Set-MgUserManagerByRef

What is Set-MgUserManagerByRef?

The Set-MgUserManagerByRef cmdlet in Microsoft Graph PowerShell is used to assign or update a manager for a user in Microsoft 365. Instead of directly modifying user attributes, it creates a reference between a user and their manager, aligning with organizational hierarchy management.

Why Use Set-MgUserManagerByRef?

This cmdlet is particularly useful when:

• Assigning managers during onboarding.
• Updating reporting structures in bulk.
• Automating HR processes that require manager-user mappings.
• Keeping Active Directory and Microsoft 365 organizational charts consistent.

By using PowerShell, administrators save time and reduce errors compared to manual updates in the Admin Center.

Prerequisites

Before running this cmdlet, connect to Microsoft Graph with the required permissions:

Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "User.ReadWrite.All"

How to Use Set-MgUserManagerByRef?

Syntax (essential parameters):

Set-MgUserManagerByRef -UserId <String> -BodyParameter <Hashtable>

You must provide the UserId (UPN or ObjectId) of the user and specify the manager reference using @odata.id.

Set-MgUserManagerByRef Examples

• Example 1: Assign a Single Manager to a User

$Manager = @{
    "@odata.id" = "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/12345678-90ab-cdef-ghij-klmnopqrstuv"
}
Set-MgUserManagerByRef -UserId "john.doe@company.com" -BodyParameter $Manager

This assigns a manager with the given object ID to John Doe.

• Example 2: Assign Managers to Multiple Users

$Manager = @{
    "@odata.id" = "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/87654321-abcd-efgh-ijkl-mnopqrstuvwx"
}
$Users = @("user1@company.com", "user2@company.com", "user3@company.com")
                                                
foreach ($User in $Users) {
    Set-MgUserManagerByRef -UserId $User -BodyParameter $Manager
}

This loop assigns the same manager to multiple users at once.

• Example 3: Assign Managers via CSV Import

CSV File Format:

UserPrincipalName,ManagerId
user1@company.com,manager1-id
user2@company.com,manager2-id

PowerShell Script:

$CSVPath = "C:\Managers.csv"
$Users = Import-Csv -Path $CSVPath
                                                
foreach ($User in $Users) {
$Manager = @{
    "@odata.id" = "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/$($User.ManagerId)"
}
    Set-MgUserManagerByRef -UserId $User.UserPrincipalName -BodyParameter $Manager
}

This assigns managers to multiple users by reading from a CSV file, useful for bulk updates.