Initial setup instructions

Tip

Some of the terms we use may be unfamiliar to you. If there's anything you don't understand, refer to our glossary for more information.

By now, it is assumed you have already signed up to Signicat. When you first log in to the Signicat Dashboard, it is empty. You have to configure some options to be able to use Signicat's products. At the very least, you have to create an organisation and an account, set up an OIDC client or a SAML connection and then set up at least one ID method.

The order of steps we advise is as follows:

1. Create an organisation
2. Create an account
3. Add a domain for your account
4. Create an OIDC client / SAML connection

Create an organisation

What is an organisation?

An organisation is the higher level of hierarchy in the Dashboard. An organisation represents a legal entity with a VAT number so, in most cases, you only need to create one, which represents your company.

An organisation can have several accounts under it, since each account has its own domain, permissions and branding. The information in each account is stored separately, which may be an important consideration depending on your needs. Having separate accounts can also be helpful for billing purposes (e.g. if two departments within your company are using Signicat products). Finally, it allows you to thoroughly control how each account is used.

How to create an organisation

1. Log in to the Dashboard (opens new window).
2. Click Get started.
3. Using the dropdown at the top left click Create organisation. If you have already created an organisation previously, click the name of your organisation in the top left and then select Manage.
4. Enter the name of your organisation and click Create.

Done! You can always add more organisations by repeating steps 3 and 4 above. The next step is to create an account.

Create an account

1. Log in to the Dashboard (opens new window).
2. Click the name of your organisation at the top left of the screen and then select Manage.
3. Under Organisation management, click Add Account.
4. Enter the name of your account under Account Name and click Create.

Note

The instructions above are for creating a sandbox account. To create a production account, untick the Sandbox account box below the Account Name field.

Add a domain

When you create an account, you can use a Signicat subdomain (for example, mycompany.signicat.com) or your own domain. Both options are explained below.

Creating an account with a Signicat subdomain

1. After you have created an account, select Add new domain to proceed. You can also return to the domain page by clicking the name of your organisation at the top left of the screen, select Manage then choose Account actions and Manage domains.
2. Under Accounts, click Create account.
3. In the Subdomain field, enter the name of your subdomain.
4. In the Account field, enter the name of the account you're creating.

Creating an account with a custom domain

1. After you have created an account, select Add new domain to proceed. You can also return to the domain page by clicking the name of your organisation at the top left of the screen, select Manage then choose Account actions and Manage domains.
2. To use your own domain, click the Custom domain option to proceed.
3. Next, the Certificate Signing Request (CSR) is added. There are two options for adding certificates:
   • If you want to use your own domain certificate, select Certificate signing request. This must be done before adding your custom domain. Now you can add the CSR parameters and your custom domain.
   • Alternatively, the Let's Encrypt certificate will be added for you when you proceed with the next steps.
4. In the Domain name field, enter the domain that you want to use for this account.
5. In the Account field, enter the name of the account you're creating.
6. In the Contact email field, enter the email of the person responsible for this account.
7. In the Contact name field, enter the name of the person responsible for this account.
8. When you have entered all the required information, click Submit.
9. Configure the required DNS records as outlined on the screen. When they are configured, click Check DNS to confirm.

Important

When adding your own CSR you will need to do this before adding your custom domain as you cannot navigate back. Otherwise, you will need to delete the domain and reconfigure it.

The next step will be to add an authentication protocol, such as creating an OIDC client or a SAML connection as described in the next section.

Continue with configuration

Add an authentication protocol

Configure your authentication protocols using OpenID Connect or SAML.