Microsoft 365 is a robust suite of various cloud applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, etc. However, just like most things in life, creation of new user accounts for employees or users is a key to properly managing Microsoft 365. Therefore, Administrators can create accounts manually using the microsoft 365 admin portal or use PowerShell which provides the capability to automatically generate multiple accounts quickly.
In this article, we will focus on these two methods with regards to creating user accounts and their respective processes (both single and multiple accounts’ creation processes).
How To Set Up A New User Account In Microsoft Admin Portal : The Working Process
The Microsoft 365 Admin Center offers a straightforward, graphical way to create user accounts. Although, This method is best suited for administrators who prefer a simple, intuitive approach.
Table of Content
Steps to Create a Single User Account:
Step 1 – Logging into The Admin Center
- Open admin.microsoft.com.
- Use administrator credentials to sign in, or a role assignee for creation..
Step 2 – Locate Active Users in The Admin Area
- Click on User’s icon in the left hand bar, and then on the Active users tab.
Step 3 – Initiate User Creation Process
- Select the + Add a user button option.
Step 4 – Add the Users Information to Their Account
- User name and Name : Provide the user s first name, last name, display name, and e-mail address – [email protected].
- Password Settings: Select whether you would like a password that the system constructs or one that you manually create.
Step 5: Configure User Settings, Licenses, and Complete the Setup
- Assign the appropriate Microsoft 365 license to grant access to services like Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint. Define optional roles (User or Admin) and assign the user’s department or location. Review the details and click Finish to complete the setup.
Steps to Create Multiple User Accounts Manually
Multiple users may be created manually if a CSV file is uploaded.
Step 1: Make a CSV File
- Utilize an application for spreadsheets like Excel to prepare a CSV file that should contain the following columns:
UserPrincipalName,FirstName,LastName,DisplayName,UsageLocation,MailNickname
[email protected],Ram,Bose,Ram Bose, India, RamBose
[email protected],Somit,Vishwakarma, Somit Vishwakarma, India,SomitSVK
Step 2: Upload the CSV Data
- First go to the Admin center, and click on Users → Active Users → Add multiple contacts. Here click on the browse button. and follow the prompts.
- Now locate your prepared CSV file and upload it.
Step 3: Assign Licenses
Before proceeding, make sure to assign licenses to the users if needed. You can choose licenses based on the user’s role or your organization’s requirements. Ensure each user has the appropriate license to access the necessary services.
Step 4: Check the Uploaded Data
After uploading the CSV file, review the information to ensure all details are correct and there are no errors.
Step 5: Process Complete
Pursue the process and complete.
Creating User Accounts Using PowerShell
It is possible to manage user accounts more effectively with PowerShell especially when the number of users is extremely high. Although, This is a suitable approach for IT administrators proficient in scripting and automation.
Steps to Create a Single User Account Using PowerShell
Step 1: Connecting to Microsoft 365
- First open PowerShell and connect to the Microsoft 365 environment:
- Connect-AzureAD
Step 2: Adding A User Account
To add a user, enter the command below:
New-AzureADUser -UserPrincipalName “[email protected]” -DisplayName “John Doe” –PasswordProfile $passwordProfile -MailNickname “johndoe” -AccountEnabled $true
Again, replace the given placeholders with the user’s details. You will also have to set up the $passwordProfile object:
$passwordProfile = New-Object -TypeName Microsoft.Open.AzureAD.Model.PasswordProfile
$passwordProfile.Password = “SecurePassword123!”
$passwordProfile.ForceChangePasswordNextLogin = $true
Steps to Create Multiple User Accounts Using PowerShell
Step 1: Create a CSV File
You can checkout the above example of CSV file or create it in notepad using comma like. UserPrincipalName, DisplayName, Password, MailNickname,
[email protected], shivansharma, mySite123, shivang
And save it in .csv (comma separate value) file format.
Step 2: Import Users & Creation of Users
Here is a script you may use in order to create and bulk import the users:
$users = Import-Csv “C:\Path\To\Users.csv”
foreach ($user in $users) {
$passwordProfile = New-Object -TypeName Microsoft.Open.AzureAD.Model.PasswordProfile
$passwordProfile.Password = $user.Password
$passwordProfile.ForceChangePasswordNextLogin = $true
New-AzureADUser -UserPrincipalName $person.UserPrincipalName -DisplayName $person.DisplayName -PasswordProfile $passwordProfile -MailNickname $person.MailNickname -AccountEnabled $true
}
update “C:PathToUsers.csv” with your CSV report’s course.
Conclusion
The manual technique through the Admin Center is intuitive and great for small tasks, while PowerShell provides an additional scalable solution for bulk account addition.
The above method is helpful for small and large organizations to create single or multiple users in Office 365 Admin Center. If you are professional and tech-savvy then you can use the above PowerShell command to add users.
