Microsoft Graph made easy with PowerShell SDK tips

You can use Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK to do Microsoft 365 tasks faster. If you want to upgrade one user’s license, move many users, or make new accounts with auto-made passwords, it is easy to start. Here are some things you can do:

• Upgrade one user’s license:
  Perform-MgUserLicenseUpgrade -UserIds "user@contoso.com" -LicenseToRemove "SPE_E3" -LicenseToAdd "SPE_E5"

• Move many users and turn off some plans:
  Perform-MgUserLicenseUpgrade -UserIds "users.csv" -LicenseToRemove "SPE_E3" -LicenseToAdd "SPE_E5" -DisabledPlans "e95bec33-e95bec33-e95bec33-e95bec33-e95bec33"

• Make users with auto-made passwords:
  .\Provision-MgUserAccount.ps1 -UserIdsCsv "users.csv" -AutoGeneratePassword

• Full interactive setup:
  .\Provision-MgUserAccount.ps1 -UserIdsCsv "users.csv" -SelectLicenses -SelectDisabledPlans

It does not matter if you are new to PowerShell or have used it for a long time. The SDK gets easier to use when you try its commands and see how it works.

Key Takeaways

• The Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK helps you do Microsoft 365 tasks fast and easy.

• You can install the SDK by typing a command in PowerShell. Make sure your computer has what it needs first.

• Pick the best way to sign in for your job. This depends if you are testing or want to automate things.

• Group your requests together. Use the -Parallel switch in PowerShell 7 to make your scripts run faster.

• Always look at permissions. Fix errors well so your scripts work smoothly.

Getting Started

Install the SDK

You can set up the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK in a few steps. First, check if your computer meets what is needed. Here is a table to help you see what you need:

When you are ready, open PowerShell. Then run this command:

Install-Module Microsoft.Graph -Scope CurrentUser

Tip: If you get a message about an untrusted place, type Y to keep going.

Authentication Methods

There are many ways to sign in and use Microsoft Graph. Each way is good for different things. Here is a table to show your choices:

Pick the way that fits what you want to do. If you are testing or typing commands yourself, interactive sign-in is easy. For scripts that run by themselves, app-only access is better.

First Connection

Now you can connect! Use this command to sign in:

Connect-MgGraph

PowerShell will ask you to sign in. After you connect, you can start using commands to manage users and groups. If you want to run tasks by script, you need to register an app in Azure Active Directory and set permissions. You must:

1. Go to Azure Active Directory.

2. Click App registrations and make a new app.

3. Choose what your app can do.

4. Give admin consent.

Note: Picking the best way to sign in helps you use Microsoft Graph faster and safer.

Microsoft Graph Concepts

Cmdlets Overview

Using Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK is simple. Each cmdlet has a clear name. The name looks like Verb-Mg<Resource>. For example, Get-MgUser gets user details. The SDK has more than 44,000 cmdlets. You can manage users, groups, and mail. There are modules in the SDK. You only install the ones you need. This makes your setup quick and easy.

Tip: To see which cmdlets you can use, try Find-MgGraphCommand. This helps you find new tasks. You can discover more ways to automate your work.

Permissions

You need the right permissions for Microsoft Graph cmdlets. Some actions need you to sign in as yourself. Other actions let apps work alone. Here is a table with common permissions:

You can use Find-MgGraphPermission to check needed permissions. This saves time and helps you avoid mistakes.

Authentication Flows

There are two main ways to sign in with Microsoft Graph. Delegated flow lets you act as yourself. You get access based on your own permissions. Application flow lets an app sign in by itself. This is good for automation and background jobs.

Note: For big companies, application flow with certificate-based authentication gives strong security and control.

Tips and Best Practices

Scripting

You want your scripts to run fast and handle lots of tasks. PowerShell gives you tools to make this happen. Try batching your requests. You can combine many actions into one call. This saves time and reduces the number of requests you send. If you use PowerShell 7, you can add the -Parallel switch. This lets you run several tasks at the same time. Your scripts finish quicker, especially when you work with big lists of users or groups.

Here are some scripting techniques you can use:

• Batch requests to cut down on network calls.

• Use concurrency with -Parallel in PowerShell 7 for faster execution.

• Take advantage of new features in Microsoft Graph PowerShell v2 for better performance.

When you mix batching and concurrency, you process more data in less time. You get the most out of your automation.

Tip: You can run your scripts on Windows, Linux, or macOS. Cross-platform support means you automate tasks wherever you work.

Error Handling

You will run into errors sometimes. Don’t worry. You can fix most problems with a few steps. The most common error is a 403. This means you don’t have the right permissions. Use Find-MgGraphCommand to check what permissions you need. Make sure your app or account has them.

Here are some ways to handle errors:

1. Check permissions if you see a 403 error.

2. Use the -Debug switch to get more details about what went wrong.

3. Capture errors with -ErrorVariable so you can look at them later.

Try these commands to help you troubleshoot:

• To check your SDK version:

Get-InstalledModule

• To update your SDK:

Update-Module Microsoft.Graph

• To find permissions for a cmdlet:

Find-MgGraphCommand -command New-MgServicePrincipal | Select -First 1 -ExpandProperty Permissions

• To connect with specific scopes:

Connect-MgGraph -Scopes Application.ReadWrite.All

Note: Always make sure your app is set up right. If you use application permissions, check that they match what your script needs. Keep your SDK updated to avoid problems.

Query Optimization

You want your queries to run fast, even with lots of data. The way you handle requests matters. For small datasets, you see a big speed boost—up to 50%. With medium datasets, batching works better than running everything in parallel. For huge datasets, memory management is key. If you handle more than 10,000 objects, watch your memory use. Make sure your URLs are correct to avoid HTTP 400 errors.

Tip: For medium datasets, try sequential batching. It often works better than parallel processing because it uses less overhead.

You can use these strategies to make your Microsoft Graph queries run smoother:

• Batch requests for better speed.

• Watch memory when working with large lists.

• Double-check your URLs to avoid errors.

If you follow these tips, your scripts will run faster and handle more data with less trouble.

Use Cases

User Management

You can manage users in many ways with the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK. You might want to test a new script, run a big job, or set up a schedule for tasks. Here’s a table that shows how you can use the SDK for user management:

You can add, update, or remove users. You can also reset passwords or change licenses. If you want to do something fast, you can run a command right away. For bigger jobs, you can set up scripts that run every day or week.

Tip: You can use managed identities in Azure Automation to keep your scripts safe and running on time.

Reporting

You can use the SDK to get reports about your users and groups. Do you want to know who is active or which groups are growing? You can pull this data with a few commands. Here are some things you can do:

• Get user activity reports.

• Find out how many users logged in last week.

• Create custom reports for your team.

If you want to make a report, you can use a special command. Here’s how you do it:

1. Use Invoke-MgGraphRequest to ask for user activity data.

2. Set the URL:
   https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/reports/getOffice365ActiveUserDetail(period='D7')

3. Save the results to a CSV file.

You can open the CSV file in Excel and look at the data. This helps you see trends and make good choices.

Automation

You can automate many tasks with the SDK. Do you want to create new users every month? You can write a script for that. Maybe you need to update licenses for hundreds of users. You can set up a job that runs by itself. Automation saves you time and helps you avoid mistakes.

• Schedule scripts to run at night or on weekends.

• Use certificates for secure jobs.

• Set up runbooks in Azure Automation for regular tasks.

You can use Microsoft Graph to make your work easier. You spend less time on manual jobs and more time on important work.

Troubleshooting and Limitations

Debugging

You might have problems when you use the SDK. Sometimes, your code looks fine but does not work. This can make you feel upset. Here are some common problems and ways to fix them:

• You get an "Invalid URI" error in interactive sessions. Try to reconnect your session. This usually fixes it.

• License assignments and application updates may not work right. Check your payloads and parameters again.

• You see a 403 error. This means you do not have enough permissions. Use Find-MgGraphPermission to see what you need.

If you cannot sign in, do these steps:

1. Run PowerShell as Administrator.

2. Make sure your certificate is there and works.

3. Check if your certificate has a private key.

4. Confirm your certificate is uploaded in Azure App Registration and has the correct permissions.

Tip: If errors seem strange, update your SDK and reconnect. Many problems go away after you restart.

SDK Foibles

You might notice odd things when you use the SDK. For example, the SDK stopped supporting .NET 6 in version 2.26.1. This change can break Azure Automation runbooks. If you use Azure Automation, check your PowerShell version. Some versions do not work well with the SDK and can cause sign-in problems.

You may get throttling if you send too many requests at once. The Microsoft Graph API limits how many requests you can make. If you reach this limit, slow down or batch your requests.

When you work with big datasets, you can batch up to 20 requests at once. The SDK makes batching simple. You use classes like BatchRequestStep, BatchRequestContent, and BatchResponseContent to handle batches. This helps you process more data with less work.

• The SDK handles batch requests for you.

• You do not need to write hard code to make or read batch responses.

• You can process up to 20 requests in one batch.

Sometimes, you get timeouts or errors with some parameters. For example, using the expand parameter with big datasets may cause a "tooManyRetries" error. If this happens, split your requests into smaller batches.

Note: Batching works for most jobs, but watch your memory and timeouts with very big datasets.

Other Modules

You might wonder when to use other modules instead of the SDK. Sometimes, you need features or data that the SDK does not have. Exchange Online, Teams, and SharePoint Online modules give you extra choices.

Here’s a table to help you pick:

You can also compare features between SDK versions:

If you need to work with very big datasets, try batching your requests. The SDK makes this easier than other modules. You can process more data with less code. If you need special features or faster speed, check if another module is better for you.

Tip: Choose the best tool for your job. The SDK works for most jobs, but other modules can help with special needs.

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You’ve learned how the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK can make your work easier and faster. If you want to get the most out of it, remember these tips:

1. Always ask for only the permissions you need.

2. Handle errors and API limits with smart strategies.

3. Use $select and $filter to keep your queries quick.

4. Pick the right authentication for each job.

When you master automation, you boost productivity, improve security, and streamline your daily tasks. You can connect with Microsoft 365 services and build smart workflows. If you want to keep learning, check out the course ‘Using the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK’ for more hands-on guidance.

FAQ

How do you update the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK?

You just run this command in PowerShell:

Update-Module Microsoft.Graph

Tip: Always keep your SDK up to date for new features and fixes.

Can you use the SDK on Mac or Linux?

Yes! You can run your scripts on Windows, Mac, or Linux. The SDK works across all these platforms. You get the same commands everywhere.

What should you do if you get a 403 error?

A 403 error means you do not have enough permissions. Check which permissions your command needs. Use Find-MgGraphPermission to see what you need. Make sure your account or app has those permissions.

Is it safe to automate tasks with the SDK?

Yes, you can automate tasks safely. Use certificate-based authentication or managed identities for secure jobs. Always give your scripts only the permissions they need.