Identify automation tasks for lifecycle events
Implementation Effort: Medium – Requires collaboration among IT, HR, and identity governance teams to map lifecycle events to appropriate automated tasks and configure workflows accordingly.
User Impact: Low – Automation operates in the background; end users are not directly involved or required to take action.
Overview
Identifying tasks to automate for Joiner, Mover, and Leaver events in Microsoft Entra ID is a foundational step in scaling identity governance. Built-in tasks can handle actions like assigning or removing group memberships, enabling or disabling accounts, and sending onboarding notifications. For business requirements not covered by built-in capabilities, administrators can define custom task extensions that invoke Azure Logic Apps, enabling external system integrations or complex multi-step workflows. This planning effort enforces the Zero Trust principle "Use least privilege access" by ensuring access rights align tightly with employment status and role. It also supports "Assume breach" by automating the removal of access and cleanup of stale permissions during offboarding events. Without a clearly defined and automated task set for JML events, organizations risk inconsistent access controls, delayed revocation, and manual errors that expose systems to threat actors.