Workspace ONE - Campus Active Directory User Object Configuration

Workspace ONE uses the common name, or cn, attribute to sync username from the Campus Active Directory Service (CADS). CADS user objects automatically created by identity processes such as NetIDs and M365 service accounts have the required attributes configured appropriately, however manually-created objects can be configured with a common name that does not match the username. This document contains instructions to find the common name attribute of a CADS user object and update it if necessary.

Verifying the common name

  1. Launch "Active Directory Users and Computers" from wherever you currently manage your CADS OU.
  2. Enable "Advanced Features" from the "View" menu if it's not already enabled.
  3. Locate the OU that the user object in question resides within.
  4. Right-click the object and choose "Properties".
  5. Click the "Account" tab and make a note of the usernames displayed there.
  6. Click the "Attribute Editor" tab.
    1. If you do not see an Attribute Editor tab, confirm that "Advanced Features" is enabled and that you opened the object properties window from the object's OU. Using the search feature to locate and display object properties will not display the Attribute Editor tab.
  7. Scroll down to the "cn" row. The "cn" value should match the usernames displayed in step 5 exactly. If it does not (as the pictured example illustrates), proceed to "Modifying the common name".

Modifying the common name

If the 'cn' attribute value does not match the username, you will need to update the "cn" value before it can be used for device enrollment with Workspace ONE.

  1. Launch "Active Directory Users and Computers" from wherever you currently manage your CADS OU.
  2. Enable "Advanced Features" from the "View" menu if it's not already enabled.
  3. Locate the OU that the user object in question resides within.
  4. Right-click the object and choose "Properties".
  5. Click the "Account" tab and make a note of the usernames displayed there.
  6. Close the Properties window.
  7. Right-click the object and choose "Rename".
  8. Enter the username exactly as displayed in step 5.
  9. Press enter or click anywhere outside of the text entry field to display the "Rename User" dialog box
  10. Click "OK"
  11. Right-click the renamed object and choose "Properties".
  12. Click the "Attribute Editor" tab.
  13. Scroll down to the "cn" row and confirm that it now matches the usernames in the "Account" tab.
  14. Close the Properties window.

Keywords:
CADS AD service account 
Doc ID:
162866
Owned by:
Jon D. in Endpoint Management
Created:
2026-07-23
Updated:
2026-07-23
Sites:
DoIT Help Desk, Endpoint Management