Summary and recommendation
Desktop Central (now called ManageEngine Endpoint Central) does not support SCIM provisioning on any plan. This endpoint management platform focuses on device configuration, patch management, and software deployment rather than identity lifecycle management. While Desktop Central offers SAML SSO integration with identity providers like Okta and Microsoft Entra ID, this only handles authentication for IT staff accessing the management console—it doesn't provision user accounts or manage access to the thousands of endpoints under management.
This creates a significant operational gap for IT teams managing large device fleets. Without automated provisioning, IT administrators must manually create accounts for new technicians, configure role-based permissions for different support tiers, and remember to deprovision access when staff leave. For organizations with distributed IT teams or frequent contractor turnover, this manual overhead becomes a compliance risk and operational bottleneck.
The strategic alternative
Desktop Central has no native SCIM. Automate offboarding, user access reviews, and license workflows across every app, including the ones without APIs. We maintain the integration layer underneath. You focus on judgment, not plumbing.
Quick SCIM facts
| SCIM available? | No |
| SCIM tier required | N/A |
| SSO required first? | No |
| SSO available? | Yes |
| SSO protocol | SAML 2.0 |
| Documentation | Not available |
Supported identity providers
| IdP | SSO | SCIM | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Okta | ✓ | ❌ | No Okta OIN listing found. SSO via SAML with third-party configuration. |
| Microsoft Entra ID | ✓ | ❌ | SAML SSO supported with Microsoft Entra ID. No native SCIM. |
| Google Workspace | Via third-party | ❌ | No native support |
| OneLogin | Via third-party | ❌ | No native support |
The cost of not automating
Without SCIM (or an alternative like Stitchflow), your IT team manages Desktop Central accounts manually. Here's what that costs:
The Desktop Central pricing problem
Desktop Central gates SCIM provisioning behind premium plans, forcing significant cost increases for basic user management.
Tier comparison
| Plan | Price | SSO | SCIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 (25 endpoints) | ||
| Professional | $795/yr (50 endpoints) | ||
| Enterprise | $945/yr (50 endpoints) | ||
| UEM | $1,095/yr (50 endpoints) |
Provisioning options
| Plan | Price | SSO | SCIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 (25 endpoints) | ||
| Professional | $795/yr (50 endpoints) | ||
| Enterprise | $945/yr (50 endpoints) | ||
| UEM | $1,095/yr (50 endpoints) |
What this means in practice
Without SCIM support, Desktop Central requires complete manual user management:
New hire process
Role changes
Offboarding
Additional constraints
Summary of challenges
- Desktop Central does not provide native SCIM at any price tier
- Organizations must rely on third-party tools or manual provisioning
- Our research shows teams manually provisioning this app spend significant hidden costs annually
What Desktop Central actually offers for identity
SAML SSO (All plans)
Desktop Central (now called ManageEngine Endpoint Central) supports SAML 2.0 authentication:
| Setting | Details |
|---|---|
| Protocol | SAML 2.0 |
| Supported IdPs | Microsoft Entra ID, Okta (third-party config), custom SAML providers |
| Configuration | Manual XML metadata exchange |
| User requirement | Local accounts must exist before SSO authentication |
Critical limitation: Desktop Central is an endpoint management platform, not an identity management system. SSO only authenticates IT administrators accessing the Desktop Central console—it doesn't provision user accounts or manage identities on endpoints.
What's actually missing
Desktop Central has no native SCIM provisioning because it's fundamentally an endpoint management tool:
| Feature | Desktop Central | What IT teams need |
|---|---|---|
| User provisioning | ❌ No SCIM support | ✓ Automated user lifecycle |
| Identity sync | ❌ Manual account creation | ✓ Real-time IdP sync |
| Deprovisioning | ❌ Manual deletion required | ✓ Automatic account removal |
| Group management | ❌ No group sync | ✓ Role-based access control |
Why this matters: Desktop Central manages computers and software deployments, not user identities. While other ManageEngine products (Identity360, ADSelfService Plus) offer SCIM, Desktop Central requires manual user management for console access.
The platform's strength is endpoint configuration and patch management—identity provisioning simply isn't part of its core functionality.
What IT admins are saying
Desktop Central's identity management limitations create operational gaps for IT teams managing hybrid environments:
- Manual user account creation required - no automated sync with identity providers
- Identity management limited to local computer accounts, not centralized user provisioning
- Endpoint management and identity provisioning handled by separate ManageEngine products
- Complex licensing across multiple ManageEngine tools to achieve full SCIM capabilities
Desktop Central focuses on endpoint management, not identity provisioning. You need Identity360 or ADSelfService Plus for SCIM functionality.
We have SSO working but still manually manage user access. There's no automated provisioning - it's all endpoint-focused management.
The recurring theme
Desktop Central excels at managing devices but leaves identity provisioning as a manual process, forcing IT teams to either accept the operational overhead or invest in additional ManageEngine products to achieve automated user lifecycle management.
The decision
| Your Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Small IT team managing <25 endpoints | Manual user management is acceptable |
| Single-location deployment with stable IT staff | Manual management with SAML SSO for authentication |
| Multi-site enterprise (100+ endpoints) | Use Stitchflow: automation essential for scale |
| Organizations with compliance requirements | Use Stitchflow: automated provisioning creates proper audit trails |
| Rapid employee onboarding/offboarding | Use Stitchflow: manual endpoint management creates security gaps |
The bottom line
Desktop Central (now Endpoint Central) is a solid endpoint management platform, but it has zero identity provisioning capabilities—it manages devices, not users. For organizations that need automated user lifecycle management alongside their endpoint security, Stitchflow delivers the SCIM-level provisioning that Desktop Central simply doesn't offer.
Make Desktop Central workflows AI-native
Desktop Central has no native SCIM. We build complete offboarding, user access reviews, and license workflows across every app, including the ones without APIs.
Technical specifications
SCIM Version
Not specifiedSupported Operations
Not specifiedSupported Attributes
Plan requirement
Not specifiedPrerequisites
Not specifiedKey limitations
- Now called ManageEngine Endpoint Central
- No native SCIM provisioning - manages endpoints, not identity
- SCIM available in other ManageEngine products (Identity360, ADSelfService Plus)
- Local user management for managed computers only
Documentation not available.
Configuration for Entra ID
Integration type
Microsoft Entra Gallery app
Where to enable
SAML SSO supported with Microsoft Entra ID. No native SCIM.
Use Stitchflow for automated provisioning.
Unlock SCIM for
Desktop Central
Desktop Central has no native SCIM. We still automate end-to-end workflows across every app, including the ones without APIs.
See how it works


