Modifying AD Objects in Bulk

Using Administration Console, you can modify AD objects in bulk. Bulk operations include properties update, move, delete, add to group, enable/disable account, etc. You can modify in bulk both objects located in the same AD container and objects from differect locations. To select objects from the same container, select this container in the Console Tree and then select the objects in the Result Pane using Shift or Ctrl keys. To select objects from different containers, you can add them to the Basket and then select these objects there. Also you can perform a directory search and then select these objects in the search results. If you often need to perform bulk operation on certain AD objects, you can unite these objects in a Business Unit using flexible membership criteria. After that, to access these objects, you need to select this Business Unit in the Console Tree. The objects you need will be displayed in the Result Pane.

To add/modify properties for AD objects:

Select the AD objects you need in the Result Pane, Basket or search results.
Right-click the selected objects and click Add/Modify Property in the context menu.
For detailed information on this wizard, see Add or Modify Property Wizard.

To update properties of AD objects collectively:

	Note
	In this way you can update properties of objects of the same type only. If your selection contains, for example, both users and contacts, you will not be able to modify properties of the selected objects in this manner. Also this operation is available for widespread AD objects only: users, contacts, groups, computers, organizational units, domains, and shared folders.

Select the AD objects you need in the Result Pane, Basket or search results.
Right-click the selected objects and select Properties from the context menu.

In the Multiple Selection Properties dialog box, select the check box for the property you want to change and specify a new value for this property.

	Tip
	To specify unique properties for each object, use value references. To enter a value reference you can use the Insert Value Reference Dialog, launched by the embedded button located in edit boxes for value generation templates. Also you can enter value references manually using the format described in the Value Reference Format article.

To delete a property value for the selected objects, select the check box for the property you need and leave it blank.
Click OK.

To add AD users/contacts to a group collectively:

Select the AD users and/or contacts you need in the Result Pane, Basket or search results.
Right-click the selected objects, point to All Tasks, and click Add to Group in the context menu.
In the dialog box that opens, select the groups to which you want to add the selected objects, and click OK.

	Note
	If your selection contains objects on which this operation cannot be performed, this command will not be available in the context menu.

To disable or enable user/computer accounts collectively:

Select the AD users/computers you need in the Result Pane, Basket or search results.
Right-click the selected objects, point to All Tasks, and click Disable Account or Enable Account in the context menu.

	Note
	If your selection contains objects on which this operation cannot be performed, this command will not be available in the context menu.

To move objects collectively:

Select the objects you want to move in the Result Pane, Basket or search results.

Right-click the selected objects, point to All Tasks, and click Move in the context menu.

	Tip
	Some AD objects cannot be moved as the move operation for them is forbidden by system flags. If some objects in your selection cannot be moved, Move command is available, but it is not performed for the objects forbidden for move.

In the dialog box that opens, select the location to move the selected objects to, and click OK.

	Note
	You can also drag the objects you need to another location and drop there, or use Cut and Paste commands.

To copy objects collectively:

Select the objects you want to copy in the Result Pane, Basket or search results.
Right-click the selected objects and click Copy in the context menu.
Right-click the location, where you want to paste the copied objects to, and select Paste from the context menu.

Specify new name for the objects.

If you copy users, groups or computers, it is necessary to modify the Logon Name (pre-Windows 2000) for users and computers and the Name (pre-Windows 2000) for groups, as these properties must be unique in the domain where the object is located.

	Tip
	If you copy several objects at once, you can specify unique names for all of them using value references. For example, if you specify name for users as '%name%-copy', this pattern will be replaced with the value of the Full Name property plus '-copy'.

	Tip
	For the objects that can be group members, you can specify either you want to copy their group membership. To do so, check or uncheck the Copy group membership check-box.

	Note
	Also, to copy AD objects, you can drag the objects to the location you need and drop there holding Ctrl.

To delete objects collectively:

Select the objects you want to delete in the Result Pane, Basket or search results.
Right-click the selected objects and click Delete in the context menu.

To send mail to AD users/contacts/groups collectively:

Select the AD users/contacts/groups you need in the Result Pane, Basket or search results.
Right-click the selected objects, point to All Tasks, and click Send Mail in the context menu.
Send the message.

	Note
	If your selection contains objects on which this operation cannot be performed, this command will not be available in the context menu.

Modifying AD Objects in Bulk

See Also