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Entra / Microsoft 365 · Teams

Convert dynamic distribution list to Microsoft 365 group

Converts a dynamic distribution list to a Microsoft 365 group and team-enables the new group.

Connect & set up

Run these once per session. All scopes are read-only unless the script makes changes.

Connect-ExchangeOnline
Connect-MgGraph -Scopes Directory.Read.All, User.Read.All

Run it

The main script. Copy it, or download the .ps1 and run it from your console.

$ModulesLoaded = Get-Module | Select Name
If (!($ModulesLoaded -match "ExchangeOnlineManagement")) {Write-Host "Please connect to the Exchange Online Management module and then restart the script"; break}
# OK, we seem to be fully connected to Exchange Online.
# Connect to the Graph
Connect-MgGraph -Scope "Directory.Read.All, User.Read.All"
$InputDDL = Read-Host "Enter the name of the Dynamic Distribution List to convert to a Microsoft 365 Group"
[array]$SourceDDL = Get-DynamicDistributionGroup -Identity $InputDDL -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
If (!($SourceDDL)) {Write-Host ("Sorry! We can't find the {0} dynamic distribution list" -f $InputDDL); break}
If ($SourceDDL.Count -gt 1) {
CLS
Write-Host "We found multiple matching dynamic distribution lists"
Write-Host "-----------------------------------------------------"
Write-Host " "
$SourceDDL | Format-Table DisplayName, Alias, PrimarySMTPAddress
Write-Host " "
Write-Host "Please try again..."; break }
[string]$SourceDDLId = $SourceDDL.ExternalDirectoryObjectId
# Now that we have a source DDL, let's get its membership
[array]$SourceMembers = Get-Recipient -RecipientPreviewFilter (Get-DynamicDistributionGroup -Identity $SourceDDLId).RecipientFilter
# could also be
# [array]$SourceMembers = Get-DynamicDistributionGroupMember -Identity $SourceDDL.Id
# Throw away anything but user mailboxes because that's all a Microsoft 365 group supports
[array]$ValidMembers = $SourceMembers | ? {$_.RecipientTypeDetails -eq "UserMailbox"}
# We've got to assign an owner to the new Microsoft 365 group, so we need to have a default in case the source DDL doesn't have an owner
# Find the set of accounts that are Exchange admins (you can also use Get-AzureADDirectoryRoleMember here)
[array]$ExoAdmins = Get-MgDirectoryRoleMember -DirectoryRoleId "53add08e-5b0c-4276-a582-9ce02fb6c947" | Select Id, AdditionalProperties
# Throw away any service principals which might have the Exchange Admin role
$ExoAdmins = $ExoAdmins | ? {$_.AdditionalProperties.'@odata.type' -eq '#microsoft.graph.user'} | Select -ExpandProperty Id
# Select the first and use them as the default owner
$ExoDefaultAdmin = Get-MgUser -UserId $ExoAdmins[0] | Select -ExpandProperty UserPrincipalName
# Check that the group owner is a mailbox
$GroupOwner = Get-ExoMailbox -Identity $SourceDDL.Managedby -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
# If it's null or something weird like a shared mailbox, use the default owner
If (($GroupOwner -eq $Null) -or ($GroupOwner.RecipientTypeDetails -ne "UserMailbox")) {
$GroupOwner = $ExoDefaultAdmin }
Else {
$GroupOwner = $GroupOwner.PrimarySmtpAddress
}
# Populate other group properties
$AliasDDL = $SourceDDL.Alias + "M365"
$GroupDisplayName = $SourceDDL.DisplayName + " (Group)"
# Create the new Microsoft 365 Group
Write-Host "Creating the new Microsoft 365 group..."
$Description = "Created from the " + $SourceDDL.DisplayName + " dynamic distribution list on " + (Get-Date -Format g)
# If you use senstivity labels, add an appropriate label by passing its identifier in the -SensitivityLabel parameter.
$NewGroup = New-UnifiedGroup -DisplayName $GroupDisplayName –AccessType Private -Alias $AliasDDL -RequireSenderAuthenticationEnabled $True -Owner $SourceDDL.ManagedBy -AutoSubscribeNewMembers -Notes $Description
# Add the members to the group
Write-Host "Adding members from the dynamic distribution list to the Microsoft 365 group..."
Add-UnifiedGroupLinks -Identity $NewGroup.ExternalDirectoryObjectId -LinkType Members -Links $ValidMembers.PrimarySmtpAddress
Write-Host "Enabing Microsoft Teams for the Microsoft 365 group..."
New-Team -Group $NewGroup.ExternalDirectoryObjectId
Write-Host "All done - new group and team created"
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