How to get a list of OUs in AD using PowerShell scripts

The following is a comparison between obtaining a list of OUs in AD with Windows PowerShell and ADManager Plus:

Windows PowerShell

Steps to obtain list of OUs in AD using PowerShell:

  • Identify the domain from which you want to retrieve the report.
  • Identify the LDAP attributes you need to fetch the report.
  • Compile the script.
  • Execute it in Windows PowerShell.
  • The report will be exported in the given format.
  • To obtain the report in a different format, modify the script accordingly to the needs of the user.

Sample Windows PowerShell script

 Copied
Get-ADOrganizationalUnit -Filter'Name -like "*"' | Format-Table Name, DistinguishedName -B
Click to copy entire script

ADManager Plus

To obtain a report:

  • Select All OUs from OU Reports -> Reports tab.
  • Select the domain and click Generate.
  • Select Export as to export the report in any of the preferred formats (CSV, PDF, HTML, CSVDE and XLSX).

Screenshot

Get a list of OUs using ADManager Plus

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Limitations:

  • We can run this script only from the computers which has Active Directory Domain Services role.
  • Adding even minor modifications to a script—such as adding additional attributes to the reports—require it to be modified and executed again, which is time-consuming.
  • For each format type, a script has to be modified accordingly to export in that format, leading to increased LDAP query complexity in these scripts.
  • Troubleshooting these scripts requires extensive AD and scripting expertise.

ADManager Plus will retrieve details of OUs in any desired format in a simple and intuitively designed UI.

Schedule and export reports on AD objects, including OUs, without PowerShell scripting.

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