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HiBob to AD Integration: How To Automate Workforce Identity Management

Your organization relies on Human Capital Management (HCM) systems like HiBob and Identity Management Systems (IMS) like Active Directory (AD) to manage employee identities.
If they’re disconnected, it’s costing you more than you think.
But don’t worry, because thanks to products like Hire2Retire, the solution is simple: Integrating HiBob to AD and Entra ID.
In this blog, we’ll cover everything you need to know, including:
Core issues with manual processes
Key benefits of integration and automation
Picking the right integration option for your company
A step-by-step guide to setting up your integration

The Problem with Manual Workforce Identity Management

Many organizations manually manage Joiner-Mover-Leaver (JML) events. The process starts in an HCM like HiBob, which is the source of truth for employee information.
From there, HR tells IT what profile actions and access privilege updates need to be reflected in the IdP. This cross-department communication can happen through:
Emails
Spreadsheets (Excel)
IT Service Desk Tickets
However, manual workforce identity management is not a sustainable practice as companies scale and expand. A constant stream of JML events burdens sysadmins with hours of administrative work every week.
It’s a lose-lose scenario: Sysadmins must ignore high-priority items just to keep up with their workload. But any delays or errors in access updates create security and compliance risks.
HCM to IMS integration solves this problem by automatically reflecting changes in employee accounts without any IT intervention needed.

Why Integrate HiBob to AD and Entra ID?

Faster, Smoother Onboarding

What it Looks Like: New hires have user accounts, email addresses, access privileges, and resources ready on day one.
How it Happens: IT onboarding tasks are automatically completed within minutes of a hiring event processed in HiBob.
Why it Matters: A standardized onboarding experience increases new hire retention rates by 58%, per SHRM.

Stronger Data Security Measures

What it Looks Like: Security risks stemming from ghost employee accounts and unauthorized access are eliminated.
How it Happens: Employee accounts are disabled and access is revoked as soon as they complete their last day.

Why it Matters: CrowdStrike’s 2025 Global Threat Report found that 80% of data attacks use identity-based techniques.

Continuous Compliance and Stress-Free Audits

What it Looks Like: Automation achieves continuous compliance, so organizations are always ready for audits.
How it Happens: Detailed reporting on every access change made creates an easy audit trail for compliance tracking.
Why it Matters: 63% of compliance experts identified unorganized data as the biggest challenge they face, per PwC’s Global Compliance Survey 2025.

How Do I Choose The Right HiBob to AD Integration Method?

Almost every HiBob to AD integration option falls into one of three categories, each with its own benefits and drawbacks.

Custom-Built Integrations

Pros
Maximum control
Tailored functionality
Unlimited customization
Cons
Requires skilled IT resources
Long development times
Needs ongoing maintenance
Suitable For: Larger companies with specific requirements and in-house developers.

iPaaS Solutions (Workato, Boomi)

Pros
Outsourced integration development
The ability to connect many applications
Cons
Limited customization
Becomes costly and ineffective at scale
Suitable For: Smaller organizations.

Lightweight IGA Tools (Hire2Retire)

Pros
No coding or scripting needed
Flexible customization options
Scalable to enterprise-grade
Cons
Longer initial setup time
Suitable For: Almost every organization.

Case Study: AoFrio’s Success with HiBob to AD Integration

AoFrio, a leader in commercial refrigeration solutions, faced challenges managing its global workforce.
The company’s manual JML management process was overwhelming its Sysadmins. Errors, delays, and miscommunication between HR and IT caused security risks and inefficiencies.
Read the Case Study
AoFrio chose Hire2Retire, RoboMQ’s lightweight IGA product, to integrate its HiBob with AD and Entra ID in a Hybrid AD setup. With Hire2Retire, AoFrio has:
Automated 90% of the HR and IT workload for workforce identity management
Saved over $13,000 annually on JML lifecycle costs

A Step-By-Step Guide to Integrating HiBob and AD in Hire2Retire

Connect HiBob to Hire2Retire

There are two ways to send data from HiBob to Hire2Retire:
File Extracts
API Integration
For the file extract, based integration, use HiBob’s SFTP export capability to create data files containing employee profile information.
Request SFTP exports in the HiBob Reporting tool, then connect the exports to Hire2Retire using RSA key authentication. These data transfers can run at regularly scheduled intervals to ensure a consistent flow of HR data.
With API-based integration, Hire2Retire will use the HiBob Rest API to securely retrieve employee profile data in near real-time, allowing for immediate and automated data synchronization.
HiBob to AD Screenshot 1 scaled 1

Connect AD and Entra ID to Hire2Retire

Choose the integration method in Hire2Retire that best fits your company’s AD setup. This could be:
Active Directory (on-premises)
Entra ID (cloud-based)
Hybrid AD (both AD and Entra ID)
Typically, most customers in a Hybrid setup will connect to on-prem AD for account creation or updates, and to Entra ID, Exchange Online, and SharePoint to manage cloud-resident groups, OneDrive, and Shared Mailboxes.

Define Identity Lifecycle Processing Rules

With HiBob and AD connected, use Hire2Retire’s drag-and-drop interface to map HiBob HR attributes to their relevant AD attributes.
HiBob to AD Screenshot 2 scaled 1
After completing the data mapping step, you can:
Set up automated workflows for onboarding, role change, and offboarding events.
Define business rules for role-based access, workspace, and resource assignments.
Create customizable email templates to send when JML events are triggered.
HiBob to AD Screenshot 3 scaled 1

Set Up Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) & Group Memberships

Hire2Retire lets you define access levels using RBAC (role-based access control) or ABAC (attribute-based access control), ensuring employees only have access to what they need, including:
Organizational Units (OU)
Mail-Enabled Security Groups (SG)
Office 365 Groups
Distribution Lists (DL)
Use Hire2Retire’s pre-built integrations with hundreds of third-party applications to automate RBAC across your entire software stack.
HiBob to AD Screenshot 4 scaled 1

Easily Automate Workforce Identity Management with Hire2Retire!

Integrating HiBob with AD using tools like Hire2Retire streamlines workforce identity management, so you can manage your employee data more efficiently, reduce errors, and save time through:
Faster onboarding
Stronger security
Easier compliance tracking
There’s only one question left: what are you waiting for?
Book a one-on-one discovery call with a Hire2Retire integration expert today and stop wasting money on manual processes!
Book a Free Discovery Call Now!

IGA tools like Hire2Retire are the easiest way to integrate HiBob to AD, thanks to code-free design processes and pre-built connectors.

Automating user provisioning helps prevent unauthorized system access, ghost employee accounts, and software licenses wasted on non-essential access.

Yes, and some IGA tools, including Hire2Retire, offer HiBob to Hybrid AD integrations that connect both on-premises and cloud environments.

The biggest pro to a custom integration is the complete control and flexibility to tailor it to specific needs or use cases. The biggest con is the costly development and maintenance requirements.

The best option for you depends on many factors, including your company’s size, IT resources, and compliance requirements. If you’re unsure, all-purpose IGA products like Hire2Retire are suitable for almost every organization.

Picture of <strong>Cameron Macaulay</strong>

Cameron Macaulay

Cameron Macaulay is a Marketing Associate with RoboMQ. Cameron graduated from Syracuse University with a major in Broadcast & Digital Journalism, and a minor in Professional & Technical Writing. Cameron combines his skills in technical writing with a passion for storytelling.

Picture of <strong>Cameron Macaulay</strong>

Cameron Macaulay

Cameron Macaulay is a Marketing Associate with RoboMQ. Cameron graduated from Syracuse University with a major in Broadcast & Digital Journalism, and a minor in Professional & Technical Writing. Cameron combines his skills in technical writing with a passion for storytelling.

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