# Change Request: Add SAML SSO to the customer-portal refresh
CR-ID: CR-XXX
Date raised: today
Raised by: Sales VP (via Slack)
Status: Proposed

## Change Requested
Add SAML SSO support to the customer-portal refresh release scheduled for 5 Aug 2026. SSO was originally deferred to the Q4 release based on the prioritisation done in March.

## Business Reason
Two enterprise prospects in late-stage sales (combined ~$220k ARR potential) have stated SSO is a hard requirement to close. Without SSO at launch, both deals slip into Q4 or churn entirely. SSO at launch would unlock both this quarter.

## Impact Analysis

### Time impact
SAML SSO adds approximately 12-15 dev-weeks of effort (integration + testing + security review). At current 9 dev-weeks of headroom in the plan, this means either an additional 3-6 dev-weeks of work OR pulling other in-scope items.

### Cost impact
No additional licensing cost (using existing identity-provider integration patterns). Engineering cost = ~12-15 dev-weeks of capacity reallocation.

### Resource impact
No new headcount. Requires re-prioritisation of the QoL bundle (10 dev-weeks) and possibly partial deferral of the notification center (10 dev-weeks).

### Quality impact
If approved as requested, the QoL bundle moves to Q4. Notification center stays in scope but with reduced polish budget (~2 dev-weeks of polish dropped).

### Risk impact
New risks:
• SAML SSO integration touches authentication — small chance of breaking existing auth flows. Mitigation: feature-flag the SSO path, opt-in for the two prospect customers only at launch.
• Compressed timeline = compressed security review window. May force a tradeoff.

Existing risks affected:
• Launch gate (currently green) moves to amber given new scope at T-12 weeks.

## Options

1. **Approve as requested** — Add SAML SSO; defer QoL bundle to Q4.
   Pros: Unlocks $220k ARR potential. Sales VP gets cover for both deals.
   Cons: QoL items affect every customer; the SSO benefit accrues to two specific prospects.

2. **Approve with modification** — Build SSO behind a feature flag with limited rollout (the 2 prospect customers only). Keep QoL items. Sales VP confirms the two deals close on Limited-Pilot status, with general availability in Q4.
   Pros: Both wins — unblocks the deals + retains the QoL items. Risk-managed via feature flag.
   Cons: Slightly more complex coordination with the 2 prospect customers. Sales VP needs to confirm Limited-Pilot is acceptable to them.

3. **Defer / Reject** — Keep current scope. SSO remains Q4. Two deals slip or churn.
   Pros: Preserves the existing plan and the QoL items.
   Cons: $220k ARR walks. Sales VP relationship.

## Recommendation
**Option 2 (Approve with modification).** Captures the revenue opportunity without sacrificing the broader customer benefit of the QoL items. Limited-Pilot framing also reduces security-review pressure since the SSO surface area at launch is bounded.

## Decision Needed
- Decision owner: VP Product (in consultation with Sales VP + VP Engineering)
- Decision deadline: End of this week. Beyond that, integration work must start to land in W12 — every day of delay reduces the QoL items proportionally.
- If no decision by deadline: treated as Rejected (Option 3); we proceed with the existing plan and SSO stays Q4.

## Affected Stakeholders
• VP Product (decider)
• VP Engineering (technical owner)
• Sales VP (originator + confirmer)
• Lead engineer for the auth workstream
• Compliance lead (security review impact)
• The two prospect customers (must know if Limited-Pilot is on offer)