---
title: Preparing to use a PingAM journey
description: To use a PingAM journey, you must install PingAM and perform the additional configuration steps described in this document.
component: pingam
page_id: pingam:setup:pf_pingam_ik_using_pingam_journey
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/integrations/pingam/setup/pf_pingam_ik_using_pingam_journey.html
revdate: October 23, 2025
section_ids:
  before-you-begin: Before you begin
  about-this-task: About this task
  steps: Steps
  example: Example:
---

# Preparing to use a PingAM journey

To use a PingAM journey, you must install PingAM and perform the additional configuration steps described in this document.

## Before you begin

Complete the steps in the PingAM installation [guide](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingam/latest/installation/preface.html).

## About this task

In the PingAM admin console:

## Steps

1. If you don't have an alpha realm in your environment yet:

   1. Go to **Realms** and click **New Realm**.

   2. In the **Name** field, enter `alpha`.

   3. Click **Use Client-Side Sessions**.

   4. Click **Create** to save your configuration.

      |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
      | - | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
      |   | You should have an alpha realm because it's best practice to reserve the root realm for administrative operations. Learn more about configuring a realm in [create a new realm](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingam/latest/setup/configure-realms-console.html#create-new-realm). |

2. Configure client-side sessions by completing the steps in the [configure client-side sessions](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingam/latest/am-sessions/impl-client-based-sessions.html) procedure.

3. Enable goto and redirects for the validation service.

   By default, PingAM denies all goto and redirects after the sign on flow is complete.

   1. In the alpha realm, go to **Services**.

   2. If the **Validation Service** is not in the list of services, click **Add a Service** and in the **Choose a service type** list, select **Validation Service.**

   3. In the **Valid goto URL Resources** field, enter one or more valid URL patterns to allow.

      ### Example:

      * `https://<my_ping_federate_url>:*/*`

      * `https://<my_ping_federate_url>:*/*?*`

4. Configure push authentication journeys by completing the steps in the [push authentication journeys guide](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingam/latest/am-authentication/authn-mfa-trees-push.html).

5. (Optional) To adjust authentication session lifetimes:

   1. In the alpha realm, go to **Services**, click **Session**, then click **Create**.

   2. On the **Dynamic Attributes** tab, enter the desired values in the **Maximum Session Time** and **Maximum Idle Time** fields.

   3. Click **Save Changes**.

      Learn more in [Configure authenticated session timeout settings](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingam/latest/am-sessions/session-state-session-termination.html#auth-session-termination-config).

6. If you're using PingAM Integration Kit 1.2 or later, create an OAuth client as described in [Create a client profile](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingam/latest/am-oauth2/oauth2-register-client.html#configure-oauth2-client-profile) in the PingAM documentation.

   1. In the **Core** section, make sure to set the `write` and `back_channel_authentication` scopes.

   2. In the **Advanced** section, make sure to configure the [`Client Credentials`](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingam/latest/am-oauth2/oauth2-client-cred-grant.html) grant type, and that the **Token Endpoint Authentication Method** is using `client_secret_basic`.