Microsoft: User Onboarding Crate
What does the Microsoft: User Onboarding Crate do?
The Microsoft: User Onboarding Crate automates the user onboarding process by streamlining account creation, group assignments, licensing, and additional configurations across Microsoft Entra ID, formerly known as Azure AD, and on-premises Active Directory.
Ensure that new employees or contractors are provisioned accurately and consistently based on predefined policies, integrating seamlessly with PSA, RMM, documentation, and licensing systems.
Why use the Microsoft: User Onboarding Crate?
This Crate is ideal for MSPs and IT teams managing Microsoft environments.
Automate user creation, group assignments, and licensing
Configure On-Prem AD, Azure AD, or Hybrid environments
Assign Microsoft 365 licenses, security groups, and shared mailboxes
Enforce password policies, role-based access, and MFA registration
Log user details in your PSA and external documentation platforms
Create or update tickets or send emails
Requires manual approval before provisioning users
Supported configurations
How the Crate works
Once the form unpacked from the Crate is submitted, the Microsoft: User Onboarding Crate executes the following steps:
1. Form submission and validation
The process starts when a user submits the [Crate] Microsoft: User Onboarding form.
The workflow checks if the user already exists in AD or Azure AD.
The form captures necessary user details, including personal information, group memberships, licensing, and security settings.
PSA integration retrieves the user's location, if available.
If the New User Approval System is enabled, an approval request is sent before proceeding.
All required fields are validated before proceeding.
2. Ticket creation and management
If no ticket exists, a new one is created.
If a ticket already exists, it is updated with onboarding progress.
3. User account creation
The user account is created based on the selected identity provider:
On-Prem AD Only: A new AD account is created.
Azure AD Only: A new Entra ID (Azure AD) account is created.
Hybrid with Sync: A new AD account is created and synced to Azure AD.
Hybrid with No Sync: Separate accounts are created in both directories.
4. Group and license assignments
Security groups are assigned in AD or Azure AD.
Microsoft 365 licenses are applied via direct assignment or group membership.
Shared mailbox permissions are configured if applicable.
5. Credential and notification handling
A secure temporary password is generated.
The password is securely stored in PSA, ITGlue, Hudu, or sent via email or SMS.
The user’s manager may optionally be notified of credential details.
6. Ticket update and completion
Final provisioning details are logged in the PSA ticket.
The onboarding process is marked complete, and workflow logs are stored.
Workflow breakdown by identity provider type
Ensure that the correct organizational variables are set for each configuration to avoid provisioning issues.
Crate prerequisites
Before unpacking the Microsoft: User Onboarding Crate, make sure that the following requirements are met.
Required integrations
The Microsoft Cloud integration bundle must be set up first. This enables Microsoft Graph API access for Azure AD and M365 provisioning.
For Active Directory setup, you’ll need to first set up your RMM integration, or Agent Smith. This is optional.
PSA Integration must be setup. This is required for automated ticket creation and ticket updates. This is optional.
Documentation Integrations must be set up if you wish to create documentation in your knowledge base. This is optional.
Licensing integrations should be completed if you wish to set up automated license purchases. Configure Pax8, Ingram Micro, Sherweb, or Synnex. This is optional.
Overview of required context variables and organizational variables
The Microsoft: User Onboarding Crate uses context variables (CTX) and organizational variables to control user provisioning, security settings, licensing, and ticketing workflows.
CTX variables store dynamic, user-specific data that persists throughout the onboarding process.
Org variables define global settings for how Rewst interacts with Active Directory, Azure AD, PSA, RMM, and other integrations.
These variables must be correctly configured in Rewst before deploying the Crate. To update organizational variables, follow this guide.
Ensure all required variables are correctly set before using the onboarding workflow.
CTX variables hold dynamic, user-specific data used in automation.
Org variables define global settings that control how onboarding workflows operate.
Recommended organizational variable configuration
If not set, your organization's default settings will be applied.
primary_identity_provider
Specifies whether users are created in On-Prem AD, Azure AD, or Hybrid mode.
microsoft_licensing_distributor
Determines the license distributor for M365 purchases or whether to use the manual process.
Unpack the Crate
Navigate to Crates > Marketplace in the left side menu of the Rewst platform.
Search for
Microsoft: User Onboarding
.Click on the Crate to open the details page.
Click Unpack Crate, then Continue.
Click Unpack. Note that this is a large Crate, and the process may take a few minutes.
Use the Crate
Use the new user onboarding form
Once the Crate is unpacked, use the onboarding form to create new users.
Navigate to Automations > Forms.
Search for
[Crate] Microsoft: User Onboarding
.Click ⋮ > Usages > View Direct URLs.
Click on the form link for the organization where you want to create a new user.
Fill out the form as desired. For detailed information on all form options, see Onboarding form inputs and workflow process.
Click Submit.
Validate workflow execution
Go to Automations > Results.
Search for
Microsoft: User Onboarding
.Open the latest execution result and verify that the workflow completed successfully.
Review the execution logs for any failed steps or warnings. If any failures occur, refer to the troubleshooting section below.
Verify user creation and assignments
Verification step
Expected outcome
Active Directory (On-Prem AD Only / Hybrid)
User appears in Active Directory Users & Computers (ADUC).
Azure AD (Cloud / Hybrid)
User is created in Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD).
Security Groups
User is assigned to the selected security groups.
Microsoft 365 Licensing
License is assigned to the user (directly or via a group).
Shared Mailbox & Permissions
User has "Send As" or "Send on Behalf" permissions, if selected.
If a user does not appear in AD or Azure AD, check the workflow execution logs.
Confirm ticket and documentation updates
Verification step
Expected outcome
PSA Ticket Creation
A new ticket is created in ConnectWise, Autotask, Halo PSA, ServiceNow, etc..
Ticket Updates
The ticket logs user details, group assignments, and licensing information.
External Documentation (Optional)
User credentials are stored in ITGlue, Hudu, or Passportal, if enabled.
If the ticket was not created or updated, verify that PSA integration is configured correctly.
Troubleshoot the Microsoft: User Onboarding Crate
Expand each of the issues below to see its full documentation and known solution.
Onboarding Workflows, triggers, forms, scripts, and templates
This section provides a detailed list of all workflows, triggers, forms, scripts, and templates included in the Microsoft: User Onboarding Crate.
Migration guide: Moving from a previous onboarding Crate
☝️If you’re using a previous version of the onboarding workflow, follow these migration steps below. If this is your first time using this Crate, this information isn't relevant to you.
🚀 Got an idea for a new Crate? Rewst is constantly adding new Crates to our Crate Marketplace. Submit your idea or upvote existing ideas here in our Canny feedback collector.
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