Patent ID: 8291088

Claim:
A method for providing a single sign-on application environment, comprising: determining, by at least one computer system having at least one processor and a memory, a single sign-on Web cookie user name field by providing a user interface to an administrator user, said user interface enabling said administrator user to designate an existing field in user information records in a first user information directory associated with a first application program as said single sign-on Web cookie user name field, wherein said existing field is used to store administrator supplied single sign-on Web cookie user names; retrieving, by said first application program, said administrator supplied single sign-on Web cookie user name from said designated existing field in said user information records in said first user information directory; forming, by said first application program, a single sign-on Web cookie including said administrator supplied single sign-on Web cookie user name; receiving, by a second application program, a service request from said user on said user computer system, said service request including said single sign-on Web cookie; and authorizing use of said second application program by said user based at least in part on said administrator supplied single sign-on Web cookie user name in said single sign-on Web cookie.