Summary and recommendation
Slack supports SCIM provisioning (the protocol that lets your identity provider automatically create, update, and remove user accounts). But Slack restricts full SCIM functionality to Enterprise Grid—its top-tier plan that costs ~$230/user/year and requires custom pricing negotiations. Teams on Business+ ($180/user/year) get SSO but no automated provisioning, creating a manual management burden that defeats the purpose of centralized identity management.
The pricing jump from Business+ to Enterprise Grid represents a 28% increase plus the complexity of Grid's multi-workspace architecture. For a 200-person team, that's an additional $10,000/year just to unlock automated user lifecycle management. Once you upgrade to Enterprise Grid, Slack's policy is permanent—no downgrades allowed, ever—making this a high-stakes decision that locks you into their most expensive tier indefinitely.
The strategic alternative
Stitchflow provides SCIM-level provisioning through resilient browser automation for Slack without requiring Enterprise Grid. Works with Business+ plans and any identity provider. Flat pricing under $5K/year, regardless of team size, with no permanent commitments.
Quick SCIM facts
| SCIM available? | Yes |
| SCIM tier required | Enterprise |
| SSO required first? | Yes |
| SSO available? | Yes |
| SSO protocol | SAML 2.0 |
| Documentation | Official docs |
Supported identity providers
| IdP | SSO | SCIM | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Okta | ✓ | ✓ | OIN app with full provisioning |
| Microsoft Entra ID | ✓ | ✓ | Gallery app with SCIM |
| Google Workspace | ✓ | JIT only | SAML SSO with just-in-time provisioning |
| OneLogin | ✓ | ✓ | Supported |
The cost of not automating
Without SCIM (or an alternative like Stitchflow), your IT team manages Slack accounts manually. Here's what that costs:
The Slack pricing problem
Slack gates SCIM provisioning behind premium plans, forcing significant cost increases for basic user management.
Plan Structure (Per User, Billed Annually)
| Plan | Price | SSO | SCIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro | $7.25/user/mo | ||
| Business+ | $15/user/mo | ||
| Enterprise Grid | ~$20/user/mo |
Note: Enterprise Grid pricing is custom and requires direct negotiation with Slack sales. The ~$240/user/year figure is typical but varies based on commitment and organization size.
What this means in practice
Using typical Enterprise Grid pricing versus Business+ for SCIM access:
| Team Size | Annual Upgrade Cost | Monthly Increase |
|---|---|---|
| 100 users | +$6,000/year | +$500/month |
| 250 users | +$15,000/year | +$1,250/month |
| 500 users | +$30,000/year | +$2,500/month |
Calculation: ($20 - $15) × users × 12 months (using conservative Grid estimate)
Additional constraints
Summary of challenges
- Slack supports SCIM but only at Enterprise tier ($45/user/mo (Enterprise+, custom))
- Lower tiers may include SSO but exclude SCIM provisioning
- Google Workspace users get JIT provisioning only, not full SCIM
- Our research shows teams manually provisioning this app spend significant hidden costs annually
What the upgrade actually includes
Slack doesn't sell SCIM separately. It's exclusively bundled with Enterprise Grid, which transforms your entire Slack experience:
Enterprise Grid fundamentally changes how Slack works—you're not just getting SCIM, you're getting an entirely different product architecture. Most organizations find ~80% of Grid's complexity and features unnecessary if they just need automated user provisioning for their existing workspace setup.
The real challenge: once you upgrade to Enterprise Grid, Slack never allows downgrades. You're permanently locked into the Grid architecture and its associated costs, even if your needs change.
What IT admins are saying
Community sentiment on Slack's SCIM requirements is strongly negative, with IT admins frustrated by the Enterprise Grid lock-in model. Common complaints:
- Being forced into Enterprise Grid pricing just for SCIM provisioning
- The massive price jump from Business+ ($15/user/month) to Grid (~$20/user/month)
- The permanent commitment - once you upgrade to Grid, you can never downgrade
- Complex multi-workspace architecture that many organizations don't need
The Enterprise Grid lock-in is brutal - once you're on it for SCIM, you're stuck forever. No going back to simpler plans.
We just need automated user provisioning, not a complex multi-workspace setup. But Slack forces you into their most expensive tier.
The recurring theme
Slack uses SCIM as leverage to force organizations into their highest-tier plan with permanent commitment, creating vendor lock-in that IT teams deeply resent.
The decision
| Your Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| On Pro or Business+, need SCIM | Use Stitchflow: avoid the Enterprise Grid tier jump and permanent lock-in |
| Already on Enterprise Grid | Use native SCIM: you're paying $19-20/user/month for it |
| Small team (<50 users) with low turnover | Manual may work short-term: but plan for growth challenges |
| Need Grid features beyond SCIM | Evaluate Enterprise Grid: SCIM comes bundled with advanced features |
| Want SCIM flexibility without permanent commitment | Use Stitchflow: no irreversible tier upgrades required |
The bottom line
Slack's Enterprise Grid requirement creates a massive cost barrier—jumping from $15/user/month (Business+) to $19-20/user/month with no downgrade option ever. For teams that need SCIM without the Grid commitment and complexity, Stitchflow delivers the automation at a fraction of the cost.
Automate Slack without the tier upgrade
Stitchflow delivers SCIM-level provisioning through resilient browser automation, backed by 24/7 human in the loop for Slack at <$5K/year, flat, regardless of team size.
Technical specifications
SCIM Version
2.0
Supported Operations
Create, Update, Deactivate, Groups
Supported Attributes
Not specifiedPlan requirement
Enterprise
Prerequisites
SSO must be configured first
Key limitations
- Full SCIM only on Enterprise Grid - not Business+
- Cannot downgrade from Enterprise Grid once upgraded
- Grid requires significant commitment (custom pricing/negotiation)
Configuration for Okta
Integration type
Okta Integration Network (OIN) app with SCIM provisioning
Prerequisite
SSO must be configured before enabling SCIM.
Where to enable
Required credentials
SCIM endpoint URL and bearer token (generated in app admin console).
Configuration steps
Enable Create Users, Update User Attributes, and Deactivate Users.
Provisioning trigger
Okta provisions based on app assignments (users or groups).
Enterprise required for SCIM
Native SCIM is available on Enterprise. Use Stitchflow if you need provisioning without the tier upgrade.
Configuration for Entra ID
Integration type
Microsoft Entra Gallery app with SCIM provisioning
Prerequisite
SSO must be configured before enabling SCIM.
Where to enable
Required credentials
Tenant URL (SCIM endpoint) and Secret token (bearer token from app admin console).
Configuration steps
Set Provisioning Mode = Automatic, configure SCIM connection.
Provisioning trigger
Entra provisions based on user/group assignments to the enterprise app.
Sync behavior
Entra provisioning runs on a scheduled cycle (typically every 40 minutes).
Enterprise required for SCIM
Native SCIM is available on Enterprise. Use Stitchflow if you need provisioning without the tier upgrade.
Unlock SCIM for
Slack
Slack gates automation behind Enterprise Grid plan. Stitchflow delivers the same SCIM outcomes for a flat fee, saving you 176%.
See how it works
