Adding Custom Columns in Active Directory Users and Computers

Learn how to add columns in Active Directory Users and Computers to display custom attributes. Follow our guide to enhance your AD management efficiency.

This article describes how to add additional columns in Active Directory Users and Computers console as the current list of available columns is limited to a basic few ones.  This comes especially handy where the schema is extended and many of the extended attributes are not readily available for selection.

One basic method is to utilize AdsiEdit.msc and another to utilize the LDIFDE command.  This guide assumes that Window 2008 R2 is utilized.

Method 1 - AdsiEdit.msc

1.  From the Start menu, run AdsiEdit.msc.

2.  Right-click ADSI Edit and click on Connect to…

ADSI Edit Connect

3.  In the Select a well known Naming Context drop-down menu, select Configuration and click OK.

ADSI Edit Connect to Configuration

4.  Navigate to CN=DisplaySpecifiers, CN=409 and double-click CN=default-Display.

ADSI Edit configuration context

5.  Locate the extraColumns attribute and click on Edit.

ADSI Edit extraColumns

6.  In the add field enter the appropriate attribute with the proper format.  In our example, we will utilize the following technicalDepartment,Technical Department,0,150,0.

According to article Modifying Existing User Interfaces the format is as follows:

  <ldapdisplayname>,<column header>,<default visibility>,<width>,<unused>

In our example, the 150 value is the width that we selected in pixels when viewed in the console.

ADSI Edit extraColumns

Click OK and OK to Exit.

Method 2 - Using LDIFDE

** This section is pending  **

Displaying the Columns in Active Directory Users and Computers Console

7.  Now start Active Directory Users and Computers console, and navigate to Saved Queries and right-click it.  Click New, and Query.

Active Directory Query

8.  Enter the following in the Name field “All Users” (this can be anything) and click on Define Query.

Active Directory New Query All Users

9.  In the Name drop-down menu, select Has a value.  You can actually customize any query you like, but for simplicity the Has a value is selected.

Active Directory Add/Remove Columns

Click OK and OK again.  The query will populate some user names depending on your domain.

10.  With the Saved Query selected, click on Add/Remove Columns… (Also ensure that Advanced Features is selected - can be performed beforehand).

Active Directory Add/Remove Columns

11.  On the Available columns, select the desired attribute and click on Add ->.  As you noticed, the attribute is listed by the Display Name we defined earlier and not the ldap name which in our case was technicalDepartment.

Active Directory Add/Remove Columns add desired column

Click OK.

12.  As you can now see, the Technical Department column appears now on the console. Also remember that the default width may need to be adjusted depending on your specific attribute.

Active Directory view column

13.  Right-click a user, select Properties.  Navigate to the Attribute Editor (remember that the Advanced View must be enabled in the console).  Locate the specific attribute.  In our case it is Technical Department.

Active Directory user Attributes

14.  Now you can double-click the attribute and enter the appropriate information.

Active Directory populating user Attributes

15.  Once you click OK and navigate back to the Saved Queries, the value entered will be displayed.  (A refresh of the console may be required.)

Active Directory viewing column value