Manager field not syncing via Azure AD SCIM integration

Ben Pemstein Ben Pemstein
· Updated

The manager field fails to populate or update in 15Five after an Azure AD SCIM sync. This article covers the two most common causes: an incorrect ID mapped in Azure AD and a downstream application overwriting the manager attribute before it reaches 15Five.

Diagnose

Check 1: Identity resolution order 15Five resolves individuals in this order: SCIM ID → User ID → Email → Employee ID. If the manager's record cannot be matched using one of these identifiers, the manager field will not populate.

  • How to check: In Azure AD, open the provisioning logs and find the affected user's sync event. Confirm the manager attribute is sending a value that corresponds to one of the four identifiers above.
  • If true (value is missing or does not match any identifier): Proceed to Fix 1.
  • If not (value is present and matches): Proceed to Check 2.

Check 2: Manager attribute mapping The manager attribute in Azure AD must map to the correct SCIM extension schema.

  • How to check: In Azure AD, go to Provisioning → Mappings → Provision Azure Active Directory Users. Find the manager row and confirm the target attribute is urn:ietf:params:scim:schemas:extension:enterprise:2.0:User:manager or urn:ietf:params:scim:schemas:extension:enterprise:2.0:User:manager.value.
  • If true (mapping is missing or points to the wrong target): Proceed to Fix 2.
  • If not (mapping is correct): Proceed to Check 3.

Check 3: Downstream software conflict A third-party system syncing into Azure AD may overwrite the manager attribute before Azure AD pushes to 15Five.

  • How to check: Review any HR or identity systems that write data to Azure AD. Confirm whether those systems populate or blank out the manager field on the Azure AD user object.
  • If true (another system is overwriting or clearing the manager field): Proceed to Fix 3.
  • If not: Contact 15Five Support — see If It Still Fails.

Fix

Fix 1 — Correct the manager identifier value

  1. In Azure AD, open the manager's user profile.
  2. Confirm the manager has an objectId or employeeId value populated.
  3. Ensure the same identifier exists on the manager's 15Five profile.
  4. Trigger a manual sync by updating any field on the affected user's Azure AD profile.
  5. Wait up to 40 minutes and check the manager field in 15Five.

Fix 2 — Correct the manager attribute mapping

  1. In Azure AD, navigate to Enterprise Applications and open the 15Five app.
  2. Go to Provisioning → Mappings → Provision Azure Active Directory Users.
  3. Locate the manager mapping row and click it to edit.
  4. Set Source attribute to manager or manager.value.
  5. Set Target attribute to urn:ietf:params:scim:schemas:extension:enterprise:2.0:User:manager.
  6. Click OK to save.
  7. If manager is not available as a source attribute, click Edit attribute list for customappsso.
  8. Enter manager.value for the attribute name, Reference for the type, and urn:ietf:params:scim:schemas:extension:enterprise:2.0:User for the referenced object attribute.
  9. Click Add Attribute, then return to the User Attribute Mapping page.
  10. Click Add New Mapping and configure the manager mapping as described in steps 4–6.
  11. Save and trigger a sync by updating a field on the affected user in Azure AD.

Fix 3 — Resolve downstream software conflict

  1. Identify the system writing to the manager field in Azure AD.
  2. Confirm whether that system should be the authoritative source for manager data.
  3. If 15Five should receive manager data from Azure AD, configure the downstream system to stop overwriting the manager attribute on the Azure AD user object.
  4. Trigger a manual sync by updating any field on the affected user's Azure AD profile.
  5. Wait up to 40 minutes and verify the manager field in 15Five.

What resolution looks like

After a successful sync, the affected user's Reports to field in their 15Five profile displays the correct manager's name. The Azure AD provisioning log shows no errors on the manager attribute row for that user.

If it still fails

Email 15Five Support at support@15five.com. Include:

  • The affected user's email address
  • The manager's email address
  • A screenshot of the Azure AD provisioning log error for the affected sync event
  • Confirmation of which attribute is mapped in Azure AD for the manager field

Not covered here

This article covers the manager field only. For other fields not syncing correctly, contact 15Five Support directly.

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