Script to Update 'Hide from Address List' Attribute for Active Directory Users Based on CSV Input

Update ‘Hide from Address List’ Attribute Using CSV Input

This script imports a CSV file containing mailbox data and matches each mailbox with a corresponding Active Directory (AD) user based on their primary SMTP address. For each matched user, it updates the msExchHideFromAddressLists attribute, controlling whether the mailbox is hidden from the Global Address List (GAL). The script checks for scenarios like no matching AD user or multiple matches and handles any errors encountered during the update process.

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Script Overview

Ideal for: Exchange administrators managing GAL visibility for mailboxes

Key Features

Feature	Capability	Business Value
CSV-Based Processing	Imports mailbox data from CSV files	Batch processing capabilities
GAL Visibility Control	Updates msExchHideFromAddressLists attribute	Manage address list visibility
User Matching Logic	Matches mailboxes to AD users via email	Accurate user identification
Error Handling	Comprehensive error logging and reporting	Troubleshooting and audit trail

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Script Implementation

$ExcludeDomain = "XXX.onmicrosoft.com"
$CSVPath = "$home\desktop\csvfile.csv"

$AllMailboxs = Import-Csv -Path $CSVPath

# Get all Active Directory users

$AllADUsers = Get-ADUser -Filter * -Property "msExchHideFromAddressLists"

# Loop through each mailbox

foreach ($Mailbox in $AllMailboxs) {
    # Find the corresponding AD user based on the mailbox's primary SMTP address

    $ADUser = $AllADUsers | Where-Object EmailAddress -eq $($Mailbox.EMAILFROMAD)

    # Handle different scenarios based on the number of matching AD users

    switch ($ADUser.count) {
        0 { Write-Warning "No AD User found with $($Mailbox.EMAILFROMAD) E-mail address" }
        {$_ -gt 1} { Write-Warning "Multiple AD Users found with $($Mailbox.EMAILFROMAD) E-mail address" }
        1 {
            try {
                $hash = @{msExchHideFromAddressLists ="$($Mailbox.HIDEGAL)"}
                $ADUser | -Replace $hash -ErrorAction Stop
                Write-Output "Updated $($Mailbox.EMAILFROMAD) Hide from GAL Attribute Successfully"
            }
            catch {
                Write-Output "Failed to update $($Mailbox.EMAILFROMAD) Hide from GAL Attribute. Error: $($_.Exception.Message)"
            }
         }
    }
}

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Configuration Requirements

Prerequisites

Component	Requirement	Purpose
Active Directory Module	ActiveDirectory PowerShell module	Access AD user attributes
CSV Input File	Formatted mailbox data	Source for GAL visibility settings
AD Admin Rights	User attribute modification permissions	Update msExchHideFromAddressLists

CSV File Structure

Column	Description	Required
EMAILFROMAD	Primary SMTP address for user matching	Yes
HIDEGAL	Boolean value for GAL visibility ($true/$false)	Yes

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Script Logic Flow

Processing Steps

1. CSV Data Import

   • Load mailbox data from specified CSV file
   • Validate required columns exist

2. AD User Retrieval

   • Get all AD users with GAL visibility attribute
   • Prepare for matching process

3. User Matching

   • Match mailboxes to AD users via email address
   • Handle multiple match scenarios

4. Attribute Updates

   • Update msExchHideFromAddressLists based on CSV data
   • Log success/failure for each operation

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Error Handling Scenarios

Scenario	Response	Resolution
No AD User Found	Warning logged	Verify email address accuracy
Multiple AD Users	Warning logged	Review duplicate accounts
Update Failure	Error logged	Check permissions and data integrity
CSV Format Issues	Script failure	Validate CSV structure and data

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Usage Examples

1. Hide Mailboxes from GAL

EMAILFROMAD,HIDEGAL
user1@contoso.com,$true
user2@contoso.com,$true

2. Show Mailboxes in GAL

EMAILFROMAD,HIDEGAL
user3@contoso.com,$false
user4@contoso.com,$false

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Configuration Parameters

Parameter	Example	Description
ExcludeDomain	"contoso.onmicrosoft.com"	Domain to exclude from processing
CSVPath	"$home\desktop\mailboxes.csv"	Path to input CSV file

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Conclusion

Key Takeaway: This script provides efficient batch management of GAL visibility settings through CSV-based processing, enabling administrators to quickly update address list visibility for multiple mailboxes while maintaining comprehensive error tracking and logging.