The SharePoint User Profile Sync allows you to automatically synchronize a master user database with another user database. You can map properties from the master user database to the target user database and view whether the update was successful as well as an audit trail of how each item was updated. In addition, you can use the Windows Scheduler to automate the sync process.
Choose from the following sync types:
- MOSS 2007 User Profile database to Active Directory.
- Active Directory to WSS 3.0 User Information Lists.
- WSS 3.0 User Information List to one or more WSS 3.0 User Information List(s).
- Active Directory to a Contacts List in WSS 3.0 or MOSS 2007.
- A Contacts List in WSS 3.0 to one or more WSS 3.0 User Information List(s).
- Schedule updates to run automatically from one user database to another.
- Flexible mapping of user information from one database to another.
- Audit trail of imported data.
- Ability to exclude certain users or groups.
First, configure the proper settings depending on your sync type. Then enter in a user name and password for an account that has proper rights to both user database sources. For example, for the Active Directory to WSS 3.0 User Information List (B) sync type, you need one user ID and password that is both an Active Directory Admin account and SharePoint Site Collection Administrator account. Then define mappings between the master user database and the target user database. After the mappings are defined, then the user data is exported to the appropriate properties according to the defined mappings. This export occurs through a scheduler that runs at your convenience. You can also view a log file to determine whether the export/import of data was successful.
For the Active Directory to Contacts List (D) and Contacts List to WSS 3.0 User Information List (E) sync types, you can define the mappings in the same way as the other sync types, but you must also create a column in the Contacts List that contains the user account name in order to link to the account name in Active Directory or the WSS 3.0 User Information List (depending on the sync type you are using). User Profile Sync requires this link to be able to update the user profile information properly.