Using Get-MgUserContactCount in Graph PowerShell

The Get-MgUserContactCount cmdlet in Microsoft Graph PowerShell allows admins to retrieve the count of contacts for a specific user in Microsoft 365. This cmdlet is especially helpful when you want a quick overview of user contact data, making it ideal for user account analysis, system reporting, or preparing for migrations.

Cmdlet Syntax

Get-MgUserContactCount -UserId <String> [<CommonParameters>]

Parameters:

  • UserId: The unique identifier of the user whose contact count you want to retrieve. This can be either the user's ObjectId or their primary email address.

Usage Examples

Example 1: Get Contact Count for a Single User

Retrieve the total contact count for a user by specifying their UserId (in this case, the user’s primary email).

Get-MgUserContactCount -UserId "john.doe@domain.com"

Example 2: Bulk Contact Count Retrieval

Using a loop, you can iterate through a list of users to get each user's contact count.

$userIds = @("user1@domain.com", "user2@domain.com")
foreach ($userId in $userIds) {
    $contactCount = Get-MgUserContactCount -UserId $userId
    Write-Output "$userId has $contactCount contacts."
}

Example 3: Logging Contact Count for Audit Purposes

Retrieve contact count for a user and log it in a CSV file for record-keeping.


    $userId = "alice.smith@domain.com"
    $contactCount = Get-MgUserContactCount -UserId $userId
    $logEntry = [PSCustomObject]@{
        UserId       = $userId
        ContactCount = $contactCount
        DateChecked  = (Get-Date).ToString("yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss")
    }
    $logEntry | Export-Csv -Path "UserContactCountLog.csv" -Append -NoTypeInformation

Cmdlet Tips

  • Parameter Sensitivity: The UserId parameter is case-insensitive but must precisely match the user’s primary email or object ID to avoid errors.
  • Scripting with Bulk Operations: For a large number of users, consider using parallel processing (e.g., ForEach-Object -Parallel in PowerShell 7+) to speed up the process.
  • Avoiding Rate Limiting: When running this cmdlet across many accounts, ensure to add pauses between requests or throttle the script to avoid Microsoft Graph API rate limits.

Possible Errors & Solutions

Error Cause Solution
Get-MgUserContactCount : Not Found This error typically occurs if the specified UserId is incorrect or if the user account does not exist in Microsoft 365. Verify that the UserId is accurate by checking the user’s primary email or object ID in the Azure AD portal. Also, ensure that the user account is active.

    # Example check before calling Get-MgUserContactCount
    if (Get-MgUser -UserId "john.doe@domain.com" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) {
    Get-MgUserContactCount -UserId "john.doe@domain.com"
    } else {
    Write-Output "User not found."
    }
Insufficient Privileges to Complete the Operation This error can occur if the account executing the cmdlet lacks the necessary permissions. Ensure that the account used has the Contacts.Read or Contacts.Read.All permissions in the Microsoft Graph API. Contact your Microsoft 365 administrator if permission adjustments are needed.
Microsoft.Graph.ServiceException This is a general error from the Microsoft Graph API, often due to network connectivity issues or temporary service disruptions. Retry the cmdlet after a few minutes. If the error persists, check the Microsoft 365 Service Health page for any outages.

Use Cases

  • Analyzing User Contact Usage Patterns - By fetching contact counts across users in the organization, administrators can identify high-contact users, who may require additional support for contact management, or users with low engagement in contacts, indicating less reliance on internal contact storage
  • Migration Preparation for CRM Integration - Organizations planning to migrate user data, such as contact information to a CRM system, can use this cmdlet to get an estimate of the total contact data volume. This allows the migration team to allocate resources and time based on contact count volume.
  • Monitoring for Security Audits - In security-conscious environments, IT admins might monitor sudden spikes in user contact counts as an indication of potential data breaches or unauthorized syncing of contacts. By logging these counts periodically, teams can maintain a historic record and compare data over time.

Conclusion

The Get-MgUserContactCount cmdlet is a powerful tool for Microsoft 365 administrators needing quick access to contact counts for users across the organization. With a range of practical applications in migration planning, security monitoring, and usage analysis, this cmdlet enhances visibility into Microsoft 365 contact management. Remember to handle common errors by double-checking user IDs and permissions, and leverage this cmdlet's output to support informed decision-making.

Suggested Reading

© m365corner.com. All Rights Reserved.