# Getting started: identify users

1. [Home](https://www.agilicus.com/)
2. [Agilicus AnyX Administrative Web Interface](https://www.agilicus.com/anyx-guide/agilicus-anyx-administrative-web-interface/)
3. [Getting Started](https://www.agilicus.com/anyx-guide/agilicus-anyx-administrative-web-interface/getting-started/)
4. Getting started: identify users

![](https://www.agilicus.com/www/244a2f99-featured-anyx-admin-getting-startedidentify-users.png)## Getting started: identify users

[CONTACT](/contact-us/)

The second setup task configures where your users come from. Agilicus AnyX does not create duplicate user accounts: it connects to your existing identity provider, and users sign in with the credentials they already have.

![Identify users guide](https://www.agilicus.com/www/30af44be-identify-users.png)    ## What this task is for

You choose how your users authenticate. The platform needs to know which identity provider to trust, so that when a user signs in, the platform can recognise them and apply their permissions.

## The choices

The guide asks which identity provider you use:

- **I use Microsoft to identify my users.** The guide helps you configure a Microsoft identity provider (for example Azure Active Directory).
- **I use Google, Apple or Linkedin to identify my users.** The guide helps you configure one of those providers.
- **I use my own internal identity provider.** The guide helps you configure an onsite or custom identity provider, so your users authenticate against your own directory (for example Active Directory) without their credentials leaving your network.

## How to do it

1. Open **Getting Started > Identify Users** from the left navigation.
2. Choose the identity provider type that matches your organisation.
3. Follow the guide's questions (for example whether you have a Microsoft account type, or whether you need to run your own identity provider).
4. When the guide points to the identity configuration screens, open **Authentication > (Shared, Custom, or Onsite Identity)** and complete the configuration for your provider.
5. Test that a user can sign in.
6. Mark **Identify Users** complete on the task board.

## After you finish

Users can authenticate. You can now expose resources ([Expose a resource](/anyx-guide/agilicus-anyx-administrative-web-interface/getting-started/expose-resource/)) and grant access to those users ([Assign permissions](/anyx-guide/agilicus-anyx-administrative-web-interface/getting-started/assign-permissions/)).

## Configuration versus diagnostics

- **Configuration**: setting up the identity provider (see [Identity and authentication](/anyx-guide/agilicus-anyx-administrative-web-interface/concepts/identity-and-authentication/) and the [Authentication](/anyx-guide/agilicus-anyx-administrative-web-interface/authentication/overview/) section of this guide).
- **Diagnostics**: verifying sign-in events in the [authentication audit](/anyx-guide/agilicus-anyx-administrative-web-interface/organisation/authentication-audit/).

## Troubleshooting

- Users cannot sign in: check the identity provider configuration and the [authentication policy](/anyx-guide/agilicus-anyx-administrative-web-interface/authentication/authentication-policy/); verify sign-in attempts in the [authentication audit](/anyx-guide/agilicus-anyx-administrative-web-interface/organisation/authentication-audit/).
- Users sign in but have no access: permissions are a separate step, see [Assign permissions](/anyx-guide/agilicus-anyx-administrative-web-interface/getting-started/assign-permissions/).

## See also

- [Identity and authentication](/anyx-guide/agilicus-anyx-administrative-web-interface/concepts/identity-and-authentication/)
- [Shared identity](/anyx-guide/agilicus-anyx-administrative-web-interface/authentication/shared-identity/)
- [Custom identity](/anyx-guide/agilicus-anyx-administrative-web-interface/authentication/custom-identity/)
- [Onsite identity](/anyx-guide/agilicus-anyx-administrative-web-interface/authentication/onsite-identity/)
- [Getting started: overview](/anyx-guide/agilicus-anyx-administrative-web-interface/getting-started/overview/)

## Web guide

- [Identity and authentication methods](https://www.agilicus.com/product-guide/identity-and-authentication)
- [Authentication issuer: custom identity](https://www.agilicus.com/product-guide/authentication-issuer)
- [When should I use an onsite identity?](https://www.agilicus.com/when-should-i-use-an-onsite-identity)