# Validate Token

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Client SDK
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Backend API
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Mobile approve
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SSO
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Sub-journey
> Uses a token validation service to validate the provided token


## Description

To validate a token, configure a [custom validation service](/guides/orchestration/external-connections/custom_validator_service), then select the configured connection in **Token Validator**. The service evaluates the relevant claims associated with the token and returns a validation result, for example, valid or invalid.

For information about configuring custom branches, see [External service integration](/guides/orchestration/concepts/external_service_integration#how-it-works).

## Configuration

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| Field | Description |
|  --- | --- |
| **Token to Validate** | Expression that yields the token to validate in this  step. |
| **Token Validator** | The [custom validation service](/guides/orchestration/external-connections/custom_validator_service) used to validate the token. |
| **Branch Name** (only when **Token Validator** is configured) | Name of the custom branch(es) configured on the **Token Validator**. This label is also used when the branch type is `Success` or `Warning`. |
| **Behavior** (only when **Token Validator** is configured) | Determines whether the journey uses the custom branch:**Disabled**: The step continues to the next step. The custom branch is ignored.**Enabled**: Enables the custom branch, so the journey can follow that branch when its condition is met. |


Journey event data
This step can be configured to record step input and output data, or a custom payload, which is then surfaced in journey events in Journey Analytics for diagnostic purposes. For details, see [Additional data reporting](/guides/orchestration/getting-started/event_reporting).