Can Runbook script have multiple file lists in it?

Question

Can Runbook script have multiple file lists in it?

Tyler Johnson 80

Hello,

I'm back! haha. This script works to update a Distribution group from a list. However, I have like 20 different lists, so is there a way to add all the file paths in one code and it work?

I just tried running with 2 lists and it updated the 2nd list with one member in it, but it did not update and add the 2nd member in the original list...I'm missing something...

I added new code like this:


Get-DistributionGroup -Identity "JohnsonTest2"
Get-DistributionGroup -Identity "JohnsonTest3"

$memberList = Import-Csv "C:\Test\JohnsonTest2.csv"
$memberList = Import-Csv "C:\Test\JohnsonTes3.csv"


$targetGroup = "JohnsonTest2"
$targetGroup = "JohnsonTest3"

Azure Automation Runbook Code
#1. Connect to Exchange Online (Use Managed Identity for Azure Automation)
Connect-ExchangeOnline -ManagedIdentity -Organization ".org"
#2. Define target Distribution Group identity
Get-DistributionGroup -Identity "JohnsonTest2"
#3. Import members from a CSV file
$memberList = Import-Csv "C:\Test\JohnsonTest.csv"
#4. Fetch current members (Email addresses) to compare against
$targetGroup = "JohnsonTest2"
$existingMembers = Get-DistributionGroupMember -Identity $targetGroup | Select-Object -ExpandProperty PrimarySmtpAddress
#5. Loop through the list and add members
foreach ($row in $memberList) {
    if ($existingMembers -contains $row.UserEmail) {
        Write-Output "$($row.UserEmail) is already a member of $targetGroup, skipping."
    } else {
        try {
            Add-DistributionGroupMember -Identity $targetGroup -Member $row.UserEmail -ErrorAction Stop
            Write-Output "Successfully added $($row.UserEmail) to $targetGroup"
        } catch {
            Write-Warning "Failed to add $($row.UserEmail): $($_.Exception.Message)"
        }
    }
}

Bharath Y P 5,620 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-02T15:41:24.6766667+00:00

Hello Tyler Johnson, Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A. We are currently looking in to the issue. We just want to know that,

where are your CSV files stored on the same folder path?

Thanks
Tyler Johnson 80 Reputation points

2026-03-02T15:44:32.7166667+00:00

Thanks @Bharath Y P :)

Yep, all files in same folder.
Tyler Johnson 80 Reputation points

2026-03-02T16:24:12.97+00:00
Thank you @Bharath Y P , unfortunately, I do not know this type of code very well, so I'm not sure what I need to replace here except for 'domain name' and 'folder path'. So would I update it like this?

# Group name = file name without extension $targetGroup = [System.IO.Path]::GetFileNameWithoutExtension($JohnsonTest) $targetGroup = [System.IO.Path]::GetFileNameWithoutExtension($JohnsonTest2) $targetGroup = [System.IO.Path]::GetFileNameWithoutExtension($JohnsonTest3)
Bharath Y P 5,620 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-02T16:39:22.2466667+00:00
Hello Tyler Johnson, You no need to declare any path one by, this above script we have provided is already fetching all the files under the folder path "C:\Test".

# 2. Define folder path $folderPath = "C:\Test" # 3. Get all CSV files in the folder $csvFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $folderPath -Filter *.csv

You can use the above script completely without any modification, only think you need to update is your private domain to connect managed identity.
Tyler Johnson 80 Reputation points

2026-03-02T16:47:58.3733333+00:00
@Bharath Y P ah, got it, thanks! ok, I just tried it and got this error message. I do not want to continue to waste your time, as you already helped me a lot last week, so I can just create lots of different Runbooks with my original code.

[31;1mParserError: [0mC:\ProgramData\Microsoft\System Center\Orchestrator\7.2\SMA\Sandboxes\lapjno24.2oh\Temp\iphhxcf2.plj\2a3bb829-bc9c-4244-b7c7-84535219d156.ps1:9[0m
Bharath Y P 5,620 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-03T05:06:48.03+00:00

Hello Tyler Johnson, Thanks for the error details, yes it you can create an multiple run book, but it difficult to maintain for multiple CSV in future. We help you on single script that can handle all the CSVs in the same folder. We reached out you in private message. Thanks

Answer accepted by question author

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Bharath Y P 5,620 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-02T15:41:24.6766667+00:00

Hello Tyler Johnson, Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A. We are currently looking in to the issue. We just want to know that,

where are your CSV files stored on the same folder path?

Thanks
Tyler Johnson 80 Reputation points

2026-03-02T15:44:32.7166667+00:00

Thanks @Bharath Y P :)

Yep, all files in same folder.
Tyler Johnson 80 Reputation points

2026-03-02T16:24:12.97+00:00

Thank you @Bharath Y P , unfortunately, I do not know this type of code very well, so I'm not sure what I need to replace here except for 'domain name' and 'folder path'. So would I update it like this?

# Group name = file name without extension $targetGroup = [System.IO.Path]::GetFileNameWithoutExtension($JohnsonTest) $targetGroup = [System.IO.Path]::GetFileNameWithoutExtension($JohnsonTest2) $targetGroup = [System.IO.Path]::GetFileNameWithoutExtension($JohnsonTest3)
Bharath Y P 5,620 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-02T16:39:22.2466667+00:00

Hello Tyler Johnson, You no need to declare any path one by, this above script we have provided is already fetching all the files under the folder path "C:\Test".

# 2. Define folder path $folderPath = "C:\Test" # 3. Get all CSV files in the folder $csvFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $folderPath -Filter *.csv

You can use the above script completely without any modification, only think you need to update is your private domain to connect managed identity.
Tyler Johnson 80 Reputation points

2026-03-02T16:47:58.3733333+00:00

@Bharath Y P ah, got it, thanks! ok, I just tried it and got this error message. I do not want to continue to waste your time, as you already helped me a lot last week, so I can just create lots of different Runbooks with my original code.

[31;1mParserError: [0mC:\ProgramData\Microsoft\System Center\Orchestrator\7.2\SMA\Sandboxes\lapjno24.2oh\Temp\iphhxcf2.plj\2a3bb829-bc9c-4244-b7c7-84535219d156.ps1:9[0m
Bharath Y P 5,620 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-03T05:06:48.03+00:00

Hello Tyler Johnson, Thanks for the error details, yes it you can create an multiple run book, but it difficult to maintain for multiple CSV in future. We help you on single script that can handle all the CSVs in the same folder. We reached out you in private message. Thanks

Answer 1

Hello Tyler Johnson, Thanks for the update, you can use the query below to process multiple files within a single folder to update the distribution list. Ensure that the target group name matches the file name.

# Connect to Exchange Online
Connect-ExchangeOnline -ManagedIdentity -Organization "<Your private Domain>"

# Define (Group, CSV) pairs
$FileLists = @(
    @{ Group = "JohnsonTest2"; CsvPath = "C:\Test\JohnsonTest2.csv" },
    @{ Group = "JohnsonTest3"; CsvPath = "C:\Test\JohnsonTest3.csv" }
)
 
foreach ($job in $FileLists) {
    $targetGroup = $job.Group
    $memberList  = Import-Csv $job.CsvPath
 
# Get existing members for this group
    $existingMembers = Get-DistributionGroupMember -Identity $targetGroup |
                       Select-Object -ExpandProperty PrimarySmtpAddress
 
foreach ($row in $memberList) {
        if ($existingMembers -contains $row.UserEmail) {
            Write-Output "$($row.UserEmail) is already a member of $targetGroup, skipping."
        } else {
            try {
                Add-DistributionGroupMember -Identity $targetGroup -Member $row.UserEmail -ErrorAction Stop
                Write-Output "Successfully added $($row.UserEmail) to $targetGroup"
            } catch {
                Write-Warning "Failed to add $($row.UserEmail) to $targetGroup: $($_.Exception.Message)"
            }
        }
    }
}

Hope this helps. and please feel free to reach out if you encounter any issues. Thanks

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Can Runbook script have multiple file lists in it?

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