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TriNetActive Directory

Connect TriNet to Active Directory

Turn TriNet hires, changes and departures into account updates in Active Directory. Follow the setup steps, preview changes with a dry run, then go live.

TriNet fields mapped
13
Steps to go live
9
Employee records stored in our cloud
0

Joiners, movers and leavers

How TriNet updates Active Directory

HR updates TriNet. ezOnboard updates accounts based on your rules.

Joiner

An account before day one

TriNet makes a new hire available through its API on the hire date or an early access date you set.

  • Account created in the role’s OU, disabled until the start date
  • Name, email and attributes set from TriNet
  • Department and site groups added
  • Account enabled on the start date; password change required at first sign-in

Mover

Access for the new role

A business title, department, work location or supervisor changes in the person’s TriNet employment record.

  • Title, department, office and manager updated
  • Account moved to the OU your rules specify
  • Groups added and removed to match the new role

Leaver

Offboarding on schedule

TriNet reports a termination and its date after processing the final check.

  • Account disabled on the termination date, never deleted
  • Groups removed and the account moved to the disabled OU
  • Mail forwarded and licenses recovered with connected Exchange and Microsoft 365 services

Before you start

What to have ready

Work with a TriNet admin and a directory admin to complete the setup.

In TriNet
  • A TriNet company administrator to assign Integration Administrator to the person setting up the API
  • A work email or employee ID for each person in TriNet to match them to their account
In Active Directory
  • A domain-joined server running Windows Server 2019 or later
  • A group managed service account or service account to run the agent
  • Outbound HTTPS to the HR system and ezOnboard; no inbound access required
  • OUs for staff accounts, disabled accounts and the groups ezOnboard will manage

Step by step

Set up TriNet with Active Directory

Start in TriNet and on your server. Then finish in the ezOnboard portal with our implementation team.

  1. 01

    TriNet

    Grant the Integration Administrator role

    Admin • Manager → Employees → Permissions

    An Integration Administrator sets up the TriNet API and generates its credentials. The credentials belong to the company and keep working if that administrator leaves.

    Sign in as a company administrator. Open Employees → Permissions, find the admin who will connect ezOnboard and assign Integration Administrator. No other role is needed. Save the change.

    Permissions. Assign Integration Administrator only.

  2. 02

    TriNet

    Connect the TriNet API

    Admin • Manager → Marketplace → TriNet API → Set up Integration

    Sign in as the Integration Administrator. In Marketplace, find TriNet API and choose Set up Integration. Older accounts use Integration Center → Get Started. Select ezOnboard and review its read access. If it isn’t listed, ask your TriNet representative to add a custom integration.

    Choose Accept. Copy the Company ID, Client ID and Client Secret to a secure location before choosing OK. They are shown only once. You’ll need all three in step 5. To revoke access later, choose Disconnect under My Connected Apps.

    API credentials. Copy all three before choosing OK. They’re shown only once.

  3. 03

    Your server

    Install the ezOnboard agent

    The agent runs as a Windows service on a domain-joined server with Windows Server 2019 or later. It connects to TriNet and ezOnboard over outbound HTTPS. No inbound firewall rules are needed.

    Download the signed MSI and enrollment bundle from the portal. Save the install code. The portal shows it only once. Run the MSI, enter the code and choose a service account, preferably a group managed service account. The installer checks the domain connection, LDAP access, outbound access and clock before making changes.

    Installer screen with the setup requirements.

  4. 04

    Active Directory

    Delegate the OUs the agent will manage

    Run the installer’s delegation script once as a domain administrator. It lets the agent’s service account create, update and disable accounts only in the OUs you choose. The agent doesn’t need Domain Admin rights.

    Include the OUs for staff accounts, disabled accounts and managed groups. The agent blocks changes outside these OUs, even if a rule requests them.

    PS C:\> & 'C:\ProgramData\ezOnboard\northwind\ou-delegation.ps1'
    Delegated NORTHWIND\svc-ezonboard$ on OU=Staff,DC=northwind,DC=com
    Delegated NORTHWIND\svc-ezonboard$ on OU=Disabled,DC=northwind,DC=com
    Delegated NORTHWIND\svc-ezonboard$ on OU=Groups,DC=northwind,DC=com
    Done

    Run the installer’s delegation script once on a domain controller.

  5. 05

    ezOnboard portal

    Add TriNet as an HR source

    In the portal, add TriNet as an HR source using the Company ID, client ID and client secret. Your credentials are encrypted with your organization’s key and sent to your agent. The agent reads TriNet from your network. Nobody at ezOnboard can read the credentials.

    Choose a field to match people across both systems, usually work email or employee ID. The agent checks TriNet every five minutes and catches up on any missed changes.

    HR source. Your agent uses these credentials to read TriNet.

  6. 06

    ezOnboard portal

    Map TriNet fields to Active Directory attributes

    Choose which TriNet fields update each directory attribute. Start with the defaults below, add custom fields or combine values. For example, build a display name from first and last names, format a job title or look up an office address by site.

    Blank TriNet fields leave directory values unchanged unless you configure the mapping to clear them.

    Field mapping. See the full list of defaults below.

  7. 07

    ezOnboard portal

    Set rules for accounts, OUs and groups

    Rules define who gets an account, which OU it belongs in, how it’s named and which groups it joins. They also control offboarding. Use TriNet fields, such as department and site, to make those choices.

    Our implementation team helps you write the rules. With approvals enabled, your team must approve each rule change before the agent uses it.

    Rules page with the placement rule open.

  8. 08

    ezOnboard portal

    Preview changes with a dry run

    Run a dry run for your whole workforce. The agent matches TriNet records to existing accounts by employee ID, then work email, and previews changes without applying them. If two accounts match one person, that action stops for review.

    Review the planned changes and the rules behind them in the portal. Adjust your rules and repeat the dry run until the results match your expectations.

    Dry run. No changes are applied while dry run is on.

  9. 09

    ezOnboard portal

    Go live

    Turn off dry run to apply changes. If a run would disable or move more accounts than your safety limits allow, it stops and alerts your team before making changes. We review the first runs with you.

    HR continues working in TriNet. Your rules handle new accounts, updates and offboarding on schedule. Get alerts by email, in the portal or by webhook when a run stops, the HR feed stops updating or the agent stops reporting. An inactive feed never triggers offboarding.

    Reports with account activity, tickets avoided and agent uptime.

Field mapping

TriNet fields and Active Directory attributes

Start with these defaults and adjust any mapping. Dates and lifecycle status control when accounts are created, enabled or disabled.

TriNet fieldActive Directory attributeHow it’s used
First NamePersonalgivenNameSets the first name at account creation and keeps it up to date.
Last NamePersonalsnKeeps the last name up to date. Also updates the logon name if your naming rule uses it.
Preferred NamePersonaldisplayNameUses the preferred name for the display name and email. Uses the first name if blank.
Work EmailContactmail, userPrincipalNameSets the email address and sign-in name. A mail rule can also generate them from the person’s name.
Employee IDEmploymentemployeeIDAdded to new accounts and used first to match existing accounts.
Business TitleEmploymenttitleKeeps the job title up to date and sets groups based on your rules.
DepartmentEmploymentdepartmentKeeps the department up to date. Rules can use it to choose account placement and groups.
Work LocationEmploymentphysicalDeliveryOfficeNameKeeps the office up to date. A lookup table can also fill in the street, city and country.
SupervisorEmploymentmanagerLinks to the manager’s account to keep approvals and org charts in sync with TriNet.
Hire DateEmploymentuserAccountControlSets when the account is created and enabled. You choose how many days before the hire date to create it.
Employment StatusEmploymentuserAccountControlActive keeps the account enabled. Terminated disables it when no other record keeps the person active.
Employee TypeEmploymentuserAccountControlRules can use Full-Time, Part-Time or Temporary to choose groups and licenses.
Termination DateEmploymentuserAccountControlSets the date for disabling the account and starting offboarding. Your rules set the time.

Frequently asked questions

Does ezOnboard write to TriNet?
No. ezOnboard’s TriNet credentials have read-only access. They can’t change data in TriNet. Make any corrections in TriNet.
Which TriNet permissions does the integration need?
An Integration Administrator grants read access to employee, department and location data. The API credentials belong to the company and don’t inherit a user’s permissions.
Do we need TriNet’s Entra ID integration or SCIM?
No. ezOnboard reads TriNet’s API and uses your rules to manage accounts in Active Directory or Entra ID. Its agent runs on your network and can also manage Exchange.
Do we need a server for the agent?
Yes. Use a domain-joined Windows Server with LDAP access to a domain controller and outbound HTTPS to TriNet and ezOnboard. The agent needs no inbound firewall rules or Domain Admin rights. The delegation script grants access only to the OUs it manages.
How quickly does a TriNet change reach Active Directory?
The agent checks TriNet every five minutes and usually applies changes within seconds of finding them. Scheduled changes follow your rules: accounts are created before the start date, enabled on that date and disabled on the termination date at the time you choose.
How does TriNet trigger offboarding in Active Directory?
On the termination date, the account is disabled, removed from its groups and moved to your disabled-accounts OU. It is never deleted. With Exchange and Microsoft 365 connected, your rules also schedule mail forwarding and license recovery. Every step is recorded for audit.
Where does our employee data go?
The agent reads TriNet and updates Active Directory from your server. Names, emails and HR records stay on your network, where your team can view them on a local status page. The portal receives events with pseudonymous IDs, the rule used and the result.
Can ezOnboard also connect TriNet to Entra ID?
Yes. One agent and one set of rules can manage Active Directory, Entra ID and Exchange from TriNet. For accounts synced from Active Directory, the agent updates the on-premises account and assigns licenses and mailboxes in the cloud.

Get a demo

See TriNet connected to Active Directory

Get a demo for your TriNet and Active Directory setup. For questions, email sales@ezonboard.io.

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