# Get Active Directory groups where user is member

Source: [https://docs.virtosoftware.com/docs/virto-workflow-automation-web-part/virto-sharepoint-workflow-activities-kit-sharepoint-2010-workflow-platform/ad-activities/get-ad-groups/](https://docs.virtosoftware.com/docs/virto-workflow-automation-web-part/virto-sharepoint-workflow-activities-kit-sharepoint-2010-workflow-platform/ad-activities/get-ad-groups/)
Product: Virto Workflow Automation Web Part
Updated: 2026-08-12


This activity returns collection of Get Active Directory groups where user is member. Supports

“Distinguished Name” or “Account Name” output format.

![Get Active Directory groups where the user is a member activity in the SharePoint Workflow Designer](https://img-docs.virtosoftware.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/get_active_directory_groups_where_user_is_member_1.png)

By default, activity uses the current user when authenticating. If you want to use custom authentication, use “Set Active Directory authentication” activity before.

**Note:**Activity reads information from **memberOf**attribute. The **memberOf**attribute is a multi-valued attribute that contains groups of which the user is a direct member, depending on the domain controller (DC) from which this attribute is retrieved:

- At a DC for the domain that contains the user, **memberOf**for the user is complete with respect to membership for groups in that domain; however, **memberOf**does not contain the user's membership in domain local and global groups in other domains.
- At a GC server, **memberOf**for the user is complete with respect to all universal group memberships.

If both conditions are true for the DC, both sets of data are contained in **memberOf**.

Be aware that this attribute lists the groups that contain the user in their member attribute—it does not contain the recursive list of nested predecessors. For example, if user O is a member of group C and group B and group B were nested in group A, the memberOf attribute of user O would list group C and group B, but not group A.

This attribute is not stored—it is a computed back-link attribute.

More info about memberOf attribute you could find here [http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms677943.aspx](http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms677943.aspx)

## **SharePoint Workflow Designer Phrase**

Get Account Name of Active Directory groups where this user is member from this domain and store result in variable.

**Parameters**


| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Account Name | Type of items in response.DN – returns Distinguished Name of groupAccount Name – returns account name of group |
| this user | User or group login name. Ex: “user@domain”, “domain\user” or “user” |
| this domain | **Optional**. Domain name. You should enter domain name if user name without adomain, otherwise it will be calculated from the group name. |
| Variable | **Output.** Array List |