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User Active Directory datasource

User Active Directory datasources allow you to fetch and display employee information from Microsoft Active Directory, including user profiles, organizational structure, presence status, and profile pictures. This integration provides access to your organization's directory information for employee displays, organizational charts, and user status boards.

Prerequisites​

Before creating a User Active Directory datasource, ensure you have:

  • Microsoft credential with User Active Directory scope configured
  • Appropriate permissions to access organizational directory information
  • Understanding of your organization's Active Directory structure
  • Knowledge of which user information you want to display
  • Compliance with privacy policies regarding employee data display
  • Admin consent for the application if required by your organization
  • Network access to Microsoft Graph API endpoints
Microsoft Graph Integration

User Active Directory datasources leverage Microsoft Graph API for directory access. Ensure your Microsoft credential is properly configured with appropriate permissions and admin consent. Check with your IT administrator if you encounter permission-related errors.

Create datasource​

Go to Datasources > Click Add new in the External datasource tab > Choose the User Active Directory type.

Basic Configuration​

1. Microsoft Credential Selection Select a Microsoft credential with User Active Directory scope:

  • Choose from available Microsoft credentials configured in Cloud Credentials
  • Credential must include User Active Directory permissions
  • Verify the credential has proper admin consent if required
  • Ensure the credential account has directory read permissions

2. Profile Picture Select if you want to fetch profile pictures of users or not

3. Scope and User Filtering Select if Only internal members should be included in the filtering

Filter which users to include in the directory data by:

  • Name
  • Department name
  • Job title
  • Manager name
  • Manager job title
  • Manager department name
  • Office location
Directory Filtering Best Practices

Consider privacy and relevance when filtering directory data. Display only information appropriate for the viewing audience and location. Lobby displays might show general contact information, while department displays can include more detailed organizational data.

Advanced Configuration Options​

4. Datasource Settings Configure directory datasource behavior:

  • Active: Enable/disable the datasource without deletion. Useful for temporary directory displays or during organizational changes

5. Update Schedule Configure how frequently directory data refreshes:

  • Select a Refresh Frequency for regular intervals (every hour, daily, etc.)
  • Specify a Cron Expression for custom scheduling based on organizational needs
Example Cron Expressions for Directory Data
  • 0 0 */4 * * * - Every 4 hours for frequently changing organizations
  • 0 0 8 * * MON-FRI - Daily at 8 AM on weekdays for business displays
  • 0 30 9 * * * - Daily at 9:30 AM for morning directory updates
  • 0 0 12 * * SUN - Weekly on Sunday at noon for stable organizations
Directory Update Frequency

Employee directory information typically changes less frequently than other data sources. Daily or even weekly updates are often sufficient unless your organization has high employee turnover or frequently changing organizational structure. Consider privacy implications of real-time presence data.

For more information about external datasource refresh options, see the External Datasource Refreshing documentation.

6. Editor Settings Configure advanced directory data processing:

  • Ignore Error counter: Continue operation during Microsoft Graph API outages or authentication issues. Recommended for critical displays that need to show last known directory information
  • Cache external resources: Store profile images and related media locally for faster access and offline availability
    • Remove broken external resource references: Clean up invalid profile image links or missing photos automatically
    • Rotate cache on every update: Refresh all cached profile images and resources with each update
    • Exchange internal resource references: Update paths to custom profile images when moved or reorganized

6. Organizational Data Options Customize which directory information to include:

Enable Randomize arrays for directory data to:

  • Rotate through different employee spotlights
  • Highlight various departments or teams
  • Create dynamic employee recognition displays
  • Show varied organizational perspectives

8. Save Configuration After configuring credential, filtering, and privacy settings, click Save to create the datasource.

Directory Datasource Testing

After saving, verify the directory data preview shows expected users with appropriate information. Test filtering settings to ensure only intended user data is included. Verify profile images are loading correctly.