Get-MgGroupMemberOfAsAdministrativeUnit – Retrieve Administrative Units a Group Belongs To Using Graph PowerShell

In Microsoft Entra ID, Administrative Units (AUs) help scope administrative permissions to specific sets of users, groups, or devices. The Get-MgGroupMemberOfAsAdministrativeUnit cmdlet allows administrators to identify which administrative units a group is a member of.

This is particularly useful for delegated administration, scoped access control, and governance.

Cmdlet Syntax

Get-MgGroupMemberOfAsAdministrativeUnit [-GroupId <String>]

Usage Examples

Entering GroupID When Prompted by PS Console

Get-MgGroupMemberOfAsAdministrativeUnit

👉 Prompts for Group ID if not provided.

Passing GroupID Parameter Directly

Get-MgGroupMemberOfAsAdministrativeUnit -GroupID 76dbea52-c146-48cb-91de-d70c26072f7f

👉 Retrieves all administrative units the specified group belongs to.

Selecting Only Specific Administrative Unit Properties

Get-MgGroupMemberOfAsAdministrativeUnit | Select Id, Description, DisplayName

👉 Filters output to only relevant AU properties.

Exporting AU Membership Details to CSV

Get-MgGroupMemberOfAsAdministrativeUnit -GroupID 76dbea52-c146-48cb-91de-d70c26072f7f | Export-CSV "D:/AUs_as_groupmembers.csv"

👉 Exports administrative unit memberships for reporting or auditing.

Cmdlet Tips

Tip	Description
AU-Specific Results	Returns only Administrative Unit objects, not users or groups
Ideal for Scoped Admin	Helps understand delegated admin boundaries
Use Select for Clarity	Reduce output using Select Id, DisplayName
Combine with AU Cmdlets	Use with Get-MgAdministrativeUnit for deeper insights
Permissions Required	Requires Directory.Read.All or AdministrativeUnit.Read.All

Use Cases

Use Case	Description
Delegated Admin Analysis	Identify which AUs a group falls under
Access Scope Validation	Ensure groups are assigned to correct administrative scopes
Compliance Audits	Review AU memberships for governance policies
Troubleshooting Access	Understand scoped admin limitations due to AU membership
Organizational Structuring	Validate group placement within administrative units

Frequently Asked Questions

Question	Answer
What does Get-MgGroupMemberOfAsAdministrativeUnit cmdlet return?	Returns Administrative Units the group is a member of
Does Get-MgGroupMemberOfAsAdministrativeUnit return users or groups?	No, only Administrative Units
Is Get-MgGroupMemberOfAsAdministrativeUnit same as Get-MgGroupMemberOf?	No, this specifically filters for Administrative Units. Where as Get-MgGroupMember of returns roles and groups as well.
Is GroupId mandatory?	Optional, but ps console prompts if not provided
Can I export results?	Yes, using Export-CSV

Possible Errors & Solutions

Error	Cause	Solution
Insufficient privileges	Missing Graph permissions	Use Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "Directory.Read.All"
Resource not found	Resource not found	Validate using Get-MgGroup
Empty result	Group not part of any AU	Confirm AU membership manually
Access Denied	Lack of admin consent	Grant required API permissions
Incorrect output type	Expecting users/groups	Ensure understanding that cmdlet returns AUs only

Conclusion

The Get-MgGroupMemberOfAsAdministrativeUnit cmdlet is a highly useful tool for understanding administrative scoping in Microsoft Entra ID. By identifying which administrative units a group belongs to, administrators can better manage delegated permissions, enforce governance policies, and troubleshoot access issues.

When used alongside other Graph PowerShell cmdlets, it becomes a key component in maintaining a secure and well-structured administrative environment.