Improve “Failed to Assert User” Login Error Messaging with Context-Specific Details

jluchok

Currently, when users encounter authentication issues in Anaplan, they are often presented with the generic error message:

“Failed to assert user”

This message does not provide any meaningful context or guidance to the end user or administrator regarding the root cause of the failure.

In enterprise environments leveraging SSO, SCIM, and multiple authentication pathways, this generic message can be triggered by a wide range of scenarios, including but not limited to:

• User is disabled in Anaplan
• User does not exist in the tenant
• Incorrect authentication method used (SSO vs. basic login)
• SSO misconfiguration or certificate issues
• User not assigned to the correct workspace or tenant
• Expired or mismatched identity provider attributes

Because all of these scenarios return the same generic message, users are unable to self-diagnose, and administrators must spend significant time investigating each case manually.

Impact

• Poor user experience: End users have no clear understanding of why login failed or what action to take
• Increased support burden: Anaplan administrators must troubleshoot each case individually, often involving multiple systems (IdP, SCIM, tenant admin)
• Delayed resolution times: Lack of actionable error messaging slows down onboarding and access restoration
• Inconsistent support outcomes: Different admins may interpret and troubleshoot the same error differently due to lack of clarity

Proposed Enhancement

Enhance the “Failed to assert user” error handling to provide context-aware, user-friendly, and actionable messaging based on the underlying failure scenario.

Example improvements:

Instead of:

“Failed to assert user”

Provide messages such as:

• User not found
  • “No Anaplan account is associated with your credentials. Please contact your administrator.”
• Incorrect login method
  • “This account is configured for Single Sign-On (SSO). Please log in using your organization’s SSO link.”
• User disabled
  • “Your Anaplan account is currently disabled. Please contact your administrator.”
• SSO configuration issue
  • “We were unable to authenticate you via your identity provider. Please try again or contact support if the issue persists.”
• Access not provisioned
  • “You do not currently have access to any Anaplan workspaces. Please contact your administrator.”

Business Value

• Reduces administrative overhead and support tickets to Anaplan Support
• Improves onboarding and login success rates
• Enhances user confidence and platform usability