How Do I Save My Password in Catalyst Cube Files?

With the transition to Microsoft Single Sign-On (SSO) and the retirement of Internet Explorer, the login experience for Catalyst-connected Excel files has changed significantly—for the better.

In the past, users were prompted to enter their email and password every time they opened a Catalyst cube in Excel. That experience has now been improved.

Current Behavior with Microsoft SSO

Catalyst now leverages Microsoft SSO for authentication, which means you no longer need to manually enter your credentials every time you open a cube file.

Here’s how it works:

• If you are already signed in to Microsoft tools (like Outlook, Teams, or OneDrive), Excel will typically authenticate you automatically.

• You’ll usually be asked to log in only once per session or after a period of inactivity (due to Microsoft’s standard timeout settings).

• Your credentials are tied to your Microsoft 365 session, so staying signed in across other Microsoft apps helps prevent repeated login prompts.

Tips for Seamless Access

• Stay signed in to your Microsoft account across your browser and Office apps.

• Avoid signing out of Excel or other Microsoft services unless necessary.

• If prompted to stay signed in during your login, select Yes to reduce future prompts.

Legacy Environments (Pre-SSO Behavior)

If your Catalyst environment has not yet migrated to SSO, the old behavior still applies:

• Excel will prompt for your Catalyst username and password each time you open a cube file.

• A useful workaround was to keep at least one Excel window open in the background after logging in. As long as one session remained active, you could open additional files without being prompted again.

• Once all Excel windows are closed, you’d be asked to log in again on the next launch.

If you're not sure whether you're using a legacy login or SSO, feel free to contact EBM Support for clarification.

SSO-enabled users: You only need to sign in once per Microsoft session. Excel now remembers your login if you're already authenticated with Microsoft 365. Legacy users: Credentials must be entered each time, unless you keep an Excel window open after logging in. For assistance with login issues or to inquire about moving to SSO, contact us at support@ebmsoftware.com.