How to Export Azure AD User Managers and Direct Reports in Microsoft 365

To establish a structured reporting system in Microsoft 365, setting up user managers, and direct reports is crucial.

You can set up this reporting hierarchy through Microsoft 365 admin center, Entra admin center, or PowerShell. While Microsoft 365 admin center allows you to assign managers, Entra admin center is unique in offering the option to add managers for guest users.

Follow the steps below to add a reporting manager via the MS Entra portal or PowerShell.

Alternatively, you can use the following MS Graph PowerShell snippet to add a manager to a user in Entra ID. You can also use this cmdlet to replace the existing manager with another.

$Manager = @{
"@odata.id"="https://Graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/<Manager’s Object ID Or UPN>" 
}
Set-MgUserManagerByRef -UserId <User ID or UPN> -BodyParameter $Manager

Note: Replace <Manager’s Object ID Or UPN> with the manager's User Principal Name (UPN) or User ID, and <User ID or UPN> with the user's UPN or User ID to complete the script before executing it.

For a bulk update of user managers in Entra ID, utilize our PowerShell script:
SetAzureADUserManager.ps1.

• This report provides details, such as when the manager changes occurred, who initiated them, targeted user, outcome status, etc.
• Frequently access this report to stay updated on modifications and address any improper user manager assignments promptly.

Handy Tip: Make use of the Alert option to get instant notifications about manager changes based on a new event, a defined threshold, or a comparison with the past day's events.

The Entra admin center doesn’t offer a dedicated approach to get the list of all direct reports of a manager. In contrast, Teams and Outlook offer a straightforward approach to find all direct reports of a manager.

• In Microsoft Teams, you can access a detailed organizational chart by navigating to the Organization tab located within the respective user's (manager's) profile.
• This tab provides a comprehensive view of their direct reports, facilitating better team management and understanding the reporting structures.

• Similarly, the Organization tab in a user's profile offers a snapshot of their direct reports in Outlook.
• You have the option to find all direct and indirect reports of a manager using Outlook and Microsoft Teams.

Note: Users who work under a manager but report directly to one of the manager’s direct reports are known as indirect reports.

• Use the integrated Schedule feature to ensure timely and consistent access to updated insights on Entra ID manager and direct reports.
• Automatically receive the report via email on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis in the desired format.

Handy Hint: Utilize the Search Users or Manager’s UPN filter to view direct reports of the specific user.

For proper user management, it's crucial to filter users without managers and assign them an appropriate one. Manually determining each user's manager details through admin centers might be time-consuming, especially in larger environments.

However, you can utilize the following PowerShell script to find and export a list of users with no manager in Microsoft 365. Before proceeding, make sure you’ve connected to the Microsoft Graph PowerShell.

$Users = Get-MgUser -All -ExpandProperty Manager 
$UnmanagedUsers = @() 
Foreach ($User in $Users) { 
    if ($User.Manager.AdditionalProperties.displayName.length -eq 0){ 
         $UnmanagedUsers += $User 
    } 
} 
$UnmanagedUsers

• The report provides details on the user’s sign-in status, job title, department, and group membership details of each user without managers.
• Use this report in Microsoft 365 to identify users without managers and assign appropriate managers to ensure organizational oversight and effective supervision.

Handy Hint: You can use the Export option to download the list of unmanaged users in your desired format.

When a manager has too many direct reports in Microsoft 365, several challenges can arise:

While managing a large number of users can be challenging for a manager, one effective solution is to change the manager for some of their direct reports by assigning them to another manager.

To update the manager for direct reports, use the following cmdlet in MS Graph PowerShell, specifying the manager's and the user's UPN.

$NewManager = @{
"@odata.id"="https://Graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/<Manager’s Object ID Or UPN>" 
}
Set-MgUserManagerByRef -UserId <User ID or UPN> -BodyParameter $NewManager

While the managers with numerous direct reports often face the above-specified challenges, AdminDroid simplifies their tasks and addresses many of the issues. Here’s how:

With AdminDroid’s granular delegation feature, admins can grant users access to a set of comprehensive reports and dashboards within the AdminDroid portal.

This role allows managers to view and access the reports for all users who directly report to them. Importantly, managers don't require admin rights in M365 to access these direct reports through AdminDroid.

Here’s a breakdown of steps to assign the Manage Direct Reports role to Microsoft 365 users (managers):

• Navigate to Settings»Admins»Add Administrator in the AdminDroid Office 365 portal.
• From the Select Admins dropdown, choose the relevant managers.
• In the Select Roles field, opt for the Delegated Admin option and then select the Manage Direct Reports built-in role.
• Click the Add Admins button to finalize the addition.

After setting up the manager(s) as delegated admins, they can login to AdminDroid to access reports and dashboards exclusively on their direct reports.