Quick Answer
The answer is Single Sign-On (SSO). This is correct because SSO allows users to authenticate once with Microsoft Entra ID and then access multiple SaaS applications without being prompted again, using standards like SAML 2.0 or OpenID Connect to issue a session token or cookie that is reused across applications. On the Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 exam, this concept tests your understanding of identity federation and how to streamline user access across a SaaS ecosystem, often appearing in scenario-based questions where you must choose between SSO, Conditional Access, or Identity Protection. A common trap is confusing SSO with Seamless SSO, which is a specific password hash sync feature for on-premises apps—remember that for cloud SaaS applications, standard SSO with federation protocols is the correct choice. Memory tip: think "one token, many apps" to recall that SSO eliminates repeated credential prompts by reusing a single authentication session.
This AZ-305 practice question tests your understanding of design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company uses Microsoft Entra ID (Microsoft Entra ID). They want to allow users to sign in to multiple SaaS applications using their Microsoft Entra ID credentials without being prompted again for each application. Which Microsoft Entra ID feature should they enable?
Single Sign-On (SSO)
Correct. SSO provides seamless access to multiple apps after a single authentication.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Why wrong: MFA adds an extra factor but does not eliminate reprompts between applications.
Conditional Access
Why wrong: Conditional Access enforces policies but does not provide single sign-on.
Identity Protection
Why wrong: Identity Protection identifies risky sign-ins but does not enable SSO.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Single Sign-On (SSO)
Single Sign-On (SSO) enables users to authenticate once with Microsoft Entra ID and then access multiple SaaS applications without being prompted again. This works by using standards like SAML 2.0 or OpenID Connect to issue a session token or cookie that is reused across applications, eliminating repeated credential prompts.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Single Sign-On (SSO)
Why this is correct
Correct. SSO provides seamless access to multiple apps after a single authentication.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Why it's wrong here
MFA adds an extra factor but does not eliminate reprompts between applications.
Conditional Access
Why it's wrong here
Conditional Access enforces policies but does not provide single sign-on.
Identity Protection
Why it's wrong here
Identity Protection identifies risky sign-ins but does not enable SSO.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse MFA or Conditional Access with SSO, thinking that additional security features inherently reduce sign-in prompts, but in reality, SSO is the specific feature designed to eliminate repeated prompts, while MFA and Conditional Access are complementary security controls that do not provide that functionality.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, SSO in Microsoft Entra ID relies on a federated identity protocol such as SAML 2.0 or OAuth 2.0/OpenID Connect. When a user signs in, Entra ID issues a session cookie (e.g., the `ESTSAUTHPERSISTENT` cookie) that is valid for the configured session lifetime, and subsequent applications redirect the user to Entra ID, which silently validates the existing session and issues a token for that app without user interaction. In a real-world scenario, if an organization uses hundreds of SaaS apps like Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Slack, SSO ensures users authenticate only once per session, significantly reducing password fatigue and helpdesk calls.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
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FAQ
Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions — This question tests Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Single Sign-On (SSO) — Single Sign-On (SSO) enables users to authenticate once with Microsoft Entra ID and then access multiple SaaS applications without being prompted again. This works by using standards like SAML 2.0 or OpenID Connect to issue a session token or cookie that is reused across applications, eliminating repeated credential prompts.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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