How to Modify city Attribute for AD-Synced Entra Users?
Short answer
A Modify the on-premises Active Directory city attribute with Set-ADUser, because synced Entra users are mastered in adatum.com.
Question
Key Takeaways
Tests source-of-authority rules for synced attributes; the trap is trying to edit the value in Entra or Microsoft 365 portals, where synced attributes are read-only and overwritten by directory synchronization.
When Active Directory users are synced to Microsoft Entra, the on-premises AD object is the source of authority for attributes like city. This page confirms the city attribute must be changed with Set-ADUser on-premises, not through Entra or Microsoft 365 admin portals.
Common mistake: Selecting Azure Cloud Shell with Get-MgUser and Update-MgUser, because learners assume any Entra user attribute can be edited in the cloud, but synced values are mastered in on-premises AD.
Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
Option A is correct because adatum.com is synced to Microsoft Entra, so each user object's source of authority remains the on-premises Active Directory domain. Changing the city attribute to a three-letter airport code therefore requires an AD DS write operation, and Set-ADUser is the cmdlet designed for that task. Get-ADUser retrieves the target objects, and Set-ADUser updates the city property for all 100 users. Running this from Windows PowerShell on a domain controller guarantees the Active Directory module is available and that the write occurs in the authoritative directory.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option B is wrong because Update-MgUser against a synced user cannot permanently modify attributes mastered on-premises; the next synchronization cycle would overwrite the cloud value. Option C is wrong because the Microsoft Entra admin center User settings blade does not provide a bulk edit for the city attribute, and even if it did, the change would not be authoritative for synced users. Option D is wrong because Microsoft 365 admin center bulk actions manage cloud-side service attributes, not the on-premises city attribute that syncs into Entra. Only an on-premises AD DS modification propagates correctly to Entra.
Community Comment Notes
All learner votes and comments align with option A. Khattak3143 explained that the user was synced from the on-premises domain and concluded "we need to modify the user attribute at on-premise domain", while TonyManero summarized the rule as "Sync from onprem, so you have to modify from onprem." Another learner, examcrammer, simply marked the answer as correct. No commenter defended editing the city value from Entra or Microsoft 365, which reinforces the source-of-authority principle tested here.
Official Reference
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/activedirectory/set-aduser
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/activedirectory/get-aduser
These links open the official vendor documentation in a new tab.
Exam Strategy
Identify the source of authority before choosing an administration tool: if an object is synced from AD DS, changes to synchronized attributes must be made on-premises. Option A explicitly runs on a domain controller, which ensures the Active Directory PowerShell module is present and the write reaches the authoritative directory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I change city for synced users in the Microsoft Entra admin center?
Does Set-ADUser need to run on a domain controller?
Community Votes
100% of anonymous learners picked answer A. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Discussion 3 contributions
Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.
From public community threads 3
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Khattak3143 👍 5 Answered AA final answer! It is because the user was synced from on-premise domain, we need to modify the user attribute at on-premise domain.
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TonyManero 👍 1 Answered ASync from onprem, so you have to modify from onprem.
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examcrammer 👍 3 Answered ACorrect
Reader comments & corrections
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