How to populate the manager field on Active Directory, using powerShell - powershell

Question

Im trying to populate the manager fields on AD using
Import-Csv C:\Testimport.csv | ForEach-Object {Set-ADUser -Identity $_.samAccountName -Replace #{Manager=$_.manager}}
But I get the following error:
Set-ADUser : Cannot bind parameter 'Replace' to the target. Exception
setting " Replace": "Object reference not set to an instance of an
object." At line:1 char:95
+ Import-Csv C:\Testimport.csv | ForEach-Object {Set-ADUser -Identity $.samAcc ountName -Replace <<<< #{manager=$.manager}}
+ CategoryInfo : WriteError: (:) [Set-ADUser], ParameterBindingEx ception
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterBindingFailed,Microsoft.ActiveDirectory
.Management.Commands.SetADUser

Answer 1

Depending on what the Manager is represented by in your csv you can just use the Set-Aduser parameter -Manager on its own.
Import-Csv C:\Testimport.csv | ForEach-Object {Set-ADUser -Identity $_.samAccountName -Manager $_.manager}
If not please show some sample date in your question. This would work in Manager was a account name at least. Also there is an error in the code you ran: manager=$.manager should be manager=$_.manager

Answer 2

If $_.manager is the Manager sAMAccountName attribute, you need the distinguidhedName attribute to use it later as a value into -Replace parameter:
Import-Csv C:\Testimport.csv |
ForEach-Object {
$managerDN = (Get-ADUser $_.manager).distinguishedName
Set-ADUser -Identity $_.samAccountName -Replace #{Manager=$managerDN}
}