Creation of Multiple AD Test User Accounts

user2050487680 · 2021-02-08T10:15:14.000Z

Hi All,

As I am totally rubbish at PowerShell and coding in general, I have looked everywhere for a script that can add multiple AD User accounts for me.

The majority of the scripts that I tried, have many attributes which I don’t need and yet I still can’t get the scripts to work.

The user accounts I am creating are test accounts (approx 150) and have the same attributes:

Firstname
SAM
OU
Password
Description

So I have tried to adapt this script I found, but for love, nor money I cannot get it to work:

$Users = Import-Csv -Path “C:\Temp\testaccts.csv”
foreach ($User in $Users)
{
$Displayname = $User.Firstname
$UserFirstname = $User.Firstname
$OU = “$User.OU”
$SAM = $User.SAM
$UPN = $User.Firstname + “@test.local”
$Description = $User.Description
$Password = $User.Password
New-ADUser -Name “$Displayname” -DisplayName “$Displayname” -SamAccountName $SAM -UserPrincipalName $UPN -GivenName “$UserFirstname” -Description “$Description” -AccountPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString $Password -AsPlainText -Force) -Enabled $true -Path “$OU” -ChangePasswordAtLogon $true –PasswordNeverExpires $true
}

I get the error “ConvertTo-SecureString : The argument cannot be bound to the “String” parameter because it is NULL.”

I have spent ages looking how to fix this issue with no luck

As a workaround, I managed to put together some lines of code (don’t ask me how!!!), but it works, for a single account:

$secpass = ConvertTo-SecureString -String “P@ssw0rd” -AsPlainText -Force
New-ADUser -Name “TestUser001” -GivenName “TestUser001” -SamAccountName TestUser001 -UserPrincipalName “TestUser001@test.local” -Description “Created For Systems Test - TestUser001” -DisplayName “TestUser001” -CannotChangePassword:$true -PasswordNeverExpires:$true -AccountPassword $secpass -Path “OU=Users,OU=IT,OU=UK,OU=Global,DC=test,DC=gwa,DC=local” -Enabled:$true
Write-Host “Account TestUser001 Created”

Anyone with PowerShell skills that could tell me how I can get a script working, as I can’t be bothered doing it manually for 150 test user accounts…

Thanks,

Mak

DoctorDNS · 2021-02-08T11:04:21.000Z

Hi and thanks for your query. I’ve written a script to do just this for my last PowerShell books, you can get it at:

github.com

doctordns/Wiley20/blob/master/03 - Managing AD/3.6 - Adding users to AD using a CSV.ps1

# 3.6 - Adding Users to Active Directory using a CSV File

# Run On DC1

# 1. Create CSV
$CSVDATA = @'
Firstname, Initials, Lastname, UserPrincipalName, Alias, Description, Password
S,K,Masterly, SKM, Sylvester, Data Team, Christmas42
C,B, Smith, CBS, Claire, Receptionist, Christmas42
Billy, Bob, JoeBob, BBJB, BillyBob, A Bob, Christmas42
Malcolm, Dudley, Duelittle, Malcolm, Malcolm, Mr Danger, Christmas42
'@
$CSVDATA | Out-File -FilePath C:\Foo\Users.Csv

# 2. Import a CSV file containing the details of the users you 
#    want to add to AD:
$Users = Import-CSV -Path C:\Foo\Users.Csv | 
  Sort-Object  -Property Alias
$Users | Format-Table

This file has been truncated. show original

Two things to mention - first Please use the </> tool in the Spiceworks editor’s tool bar - this makes the code a lot easier to read.

Second, avoid LONG command lines and use splitting and hash tables instead. My script does this and it makes reading what you did easy.

If I understand the issue is here:

#Get Password from CSV
$Password = $User.Password   

# create user

$PSS = ConvertTo-SecureString $Password -AsPlainText -Force

$NUHT = @{

  Name                  = "$Displayname" 

  DisplayName           = "$Displayname" 

  SamAccountName        = $SAM 

  UserPrincipalName     = $UPN 

  GivenName             = "$UserFirstname" 

  Description           = "$Description" 

  AccountPassword       = $PSS

  Enabled               = $true 

  Path                  = "$OU" 

  ChangePasswordAtLogon = $true 

  PasswordNeverExpires  = $true

}

New-ADUser @NUHT

klonkhead · 2021-02-08T14:04:21.000Z

“Second, avoid LONG command lines and use splitting and hash tables instead. My script does this and it makes reading what you did easy.”

I was about to answer this and mention the difficult to read scripting provided, but Thomas Lee beat me to it. However I believe he meant “Splatting”

Neally · 2021-02-08T14:19:33.000Z

Also, please, if you post code, please use the ‘Insert Code’ button. Please and thank you!

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING! Read if you're new to the PowerShell forum! Programming & Development

Hi, and welcome to the PowerShell forum! Don’t apologize for being a “noob” or “newbie” or “n00b.” There’s just no need – nobody will think you’re stupid, and the forums are all about asking questions. Just ask! Use a descriptive subject. Don't say "Need help" or "PowerShell Help", actually summarize what the problem is. It helps the rest of us keep track of which problem is which. Don’t post massive scripts. We’re all volunteers and we don’t have time to read all that, nor will we copy, past…

Neally · 2021-02-08T14:39:15.000Z

User205048:

I get the error “ConvertTo-SecureString : The argument cannot be bound to the “String” parameter because it is NULL.”

That sounds like it has issues reading the password value from you CSV file.
Does EVERY cell in the password column have a value? Are there whitespaces in the cell value? Those cause problems.

Your CSV should look like so:

"Firstname","SAM","OU","Password","Description"
"Joe","joed","OU=users,DC=domain,DC=com","P@ssw0rd","joe doe user account"

then this code should work fine :

$Users = Import-Csv "C:\Temp\testaccts.csv"
foreach ($User in $Users) {
    $newUser = @{
        Name                  = "$($User.Firstname)"
        DisplayName           = "$($User.Firstname)"
        SamAccountName        = "$($user.sam)"
        UserPrincipalName     = "$($User.Firstname)@test.local"
        GivenName             = "$($User.Firstname)"
        Description           = "$($User.Description)"
        AccountPassword       = (ConvertTo-SecureString $($user.Password) -AsPlainText -Force)
        Enabled               = $true
        Path                  = "$($user.OU)"
        ChangePasswordAtLogon = $true
        PasswordNeverExpires  = $true
    }
    New-ADUser @newUser
}

user2050487680 · 2021-02-09T06:46:52.000Z

Thanks for the info Thomas! I guess this is the complete code?

$Users = Import-CSV -Path "C:\Temp\testaccts.csv"

#Get Password from CSV
$Password = $User.Password   

# create user

$PSS = ConvertTo-SecureString $Password -AsPlainText -Force
$NUHT = @{
  Name                  = "$Displayname" 
  DisplayName           = "$Displayname" 
  SamAccountName        = $SAM 
  UserPrincipalName     = $UPN 
  GivenName             = "$UserFirstname" 
  Description           = "$Description" 
  AccountPassword       = $PSS
  Enabled               = $true 
  Path                  = "$OU" 
  ChangePasswordAtLogon = $true 
  PasswordNeverExpires  = $true
}

New-ADUser @NUHT

Thanks for your help!!

user2050487680 · 2021-02-09T06:51:28.000Z

Thanks Neally, my CSV file had:

Firstname,SAM,OU,Password,Description

Joe,joed,“OU=users,DC=domain,DC=com”,P@ssw0rd,joe doe user account

So probably that was the issue,

Will try out both Thomas’ and your code, thanks again!!!

user2050487680 · 2021-02-09T07:18:23.000Z

Neally, tried the code you gave me, and I made sure the CSV file had no whitespaces, and there was “” around each part, but still get the error “ConvertTo-SecureString : The argument cannot be bound to the “String” parameter because it is NULL.”

Neally · 2021-02-09T07:29:58.000Z

Can you share your (sanitized) CSV? A blank value or white space is 99% of the time the issue. I tested it with a CSV file and it was working fine for me, the only difference is your CSV so…
You can try to wrap this in double quotes
“ $($user.Password)” but if you still get the same error , it points to the input file.
Does Thomases version work without the null error?

supaplex-starwind · 2021-02-09T16:03:08.000Z

Check the following guide that covers precisely a similar case that you have https://www.hyper-v.io/creating-bulk-user-accounts-ad-via-powershell/ . Ensure your CSV file is correct, does not contain empty cells or cells with whitespaces, and all the values are accurate and on the right cells. Use Powershell ISE to edit and run the script. It may show you syntax errors and typos right away.

user2050487680 · 2021-02-23T14:29:46.000Z

All working now!!!

Thanks for everyone’s help, really appreciate it!!!

Neally · 2021-02-23T14:33:19.000Z

User205048:

All working now!!!

Thanks for everyone’s help, really appreciate it!!!

What did you do to fix it?

user2050487680 · 2021-02-24T07:57:48.000Z

had a whitespace in one of the columns which I thought I had cleaned up before!!