SharePoint AD Information Sync provides a short-cut to synchronize information in AD with SharePoint lists based on profile synchronization.

Information can be synced from AD to a SharePoint list either manually or automatically at desired intervals. Meanwhile modifications made to SharePoint lists can be synced back to AD.

SharePoint AD Information Sync has the capacity to allow for column mapping between AD fields and SharePoint list column to ensure accurate syncing of information.

SharePoint AD Information Sync allows you to set a sync schedule to only sync information whenever it is required.

The AD information that needs to be synced can be specified by Organizational Unit (OU) and LDAP query string.

Specific items that meet certain customized conditions are allowed to be excluded when configuring the AD sync settings.

You can also exclude any user/group directly from the sync process.

A sync log is provided enabling all sync activities to be logged and accessed at the administrator's convenience.

1. Introduction to SharePoint AD Information Sync 2.0
2. Configuring SharePoint AD Information Sync
   • 2.1. Accessing the SharePoint AD Information Sync Settings Page
   • 2.2. Adding and Configuring a Sync Profile
   • 2.3. Editing an Existing Sync Profile
3. Importing and Exporting an Existing Sync Profile
   • To import an existing profile
   • To export an existing profile
4. Example

1. Introduction to SharePoint AD Information Sync 2.0

SharePoint AD Information Sync 2.0 provides a quick and convenient way to synchronize AD information with SharePoint lists either manually or automatically at specified intervals.

Please note that SharePoint AD Information Sync 2.0 has to be activated before it can be used. For further reference, please see our Product Installation Guide.

Further information is also available in our FAQ. 

2. Configuring SharePoint AD Information Sync

2.1. Accessing the SharePoint AD Information Sync Settings Page

After installing and activating SharePoint AD Information Sync, the link to the AD Information Sync Settings page will be available on the Site Settings page of every site in the site collection. To navigate there, click the Site Settings button from the Site Actions dropdown menu.

On the Site Settings page, click AD Information Sync settings (Powered by SharePointBoost) under Site Administration. This will direct you to the AD Information Sync Settings page.

2.2. Adding and Configuring a Sync Profile

I. On the AD Information Sync Settings page click Add Profile after which you will be directly to the Add Profile page.

II. Give your sync profile a name by entering it into the Profile Name box.

III. Specify a list from the List dropdown menu which you want to point AD Information Sync to. Note that the dropdown menu displays all lists in the current site. List types supported include: Custom List, Task, Calendar, Announcement, Custom List in Datasheet View, Issue Tracking, Project Tasks and Discussion Board, User Information List and Contact.

In the Active Directory section, fill in domain name by clicking the Get Current Domain button, and then enter the username and password. Please note that this user has to have access rights to the domain server. Click the Test Connection button to check whether the user can access AD. Note: the user must belong to the Domain Admin group for to sync information to AD.  

IV. Note: You can also input server name or IP address of the Domain controller into the Domain Server text box manually.

V. In the Active Directory Information to Synchronize section, choose what AD objects should be synchronized. AD objects can be filtered by entering LDAP query sentences. Another option is to filter information based on Organizational Units selected.

Note: AD Information Sync supports LDAP sentences to set the AD sync. If you have no Organizational Units set up, you can sync AD information by default settings or LDAP.

VI. The Sync Options section gives you the option to decide what behavior AD Information Sync will show when there are entries added to or removed from AD and/or the SharePoint list during the syncing process.

For the first time a profile is set up, Create list items when AD items are created checkbox has to be checked. Otherwise the list will not be populated with items from AD.

Select AD objects will be modified when list items are modified if you wish to sync any changes made to SharePoint list items with AD.

Note: The Delete list items when AD items are deleted checkbox might result in data loss, if checked.

VII. In the Column Mapping section, select the AD fields to synchronize with the SharePoint list columns.

To sync an AD field that is not available in the dropdown menu, select "Custom AD Attribute" from the dropdown menu, and then enter the name of the AD field you wish to sync.

The content in brackets of a specific AD field is the Common Name (cn) for that field. It is used in the LDAP sentence.

Note: Currently AD Information Sync supports all standard column types excluding Date and Time columns, Lookup columns, Yes/No columns, KPI columns, Calculated columns and Business Data columns, Managed Meta Data columns. Unsupported columns will not be displayed in the Column Mapping section.

VIII. In the Sync Schedule section, specify the AD sync schedule type. Note: Sync manually means that information will only be synchronized if Sync Now is clicked on the AD Information Sync settings page.

IX. In the Exclude Items section, specify the users, computers and contacts that will be excluded during synchronization. Click Add… to add a condition for selecting users, computers or contacts for exclusion.

Note: Common Name is the unique identifier of the object in AD. SharePoint AD Information Sync uses Common Name (cn) as the identifier to exclude items, in addition to login name and display name. Items that do not meet the specified item exclusion conditions will not be synchronized with the list. You can also specify specific users and groups from the sync process.

The AD Information Sync Log section allows you to log any synchronization activity, delete existing logs after a specified period and view existing logs. A date filter is provided so you can view logs for certain periods.

2.3. Editing an Existing Sync Profile

On the AD Information Sync Settings page, all existing sync profiles are listed. To edit an existing profile, click on the profile name where you will be taken to the Edit Profile page. Follow the steps in Section 2.2. to edit your profile.

Note: If the current user is not the user who last modified the profile then he/she will need to provide the password required to connect to AD..

3. Importing and Exporting an Existing Sync Profile

To import an existing profile:

On the AD Information Sync Settings page, click Import Profile… In the pop window that opens, click Browse… and then select a profile you wish to import.

To export an existing profile:

On the AD Information Sync Settings page, click Export Profile…

Note: For security purposes, the exported profiles will not contain login credential information.

4. Example

In this example the administrator wants to synchronize information between AD and the AD Management list. In AD, all information concerning employees (such as the one below) is stored.

To always keep the information in the list up to date, the administrator sets up SharePoint AD Information Sync to update the list data whenever information in AD changes.

Firstly, the administrator gives the profile a name, specifies the list to be synced (AD Management in this case), and then specifies the AD domain and user login credentials.

The administrator then specifies what AD information should be synced. As the administrator only wants to sync employee information, User is selected as the Preset Type.

The information is organized based on Organizational Units, so the administrator only has to specify the OU's he wants to sync, in this case he selects the Managers OU.

To avoid data loss, the administrator only selects to create new list items if new users are created in AD. This will ensure that the list is up to date and that the data inside the SharePoint environment is complete.

Next, the synchronization mapping is set. Here, the administrator specifies what AD field should be mapped against which column in the AD Management list.

The administrator then specifies the sync schedule. To minimize any possible disruptions, the administrator specifies the synchronization to take place between 12 am and 1 am daily.

To exclude certain employees from the sync process, the administrator specifies the following Sync Exclusion Condition for excluding users.

In this case, employees with AD Display Name field ‘daniel’ will be excluded from the sync process.

To keep a record of all synchronization activities, the administrator chooses to set up an AD Information Sync Log.

The administrator finalizes the sync settings by clicking OK.

After synchronization, list columns are filled in automatically and will stay up to date based on the synchronization schedule specified.

All changes in AD will be reflected in the list, thus reducing the workload of the staff maintaining it.

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Languages Supported: English, Japanese, German

System Requirements

For SharePoint 2010:

Operating System:	Microsoft Windows Server 2008 x86/x64 Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2
Server:	SharePoint Release: - Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010 or Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 - Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5
Browser:	Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 or greater is recommended for Advanced Administration features Mozilla Firefox supported

For SharePoint 2007:

Operating System:	Microsoft Windows Server 2003 x86/x64 Microsoft Windows Server 2008 x86/x64 Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2
Server:	SharePoint Release: - Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services v3 or Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 - Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 or 3.0 Note: This product is not compatible with SPS 2003 and WSS v2
Browser:	Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or greater is recommended for Advanced Administration features

Technical Notes:

• Can't export the password when export profile.
• All the custom AD attributes (Attributes not in our attribute list) will be converted to text type after sync.
• Requires manage web, manage list, add item, view item, edit item, and delete item permission level to enter the setting page.

Release Notes

2.0.1223 Dec 24th, 2010	New Features: - Sync modifications to SharePoint list back to AD; - Sync custom AD attributes; - Support sync AD contact - Sync AD information to User Profile List; - Import/export sync profiles; - Logs all synchronization activities; - Sync thumbnail photo in AD with SharePoint Contact List. Bug Fixed: - CPU usage is high when sync manually.
1.8.730.0 Jul 30th, 2010	New Feature: - Server License for SharePoint 2010 is available.
1.7.622.0 Jul 6th, 2010	New Feature: - Server License is available.
1.6.312.0 Mar 15th, 2010	New Feature: - Announced compatibility with SharePoint 2010.
1.6.107.0 Jan 11st, 2010	Licensing module upgraded.
1.5.820.0 Aug 21st, 2009	Licensing module upgraded.
1.5.609.0 Jun 10th, 2009	New Feature: - Support Japanese.
1.5.520.0 May 22nd, 2009	Licensing module upgraded.
1.4.327.1 Mar 27th, 2009	Bug Fixed: - AD Contacts can be synchronized to SharePoint List.
1.3.313.1 Mar 13rd, 2009	New Features: - Allow users to synchronize thumbnail photos from AD to Lists: thumbnail photos will be uploaded as attachments and their URLs can be set as field values; - Add employee ID attribute.
1.2.204.0 Feb 5th, 2009	Bug Fixed: - Allow another 9 AD properties to be sync: IP phone; Pager; URL; Facsimile Telephone Number, Home Phone, IP Phone, Mobile, Pager, and Telephone in "others".
1.1.119.0 Jan 21st, 2009	Bug Fixed: - Improve performance in timer job.
1.0.1226.0 Jan 6th, 2009	Initial Release

• Is the AD Information Sync one-way only? If we make any changes to the List, will they be applied to AD?
  • AD information sync2.0 is two-way synchronization. The changes of list can be applied to AD.
• How do I check if the schedule is working? Is there a log file?
  • You can check the schedules by the timer job performance in central administration. Open Central Administration, click Operations on the top navigation bar; click Timer job status in the Global Configuration section. Normally, the AD Information Sync Job started time changes every one or more minutes. If started time does not change for a long time, it may be caused by the following:
  • 1) There are too many profiles or too much Active Directory information to sync;
  • 2) The AD Information Sync Timer Job does not work properly, including several reasons:
    • Windows SharePoint Services Timer is stopped;
    • AD Information Sync job is disabled;
    • There are some other problems with timer job or profiles.
  • There is no log file to record the schedule details.
• What access rights are needed for installing AD Information Sync?
  • You need at least Administration right for the SharePoint Server. If possible, better be in the Domain Administrator's group.
• What are the minimum rights required for an account to configure the settings of AD Information Sync?
  • The minimum rights must meet at least four permission levels: Add Items, Edit Items, Delete Items, and Manage Web Site.
• I set the Sync Schedule to indicate how often the job should be performed for this profile, but why doesn’t it work?

  • Check whether you have activated the "SharePoint AD Sync Timer Job" in the web application feature list. When you install the software, this feature may not be activated. Please go to SharePoint Central Administration to activate this feature in the correct web application.

    

• How do I check if the schedule is working? Is there a log file?
  • You can check the schedules by the timer job performance in central administration. Open Central Administration, click Operations on the top navigation bar; click Timer job status in the Global Configuration section. Normally, the AD Information Sync Job started time changes every one or more minutes. If started time does not change for a long time, it may be caused by the following:
  • 1) There are too many profiles or too much Active Directory information to sync;
  • 2) The AD Information Sync Timer Job does not work properly, including several reasons:
  • Windows SharePoint Services Timer is stopped;
  • AD Information Sync job is disabled;
  • There are some other problems with timer job or profiles.
  • There is no log file to record the schedule details.
• Can it sync "Member of" Tab of AD?
  • Currently it can't sync "Member of" tab of AD.
• Can it sync information from “Contact” objects?
  • It can sync information from “Contact” objects, please make the LDAP "Filter" empty.
• Can it sync to Lotus or Oracle?
  • Currently it can't be synced to Lotus or Oracle.

Purchase FAQ

Questions about Licensing:

• What is the difference between a Server License and a Site Collection License/Farm License?
  • Currently, we can provide Server License, Site Collection License and Farm License:
  • Each WFE will require a Server License (For SharePoint 2007: all servers running the SP Web Application service will need to be licensed; for SharePoint 2010: all servers running the "Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Web Application" service will need to be licensed). SPB Server Licenses do NOT limit the number of end-users.
  • A Site Collection License (with end-user number limit) can be applied to one site collection only, you would need to make sure the number of end-users is within the end-user number limit provided by your license;
  • A Farm License can be used across all site collections within a SharePoint farm; however the maximum number of users within each site collection is limited by the end-user number limit provided by your license. For example, a 400-end user Farm License means that the number of users within a site collection should not exceed 400.
  • To find out the number of end-users you have in your site collection/farm, please check the license management page (this will appear after you install the trial version of our software on your SharePoint servers), or download and run the free End User Viewer Tool available here: http://www.sharepointboost.com/end-user-viewer-tool.html.
• Which type of license should I choose?
  • Server Licenses are better if you would like to use the product without site collection or end-user restrictions.
  • A Site Collection License/Farm License is better if you only want to use the product in one site collection/farm and the number of end-users is unlikely to grow rapidly or change frequently.
  • If you are still unsure as to which license type is best for you, please email sales@sharepointboost.com for assistance.
• What are "end-users" and how do they affect my Site Collection License/Farm License?
  • End-users do NOT affect Server Licenses. An end-user count is only needed for a Site Collection License or Farm License.
  • An end-user is defined as any user who has access to, or has accessed any site in your Site Collection/Farm at any point in time, either directly (e.g. signing in) or indirectly (e.g. assigning him a task). And the number of end-users in the site collection means the total number of users across all sites in the site collection.
  • Once a user has accessed a site in the site collection/farm, he is counted, regardless of whether or not this user is active on the site where the product is used. For example, while you may only have 50 users who would need to use the product on Site A in the site collection, there are 360 users accessing Site B (including the 50 accessing Site A), making a total of 360 users with access to the site collection. Since Site A and Site B are in the same site collection, you would need to purchase a license for at least 360 users. SPB licenses increase in increments of 100 users, so if there are 360 people who have access to the site collection, you will need to purchase a 400 end-user license.
• If the current end-user number exceeds the end-user number allowed by my Site Collection License/Farm License, what will happen?
  • Please note that end-users do NOT affect Server Licenses.
  • If the current end-user amount exceeds the amount of end-users allowed by your Site Collection License/Farm License, the original functions and settings of the software will NOT be influenced until you change them (e.g. additions, deletions, modifications, etc.)
  • You can either use our End User Viewer Tool to delete some inactive or disabled SharePoint users (http://www.sharepointboost.com/end-user-viewer-tool.html) or upgrade your license with more end-users.The cost of a license upgrade is equal to the price difference between the old and new licenses, plus a standard fee of 50 USD applied to all upgrates submitted. For example, if you had purchased a 200 end-user license for $500 and now you want to upgrade to a 300 end-user license (Price: $600), you only need to pay the difference (600-500=$100) plus the standard upgrade fee ($50), therefore in total $150. It also applied to Farm License.
• What will happen if I buy a new server or add another server? How will this affect my license?
  • Please note that adding an additional server/replacing an old server with a new one will NOT affect Site Collection Licenses/Farm Licenses. Please contact sales@sharepointboost.com for more information only if your Site Collection ID/Farm ID has changed.
  • However, if you are using Server Licenses for an SPB product and you subsequently add an additional WFE to your environment, you will need to purchase another Server License. Also, if you elect to replace an old server with a new server, and the Server Code subsequently changes, you will need to contact sales@sharepointboost.com for more information.
• What is Premium Annual Support? If I buy it, what do I get?
  • For detailed information regarding SharePointBoost's Premium Annual Support plan, please visit our support page.
  • Premium Annual Support must be renewed each year. Support fees are charged per license per year.
• How can I find my Server Code or Site Collection ID/Farm ID?
  • To find your Server Code or Site Collection ID/Farm ID, please check the license management page (this will appear after you install the trial version of our software on your SharePoint servers – for help finding this information, please email support@sharepointboost.com, or download and install the free License Management Center here: http://www.sharepointboost.com/licensecenter.html.
• What is the price for DEV/Test environment? Is there any discount?
  • SharePointBoost offers 50% discount off the list license price for DEV/TEST environment when customers purchase license for their production environment.
• Do I have to pay for updates as new versions of the product are released?
  • Do I have to pay for updates as new versions of the product are released?
  • A minor release contains bugs fixes and minor feature changes (e.g. 1.0 to 1.1). Major releases include significant feature additions and enhancements (e.g. 1.x to 2.0), and Major releases (usually with significant functionality added) require the payment of an upgrade fee. However, if you purchase our Premium Annual Support plan, then all major and minor releases are free for one year.
• Do I need to apply for a new license if the site collection ID/farm ID/server CODE has been changed?
  • Yes. Since the license is generated based on the specific site collection ID/farm ID/server CODE, which means, once the site collection ID/farm ID/server CODE is changed, the original license CODE would be invalid as well. You need to contact our sales team(sales@sharepointboost.com ) for further assistance.

Questions about Purchasing Process:

• Does SharePointBoost accept Purchase Orders?
  • Yes, we accept purchase orders from our customers, for more details on purchasing via PO, please contact sales@sharepointboost.com.
• Which payment methods does SharePointBoost allow?
  • PayPal:
  • The preferred method of payment is PayPal. You can either purchase SharePointBoost products via PayPal account or via credit card. If you would like to purchase a Site Collection License/Farm License where the total number of end-users is greater than 900, we will generate a PayPal purchase link and send it to you in an email (paying via purchase link does not require that you have a PayPal account).
  • Secure Purchase Link:
  • If purchasing our products through PayPal is not possible for you, then you may contact sales@sharepointboost.com to get a secure purchase link generated and then emailed to you. Here you may pay with a credit card online, by phone, or by fax.
  • Bank Transfer:
  • If purchasing our products through PayPal or via a secure purchase link is not possible for you, then you may contact us to get bank information for a wire transfer. Note that you are responsible for any bank transfer fees.
  • If you do not specify one currency from USD, HKD, JPY, or EUR, we will take USD as the default payment currency.
  • SHAREPOINTBOOST DOES NOT ACCEPT CORPORATE OR PERSONAL CHECKS. PLEASE USE PAYPAL, SECURE PURCHASE LINK OR BANK TRANSFER TO PURCHASE OUR PRODUCTS.
• What is SharePointBoost's refund policy?
  • A request for a refund will only be granted if it is received BEFORE the license code has been sent. Once SharePointBoost has sent you a license code, the sale is considered final. We recommend that you take advantage of the 30-day trial period to download and test the product. This should allow you to fully test and make sure the product meets your needs before making a final purchase decision.
• Does SharePointBoost offer a discount for non-profit organizations, government agencies, or educational institutions?
  • Yes, SharePointBoost can offer discount on condition that you can provide proof that your organization is a registered non-profit, please contact sales@sharepointboost.com for the discount.