Error: Directory synchronization enabled but not taking effect

Question

I am stuck on an error message stating that directory synchronization has been enabled for this directory but not taking effect while setting up Directory Sync.

The scenario involves removing AD sync from one tenant and attempting to sync identities to a new provisioned tenant. While setting up the sync agent, initially I synced a small OU of around 10 users The following points outline the situation:

1. A few users already existed in the destination with the same UPN.
2. The agent mapped the existing cloud users to their respective on-premises identities, and the status was updated to synced.
3. The agent populated the non-cloud identities in Entra ID.
4. If the sync is executed from PowerShell or Synchronization Services, it works; however, using the Sync Agent GUI results in the error.
5. Changes are not accepted, preventing new users from being populated or synced to existing identities.
6. It appears not to be a soft/hard match issue, as the agent has successfully resolved some existing users.

Using sync agent version 2.4.131.0 on Windows Server 2019.

Insights or potential solutions would be appreciated.

Answer 1

Hi @Himanshu Jaisingani

I understand you're encountering the error: "Directory synchronization is enabled for this directory, but has not yet taken effect" while transitioning from one tenant to another using Microsoft Entra Connect Sync Agent.
This error typically indicates that the initial sync process is still pending or incomplete, even though directory sync has been enabled. where AD sync is removed from one tenant and re-established in another.
It takes a period of time up to 72 hours to re-enable and effect the sync, some time it takes few hours.
Wait for the period of the time and see if issue is fixed.

A similar issue is posted by other community member here.

Hope this helps. If you still do not see enough information to isolate the issue, please let me know in the comment section.

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