Bulk create sample AD users from CSV file using Powershell

Many moons ago I provided a CSV file containing 200 sample AD user accounts together with instructions on how to use CSVDE to import the accounts into AD. I often use these sample accounts in lab environments and for presentations. I thought it would be fun to write a small powershell script to read the same CSV input file and create the accounts using the AD cmdlets from Windows Server 2008 R2.

You can download the CSV file here.

And here’s the Powershell script….

#########################################################
#
# Name: BulkCreate200UsersFromCSV.ps1
# Author: Tony Murray
# Version: 1.0
# Date: 29/12/2010
# Comment: PowerShell 2.0 script to
# bulk create users from csv file
#
#########################################################

# Function to test existence of AD object
function Test-XADObject() {
   [CmdletBinding(ConfirmImpact="Low")]
   Param (
      [Parameter(Mandatory=$true,
                 Position=0,
                 ValueFromPipeline=$true,
                 HelpMessage="Identity of the AD object to verify if exists or not."
                )]
      [Object] $Identity
   )
   trap [Exception] {
      return $false
   }
   $auxObject = Get-ADObject -Identity $Identity
   return $true
}


# Import the Active Directory Powershell Module
Import-Module ActiveDirectory -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

# Specify the target OU for new users
$targetOU = "OU=Standard Users,OU=_North,DC=North,DC=com"

# Find the current domain info
$domdns = (Get-ADDomain).dnsroot # for UPN generation

# Specify the folder and CSV file to use
$impfile = "C:\util\CSV\200Users.csv"

# Check if the target OU is valid
$validOU = Test-XADObject $targetOU
If (!$validOU)
{ 
 write-host "Error: Specified OU for new users does not exist - exiting...."
 exit
} 

# Set the password for all new users
$password = read-host "Enter password" -assecurestring
    
# Parse the import file and action each line
$users = Import-CSV $impFile
foreach ($user in $users)
{
$samname = $user.samaccountname
$dplname = $user.displayname
$givname = $user.givenname
$surname = $user.sn
$upname = "$samname" + "@" +"$domdns"
New-ADUser –Name $dplname –SamAccountName $samname –DisplayName $dplname `
-givenname $givname -surname $surname -userprincipalname $upname `
-Path $targetou –Enabled $true –ChangePasswordAtLogon $true `
-AccountPassword $password
}


#All done

You can download the script here.