- Why integrate ADP with your Active Directory
- How to integrate ADP with Active Directory manually
- How ADManager Plus simplifies the integration process
Onboarding a new employee is rarely simple. The checklist is long. Collect personal info, send contracts, set up payroll, and, of course, create the employee’s Active Directory account. For most HR departments, manually managing this process can quickly become chaotic. It’s a cycle of constant updates, especially when employees change roles, get promoted, or leave.
The problem? HR systems like ADP and Active Directory rarely speak to each other. And that means you’re stuck doing double duty: manually syncing employee data between systems, reentering details, and constantly updating permissions. For HR teams, this leads to inefficiencies, human error, and potential security risks, all of which could have been avoided with an integration.
In this blog, we’ll explore why integrating ADP with Active Directory is essential, how the manual process works, why it may not be the best choice, and why ADManager Plus can make all the difference.
Why integrate ADP with your Active Directory
With ADP and Active Directory seamlessly integrated, the entire process of user life cycle management becomes far smoother, and HR teams can focus on what truly matters.
- Efficient onboarding and offboarding: Automatically create, update, and deactivate Active Directory accounts based on changes in ADP. No more manually entering data in multiple places.
- Real-time syncing: Employee information, like roles, permissions, and status changes, sync automatically across both systems, eliminating data inconsistencies.
- Security and compliance: With automated deactivations and permission updates, you reduce the risk of orphan accounts and unauthorized access. Compliance becomes easier to maintain as well.
By linking ADP with Active Directory, you not only simplify your processes but also ensure security and compliance are handled seamlessly.
How to integrate ADP with Active Directory manually
Here’s how the process of manually integrating ADP with Active Directory typically works:
- Export employee data from ADP
First, you’ll need to export the employee data you need from ADP, think names, job titles, departments, and contact details. You can do this in CSV or Excel format.
- Prepare the data for Active Directory
Next, you'll need to format the data so it fits with Active Directory’s requirements. Make sure to clean up any discrepancies and ensure the format matches what Active Directory expects.
- Create user accounts in Active Directory
Whether you use PowerShell or the ADUC console, you’ll enter all the necessary details (name, username, email, etc.) and assign users to the right organizational units.
- Update user permissions regularly
As employees move around in the company, getting promoted, switching departments, or taking on new roles, you’ll need to update their permissions. This can be done by modifying group memberships or adjusting individual access rights.
- Deactivate accounts for departing employees
When an employee leaves, it’s critical to disable or delete their account to prevent unauthorized access. Find their account in Active Directory and take the necessary steps. It’s also a good idea to review any systems or resources linked to their account to make sure everything is secure.
- Continuous syncing between ADP and Active Directory
Lastly, to keep everything up to date, HR will need to regularly export data from ADP and manually sync it with Active Directory. This can sink a major amount of time as your organization grows and employee updates pile up.
While the manual process may seem doable in the short term, it’s easy to see how it could quickly spiral into a headache as your organization grows.
Between the constant data updates, the risk of human error, and the challenge of keeping everything in sync, managing identities in ADP and Active Directory becomes a lot to handle. Small mistakes can lead to bigger issues, like unauthorized access, security gaps, or delayed projects, putting both your HR and IT teams in a tough spot.
Having an automated solution can save you time, reduce errors, and keep things running smoothly.
How ADManager Plus simplifies the integration process
While you could go down the long, winding road of manually integrating ADP with Active Directory, that’s not the only option. In fact, ADManager Plus streamlines this whole process, making it as easy as a few clicks.
- Automatic provisioning and deactivation: When an employee’s information changes in ADP, whether they’re joining or leaving, ADManager Plus can automatically create, update, or disable their Active Directory accounts.
- Customizable workflows: ADManager Plus offers flexible workflows that allow you to configure rules for your organization’s specific needs. This ensures that your processes are always up to date without requiring manual intervention.
- Real-time synchronization: ADManager Plus ensures that all employee data, permissions, and access controls stay consistent across ADP and Active Directory.
Don’t have ADManager Plus yet? Give it a try with our demo and see how easy it is to get started with ADP-Active Directory integration.
Already a customer? Explore the Marketplace to discover more integrations that can make your workflows even easier.