FAQ: PowerShell

Every group of questions: IDE FAQ

Scripts in a job
SharePoint from PowerShell

Scripts in a job

Can I run my own PowerShell scripts in a job?

Yes, in a PowerShell Step. The script can read SMART Migration Variables, set them, and write to the session log while it runs. Your own script runs under any execution policy; a script that loads a module such as PnP.PowerShell needs RemoteSigned — in PowerShell started as administrator, Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope LocalMachine.

Read more: PowerShell · PowerShell samples

How do I pass Variables between a job and my script?

$MyVariable = Get-FlowVariable -Name "[<My Variable>]" reads a SMART Migration Variable into PowerShell, and Set-FlowVariable -Name "[<My Variable>]" -Value $MyVariable writes one back. Variables of type Password can be read — their value is not written to the console — but not set.

Read more: Get-FlowVariable · Set-FlowVariable

How do I write to the session log from a script?

With Add-FlowLogRow -LogType "Information" -Message "…". It is asynchronous, so you follow the script's progress in the Step's Job tab as it runs. -LogType can also be Warning, Error (handled as the Step's On error setting says), StopJob, which stops the job, or ExitGroup, which leaves the current Group Step.

SharePoint from PowerShell

How do I connect to SharePoint from a script?

With Connect-PnPOnline, using a SMART Migration SharePoint connection: SMART Migration generates the commands that fetch its authentication details — Get-FlowSPConnection with -Property Url, AppId or AppSecret — and builds the Connect-PnPOnline statement from them.

What do I need to install for PnP PowerShell?

PowerShell 7.2 or later — winget install --id Microsoft.Powershell --source winget in PowerShell run as administrator — then the PnP.PowerShell module, and an execution policy that lets the module load: RemoteSigned, with Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope LocalMachine (Restricted, the Windows 11 default, blocks it). Visual Studio Code is needed only to customise the modules.