize automation across clients
For an MSP or IT services provider, the value of automation compounds. Once a workflow is configured, tested, and documented for one client, deploying it for the next is much faster—and every client gets the same, proven process.
That consistency makes automation a service, not a one-off project. You can define a standard set of workflows for every client, add the ones a specific client needs, and know exactly what's running where when you support it.
How to get more than 5 active flows
As clients grow, or as you automate more for them, a client may need more than 5 active flows. ZeroTek offers two month-to-month add-ons that raise the limit to 50 for the target Okta org:
The Okta Workflows add-on is the right fit when a client needs automation only.
The Okta Identity Governance (OIG) add-on includes the same 50 active flows, plus access requests, access reviews, and time-bound access. For a client that also needs governance, it's the better value. See how OIG works for MSPs.
A client needs one or the other, not both.
When to add the Okta Workflows add-on
The Okta Workflows add-on is a strong fit when:
A client's routine identity tasks take regular technician time and would run better automated.
A client needs more automations running at once than 5 active flows allow.
A client's processes span Okta and other systems that need to stay in sync.
The add-on may not be needed yet when:
A client's automation needs fit comfortably within the 5 included active flows.
Whatever the client's size, plan for ownership: someone on your team should know which workflows are running for each client and keep them up to date as the client's environment changes.
Month-to-month Okta Workflows licensing
SMBs benefit from automation as much as larger organizations do. Okta's direct purchasing model—annual contracts with upfront payment—is built for enterprises buying identity for themselves. To bring its technology to the MSP channel, Okta chose ZeroTek as its exclusive partner, with a licensing model built for how MSPs and their clients prefer to buy.
As with the rest of ZeroTek's MSP-friendly Okta licensing, add-ons are billed monthly with no annual contract, and you set the price for your clients. Your client gets automation as a predictable monthly service, and you add a service line without committing capital ahead of demand.
Get started
If you’re a ZeroTek partner, start with the 5 active flows every client already has and reach out to success@zerotek.com when you’re ready for more. Learn more about how month-to-month add-ons work.
New to ZeroTek? Book a call with an Okta-certified expert to talk through what you could automate for your clients.