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Create a Group Account in Active Directory

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Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Essential Business Server, Windows SBS 2003, Windows SBS 2008, Windows Server 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista

To create a security group to contain the computer accounts for the computers that are to receive a set of Group Policy settings, use the Active Directory Users and Computers MMC snap-in.

Administrative credentials

To complete this procedure, you must be a member of the Domain Administrators group, or otherwise be delegated permissions to create new group accounts.

To add a new membership group in Active Directory

  1. On a computer that has Active Directory management tools installed, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.

  2. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.

  3. In the navigation pane, select the container in which you want to store your group. This is typically the Users container under the domain.

  4. Click Action, click New, and then click Group.

  5. In the Group name text box, type the name for your new group.

Note

Be sure to use a name that clearly indicates its purpose. Check to see if your organization has a naming convention for groups.

  1. In the Description text box, enter a description of the purpose of this group.

  2. In the Group scope section, select either Global or Universal, depending on your Active Directory forest structure. If your group must include computers from multiple domains, then select Universal. If all of the members are from the same domain, then select Global.

  3. In the Group type section, click Security.

  4. Click OK to save your group.