Impact of Changing Okta Custom Attribute Source Priority and Import Requirements

Configuring source priority at the attribute level in Okta affects only that specific attribute and does not impact existing attributes or their data. Depending on how directories populate the custom attribute values, an import is necessary for the values to appear in user profiles.

• Okta Identity Engine (OIE)
• Okta Classic Engine
• Active Directory (AD)
• CSV Directory
• User Profiles

Does changing the source priority for a custom attribute impact existing attributes?

Configuring the custom attribute with Override profile source and a different priority order does not affect any other attributes or existing user data. Attribute-level sourcing remains isolated. When configuring a custom attribute to Override profile source, Okta creates a separate sourcing rule for that attribute only. The profile source priority continues to govern all other attributes. Attributes with an existing Inherit from profile source configuration continue to use the default profile source priority. Changing the source priority for one new custom attribute does not alter the source priority of existing attributes. Setting a different source priority for the custom attribute does not modify, overwrite, or delete values in existing user attributes.

An import is necessary after adding a custom attribute depending on the source.

Determine the import requirements for custom attributes by reviewing the scenarios for directory-sourced attributes, Okta-managed attributes, and new user creation.

• Active Directory (AD) or CSV Directory sources the custom attribute: Perform an import (either full or incremental) from the respective directory after adding the attribute to the User Profile. The import ensures that Okta reads the attribute values from the directory source and populates them in user profiles. Without an import, the attribute exists in the profile schema but remains empty for existing users.
• Okta exclusively manages the custom attribute: An import is unnecessary. Populate the attribute values manually through the Okta Admin Console, the Okta Application Programming Interface (API), or through application profile mappings.
• Creating new users after adding the attribute: Directory imports automatically populate the attribute for new users during the import process.

NOTE: After adding the custom attribute to the User Profile and configuring the source priority, perform an incremental import from AD to populate the custom attribute values for existing users. This ensures all users have the attribute value available for use as a login identifier.