Skip to main content

Create a Microsoft 365 Administrative Account and Assign Global Administrator Access Using PIM

Daleska Sanchez Umaña
Updated

Overview

This article provides step-by-step instructions for:

  • Creating a Microsoft 365 administrative account (example: b-meliza@companyname.com)
  • Assigning a Microsoft 365 license
  • Adding the account as an Eligible Global Administrator through Microsoft Entra Privileged Identity Management (PIM)

Using PIM ensures administrative privileges are granted only when needed, following Microsoft's security best practices and the principle of least privilege.

 

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure you have:

  • Global Administrator or Privileged Role Administrator permissions
  • Microsoft Entra ID P2 licensing (required for PIM)
  • An available Microsoft 365 license for the new user

Step 1: Create the Microsoft 365 Account

Access the Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Open the Microsoft 365 Admin Center:

🔗 Microsoft 365 Admin Center

 

Create the User Account

  1. Navigate to Users → Active users.
  2. Select Add a user.
  3. Populate the account details.

Assign a License

  1. Select the appropriate Microsoft 365 license.
  2. Confirm a license is available.
  3. Select Next.

Review and Create

  1. Review the configuration.
  2. Select Finish adding.
  3. Verify the account appears under Active users.

Step 2: Assign the Global Administrator Role Through PIM

Access the Microsoft Entra Admin Center

Open the Microsoft Entra Admin Center:

🔗 Microsoft Entra Admin Center

 

Open Privileged Identity Management

  1. In the left navigation pane, select:

    Identity Governance → Privileged Identity Management

  2. Select:

    Microsoft Entra roles.

Add a Global Administrator Assignment

  1. Select Roles.
  2. Search for Global Administrator.
  3. Open the role.
  4. Select Add assignments.

Select the User

  1. Select No member selected.
  2. Search for the newly created user.
  3. Select the account.
  4. Select Next.

Configure the Assignment

Under Assignment Type, select:

Eligible

 

Complete the Assignment

  1. Review the assignment settings.
  2. Select Assign.
  3. Confirm the assignment is successfully created.

The user should now appear under:

Global Administrator → Eligible assignments.

 

Comments

0 comments

Please sign in to leave a comment.