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_{(Written by Janet Nichols/Centriq Training)}

As a corporate instructor at Centriq Training, I frequently get asked about Group Policy Documentation. It is a question topic that comes up frequently during training, so I thought others would benefit from learning a trick I developed years ago.

A common problem among Group Policy Administrators is that we are always in a hurry. When problems arise with computer systems and it’s suspected the issue is stemming from a group policy, it can be time-consuming to troubleshoot. This is especially true when multiple persons manage group policies. Several years ago, my company came up with a way to document our changes to group policy and tie those changes back to the Change Management requests.

This resulted in significant increases in efficiency and helped save time when troubleshooting issues. My trick is as follows:

1. Open the Group Policy Management Console.
2. Navigate to the Group Policy Objects container.
3. Locate the Group Policy to edit.
4. Right-click on the Group Policy and select Edit. In my example I will edit the Centriq Example Policy.?? This will launch the Group Policy Management Editor.

5. Right-click on the Centriq Example Policy Name in the Group Policy Management Editor. Select Properties.

6. Click the Comment tab.

7. Type in the initials or the name of the person who modified the group policy and the date it was performed. Always reference the Change Request or the Change Management number; doing so will provide consistent documentation of who changed the group policy and why.

8. Click OK to save your changes.

Hopefully, this tip will help you in your job. But, if you’d like more, claim your seat in the Configuring and Managing Windows Server 2012 Active Directory class. The course is designed for Windows Server administrators who operate Windows Servers on a daily basis and require the skills for configuring, managing, and maintaining Windows Server 2012 and Active Directory. This course serves as the System Administrator’s guide to Windows Server 2012.

Contact a Training Advisor today to learn more at 913.322.7062, 314.644.6400 or hello@centriq.com.

Janet Nichols is an Instructor at Centriq Training. View Janet’s bio atCentriq.com/Janet_Nichols or connect with her at Linkedin.com/in/JanetNichols.