Stitchflow
Pardot logo

Pardot SCIM guide

Connector Only

How to automate Pardot user provisioning, and what it actually costs

Summary and recommendation

Pardot (now Marketing Cloud Account Engagement) does not offer direct SCIM provisioning. Instead, it relies entirely on the Salesforce platform's identity management system. While Salesforce does support SCIM at the platform level, this creates a complex dependency where IT teams must manage Pardot users through Salesforce's broader ecosystem. This means you need Salesforce platform access and must navigate Salesforce's SCIM implementation, which can be unnecessarily complex for teams who only need to provision marketing users into Pardot itself.

This platform dependency creates significant operational overhead. IT teams must either grant broad Salesforce admin access to manage marketing users, or constantly handle manual provisioning requests through Salesforce. The integration assumes you're already deep in the Salesforce ecosystem with dedicated platform administrators, which isn't always the case for companies using Pardot as a standalone marketing automation tool.

The strategic alternative

Stitchflow provides SCIM-level provisioning through resilient browser automation for Pardot without requiring Salesforce platform expertise or additional admin overhead. Works with any Pardot plan and any identity provider. Flat pricing under $5K/year, regardless of your marketing team size.

Quick SCIM facts

SCIM available?No
SCIM tier requiredN/A
SSO required first?Yes
SSO available?Yes
SSO protocolSAML 2.0
DocumentationOfficial docs

Supported identity providers

IdPSSOSCIMNotes
OktaPardot uses Salesforce identity management. Provisioning handled via Salesforce platform SCIM, not directly to Pardot.
Microsoft Entra IDPardot uses Salesforce identity management. Configure SCIM through Salesforce Azure AD integration.
Google WorkspaceVia third-partyNo native support
OneLoginVia third-partyNo native support

The cost of not automating

Without SCIM (or an alternative like Stitchflow), your IT team manages Pardot accounts manually. Here's what that costs:

Source: Stitchflow aggregate data across apps with 2+ instances, normalized to 500 employees
Orphaned accounts (ex-employees with access)7
Unused licenses12
IT hours spent on manual management/year101 hours
Unused license cost/year$3,925
IT labor cost/year$6,088
Cost of compliance misses/year$1,741
Total annual financial impact$11,754

The Pardot pricing problem

Pardot gates SCIM provisioning behind premium plans, forcing significant cost increases for basic user management.

Tier comparison

PlanPriceSSOSCIM
Growth$1,250/month
Via Salesforce only
Plus$2,500/month
Via Salesforce only
Advanced$4,000/month
Via Salesforce only
Premium$15,000/month
Via Salesforce only

Pricing structure

PlanPriceSCIM Support
Growth$1,250/monthVia Salesforce only
Plus$2,500/monthVia Salesforce only
Advanced$4,000/monthVia Salesforce only
Premium$15,000/monthVia Salesforce only

All Pardot provisioning must go through Salesforce's SCIM endpoints, not directly to Pardot itself.

What this means in practice

Salesforce platform dependency: Your IdP connects to Salesforce's SCIM API, which then provisions users into Pardot. This creates a multi-step process where issues in Salesforce affect Pardot access.

Complex attribute mapping: User attributes and role assignments often require manual configuration within Salesforce before they properly sync to Pardot, defeating the purpose of automated provisioning.

Ecosystem lock-in: Since Pardot uses Salesforce identity, you're effectively managing two systems (Salesforce + Pardot) even if you only need marketing automation.

Additional constraints

Salesforce expertise required
IT teams need to understand Salesforce's identity architecture, not just Pardot
Indirect troubleshooting
Provisioning failures require diagnosing issues across the Salesforce platform stack
Permission complexity
Pardot-specific roles and permissions must be configured separately within the Salesforce org
Platform pricing
Even basic Pardot plans require understanding Salesforce's broader licensing structure

Summary of challenges

  • Pardot 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 Pardot actually offers for identity

SAML SSO via Salesforce platform

Pardot (now Marketing Cloud Account Engagement) doesn't have its own identity system—it uses Salesforce's platform for all authentication and user management:

SettingDetails
ProtocolSAML 2.0
ConfigurationThrough Salesforce org settings, not Pardot directly
Supported IdPsAny SAML 2.0 provider (Okta, Entra, OneLogin)
Access methodUsers authenticate to Salesforce, then access Pardot

SCIM provisioning (through Salesforce)

User provisioning for Pardot happens at the Salesforce platform level:

FeatureSupported?
Create users✓ Yes (via Salesforce SCIM)
Update attributes✓ Yes (via Salesforce SCIM)
Deactivate users✓ Yes (via Salesforce SCIM)
Group sync✓ Yes (via Salesforce SCIM)
Direct Pardot provisioning❌ No

The complexity problem: While SCIM technically works, you're not provisioning directly to Pardot. You're provisioning to Salesforce, then managing Pardot access through Salesforce permission sets and profiles. This adds significant configuration overhead—especially if your team only needs Pardot access, not broader Salesforce functionality.

Okta Integration specifics

The Okta Integration Network shows Pardot as SSO-only:

SSO
Supported via SAML through Salesforce
Provisioning
Listed as "not supported" (because it happens at Salesforce level)
Reality
You configure Salesforce SCIM, then assign Pardot licenses within Salesforce

For teams that just want marketing automation user management, navigating Salesforce's enterprise identity architecture is overkill.

What IT admins are saying

Pardot's integration with Salesforce identity management creates confusion for IT teams managing B2B marketing automation access:

  • Users must be provisioned through Salesforce SCIM, not directly to Pardot
  • Marketing team access requires understanding complex Salesforce ecosystem permissions
  • Account deactivation must happen at the Salesforce platform level
  • License assignment gets complicated when organizations use multiple Salesforce products

Part of Salesforce ecosystem... Uses Salesforce identity management... Some attributes need manual assignment

Salesforce Documentation

SCIM through Salesforce platform... Salesforce acts as both IDP and SDP

Identity Integration Guide

The recurring theme

Pardot (now Marketing Cloud Account Engagement) doesn't have its own identity system - everything flows through Salesforce's platform SCIM. IT teams must navigate Salesforce's enterprise identity management even if they only need marketing automation provisioning.

The decision

Your SituationRecommendation
Small marketing team (<20 users) with stable staffManual management with SSO is workable
Growing B2B company with frequent marketing hiresUse Stitchflow: automation prevents access delays
Enterprise with Salesforce + Pardot integrationUse Stitchflow: simpler than navigating Salesforce SCIM complexity
Multi-brand organization with separate marketing teamsUse Stitchflow: automation essential for scale
Compliance-heavy industries requiring audit trailsUse Stitchflow: automated provisioning provides complete access history

The bottom line

Pardot (Marketing Cloud Account Engagement) relies entirely on Salesforce's identity platform, creating unnecessary complexity for teams that just want automated user provisioning. Rather than wrestling with Salesforce SCIM configurations and enterprise licensing requirements, Stitchflow provides direct automation that works with any Pardot plan and any identity provider.

Automate Pardot without third-party complexity

Stitchflow delivers SCIM-level provisioning through resilient browser automation, backed by 24/7 human in the loop for Pardot at <$5K/year, flat, regardless of team size.

Works alongside or instead of native SCIM
Syncs with your existing IdP (Okta, Entra ID, Google Workspace)
Automates onboarding and offboarding
SOC 2 Type II certified
24/7 human-in-the-loop monitoring
Book a Demo

Technical specifications

SCIM Version

Not specified

Supported Operations

Not specified

Supported Attributes

Not specified

Plan requirement

Not specified

Prerequisites

Not specified

Key limitations

  • Part of Salesforce ecosystem
  • Uses Salesforce identity management
  • Some attributes need manual assignment
  • Rebranded as Marketing Cloud Account Engagement

Configuration for Okta

Integration type

Okta Integration Network (OIN) app

Prerequisite

SSO must be configured before enabling SCIM.

Where to enable

Okta Admin Console → Applications → Pardot → Sign On

Pardot uses Salesforce identity management. Provisioning handled via Salesforce platform SCIM, not directly to Pardot.

Use Stitchflow for automated provisioning.

Unlock SCIM for
Pardot

Pardot doesn't offer SCIM. Get an enterprise-grade SCIM endpoint in your IdP, even without native support.

See how it works
Admin Console
Directory
Applications
Pardot logo
Pardot
via Stitchflow

Last updated: 2026-01-11

* Pricing and features sourced from public documentation.

Keep exploring

Related apps

Iterable logo

Iterable

No SCIM

Marketing Automation

ProvisioningNot Supported
Manual Cost$11,754/yr

Iterable, the marketing automation platform, does not support SCIM provisioning on any plan. While Iterable offers SAML 2.0 SSO with just-in-time (JIT) provisioning that can create user accounts on first login, this creates a one-way flow that leaves IT teams without automated deprovisioning capabilities. Users who lose access in your identity provider won't be automatically removed from Iterable, requiring manual intervention to verify account status and revoke access within the platform itself. This creates a significant security gap for marketing teams using Iterable. When employees leave or change roles, their Iterable accounts remain active even after IdP access is revoked, potentially allowing continued access to customer data, campaign insights, and marketing automation workflows. For compliance-conscious organizations, this manual deprovisioning requirement creates audit trail gaps and increases the risk of data exposure from dormant accounts.

View full guide
Marketo logo

Marketo

No SCIM

Marketing Automation

ProvisioningNot Supported
Manual Cost$11,754/yr

Adobe Marketo Engage does not support native SCIM provisioning with Okta, despite being widely used by marketing teams in Okta environments. While Marketo offers limited SCIM support through Azure AD or Google Workspace via the Adobe Admin Console, this leaves Okta customers with manual user provisioning workflows. Even with Okta's integration offering "Group Linking, Schema Discovery, and Attribute Writeback," users still must be manually created in Marketo before SSO can work—creating a significant operational gap for IT teams managing marketing technology stacks. This limitation is particularly problematic for enterprise organizations where marketing teams frequently change, contractors need temporary access, and compliance requires automated deprovisioning. The lack of Okta SCIM support means IT admins must maintain separate provisioning processes for Marketo while automating everything else through their identity provider. Adobe's focus on their own identity ecosystem through the Adobe Admin Console effectively creates vendor lock-in for automated provisioning capabilities.

View full guide
6sense logo

6sense

No SCIM

B2B Revenue Intelligence / ABM

ProvisioningNot Supported
Manual Cost$11,754/yr

6sense, the B2B revenue intelligence platform, has paused SCIM provisioning for new customers until Q4 2026. While existing customers with SCIM enabled can continue using it, new implementations are limited to JIT (Just-In-Time) provisioning through SAML SSO. This creates a significant gap for IT teams managing revenue intelligence access, as JIT only creates users on first login and provides minimal attribute mapping (email, first name, last name only). For an enterprise platform with typical pricing of $55,000-$130,000 annually, the absence of automated user lifecycle management is a substantial limitation. The lack of SCIM until Q4 2026 forces IT teams into manual provisioning workflows for a platform handling sensitive revenue data. While SAML SSO handles authentication, it doesn't address user lifecycle events like role changes, department transfers, or offboarding. This creates compliance risks in revenue teams where access to prospect data and sales intelligence must be tightly controlled. The nearly two-year wait for SCIM restoration means organizations implementing 6sense today face manual user management for the foreseeable future.

View full guide