How to create new custom AD attributes for use in a signature template

Related Products: Signature Manager Exchange Edition | Signature Manager Outlook Edition | Template Editor

Scenario

You would like to have custom information displayed within a signature without having to set up multiple signature templates and policies for individual users.

Resolution

It is possible to create custom Active Directory attributes that can be used within your signature template.

This article describes how you can create custom Active Directory attributes and add them to your template:

• Pre-requisites
• Steps on how to enable the Active Directory schema for the first time
• Steps to create a new Attribute
• Steps to enable Global Catalogue Replication and add the new attribute to the User Class

Pre-requisites

By default, the Active Directory schema snap-in is not enabled on Domain Controllers or Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) installed machines.

To enable the Active Directory schema for the first time:

1. Open an Elevated Command Prompt.
   
   
2. Run the following command:
   
   regsvr32 schmmgmt.dll
   
   A confirmation message is displayed:
   
   

To create a new Attribute:

1. Once you've received the confirmation message, enter the command 'mmc' into the command prompt window to open up a new Microsoft Management Console window.
   
   
2. Choose File > Add or Remove Snap-ins then select the Active Directory Schema option. Double-click or click Add then click OK to load the Snap-in.
   
   
   
   
3. Once the Snap-in has been loaded, expand this out, right-click on the Attributes entry then select Create Attribute... to continue.
   
   Note: If the Create Attribute option is greyed out, please ensure you are a member of the Schema Admins group.
   
   A warning is displayed at this point because these types of changes will become permanent within your Active Directory.
   
   
4. Please ensure you read and fully understand the warning as you will not be able to delete these updates.
   
   
   
   
5. If you click Continue, you are prompted to provide the following information:
   
   

The following table provides full details for each of these values and how they function:

To enable Global Catalogue Replication and add a new attribute to the User Class:

1. Right-click the newly created attribute then select Properties. The Properties window is displayed.
   
   
2. Select Replicate this attribute to the Global Catalogue option to enable replication to the Global Catalogue.
   
   
3. Click OK to continue.
   
   
   
   You will then need to assign the attribute to the user class so that it becomes available within the Attribute Editor.
   
   
4. From the left-hand pane in the console, expand the Classes folder, locate the user class, then right-click and select Properties. The user Properties window is displayed.
   
   
5. Open the Attributes tab then click Add...
   
   
   
   
6. Search for the name of your new attribute, highlight this and click OK twice to save the change.
   
   
   
   
   Warning: These changes can take a few minutes to come into effect within your Active Directory.

   Please allow 15 minutes to ensure that these fields become available, after which you will be able to update the data for this new field within the Attribute Editor tab of a users Active Directory entry.

   
   
   
   
7. Once this has been done, you will be able to add this new attribute onto your template design, using the Other AD Fields > AD Field option within the Exclaimer Template Editor tool.