Managing Login IDs in Flows
This guide explains how you can effectively manage and use Login IDs within Descope Flows, as well as what a Login ID is in the context of Descope.
Login ID Overview
A Login ID is a unique identifier used by systems to authenticate a user's identity. This could be an email address, phone number, or a custom identifier (i.e. username). Proper management of these identifiers is essential for securing user accounts and facilitating smooth login processes.
Since a user can have multiple login IDs, the values a user has for email, phone, etc. can differ from the login ID(s) they have. The purpose of the login ID is used specifically to identify the user with one of the authentication methods supported in Descope.
Login IDs can also be used to search for users, instead of Descope internal User IDs, via our SDKs or APIs.
To append login IDs to an existing user, you can use the Identity Merging features in Descope Flows, documented here.
Collecting Login IDs in Flows
Configuring the collection of Login IDs with Flows can be completed within the Descope using specialized input components designed to validate and handle different types of user identifiers.
Email as Login ID
For collecting email addresses as Login IDs, use the Email Input Field. This component not only collects the email but also ensures that the input is sanitized and validated against standard email formats.
Example of using Email Input Field:
Phone Number as Login ID
To use phone numbers as Login IDs, employ the Phone Number Input Field. This component is tailored to capture phone numbers and includes built-in validation to check for correct phone number formats.
Example of using Phone Number Input Field:
The Phone Number component has many customizable features such as Country Code Auto Detection, Allowed Countries, etc. These are located on the right-hand side bar.
Custom Login ID
If the Login ID does not fit standard formats like email or phone number, utilize the Custom Login ID Input Field. This is typical used to represent the concept of a username or some LDAP ID that is needed to be able to sign in and associate the user with their account.
Example of using Custom Login ID Input Field:
Note on Generic Inputs
While generic textarea or input fields can collect user data, they cannot be directly mapped to a Login ID without additional configuration. These fields lack the specific validations and handling provided by the specialized input components.
For more on how to manage Descope Flows in general, see our doc page.