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# When One Field Has to Do the Work of Two
- URL: https://blog.aronis.de/when-one-field-has-to-do-the-work-of-two-2/
- Published: 2026-04-01T16:39:15.000Z
- Updated: 2026-04-01T16:39:15.000Z
- Author: Thomas Schreiner
- Tags: #Import 2026-08-27 21:48

The unexpected SCIM trick that saved our user lifecycle automation

You've probably seen it on the [LeanIX roadmap](https://roadmap.leanix.net/c/541-administration-improved-user-lifecycle-management): improved User Lifecycle Management is coming. One of the highlights? Triggering actions when a user's department changes. Updates, subscription management, the works.

Sounds great. But it can become tricky if organizations aren't that simple.

## The Problem: Departments Aren't Unique

Many companies don't just have *one* company in LeanIX. They have *hundreds*. And guess what? Department names repeat. "Demand Management" exists in Company A, Company B, and probably Companies C through Z.

Triggering an automation based on "Department = IT" would be chaos. We needed *both* pieces of information: department AND company.

Also, we might want to auto-tag fact sheets based on the company, not just the department.

Simple requirements. Not-so-simple solution.

## Attempt #1: SAML

SAML is the backbone of most enterprise SSO setups. Surely we could pass department and company as attributes?

**Result:** Nope. LeanIX doesn't map `department` or `companyName` from SAML claims. The attributes arrive, but they disappear into the void. Dead end.

## Attempt #2: SCIM

SCIM (System for Cross-domain Identity Management) is the standard for user provisioning. Microsoft Entra ID supports it, LeanIX supports it – match made in heaven?

Almost.

SCIM successfully syncs the `department` field. But `companyName`? LeanIX has no field for it. We tried every mapping combination. We read the docs twice. We read them backwards.

**Result:** Department works. Company doesn't. Half a solution.

## Attempt #3: The Join Expression Hack

Then someone smart came up with a solution that changed everything:

*"Well, you could just... put both values in the department field!"*

In Entra ID's SCIM attribute mapping, you can use expressions. Instead of mapping a single attribute, you can *join* multiple values:

```
Join(";", [department], [companyName])
```

This writes something like `Demand Management;Company A` into the department field.

**Result:** IT WORKS. 🎉

## What This Unlocks

Now we can query any user via the MTM API:

```
GET /services/mtm/v1/workspace/{id}/users/{userId}
```

The response includes the department field with our comma-separated payload. A simple split later, and we have both values ready for automation:

One field. Two values. Endless possibilities.

## The Takeaway

Sometimes the elegant solution isn't a new feature or a custom integration. Sometimes it's creatively using what's already there.

SCIM gave us one field. We made it count for two.

*Automating your LeanIX user lifecycle processes or auto-creating relations, permissions or tags based on organizations?* [*Reach out to us*](https://aronis.de/?ref=blog.aronis.de#contact) *– we've got you covered.*

*PS. Special thanks to Belén – your support was our turbo boost! 🚀*