Introduction

In this article, you will learn how to schedule a bulk force requiring password change at next sign-in for Google Workspace users using xFanatical Foresight. As organizations scale, ensuring regular password updates for users is essential for maintaining security and compliance. However, manually forcing password changes for each user can be time-consuming and prone to errors. 

Let’s consider an example: A company is planning a new password policy and requiring all employees to change their passwords at their next sign-in starting from the beginning of the next month. Instead of requiring password change individually for each user in Google Admin Console, an IT admin can use xFanatical Foresight to schedule a bulk password change requirement at their next sign-in, ensuring timely and consistent password changes for all employees without manual intervention. This feature improves security, saves time, and enhances overall administrative efficiency.

Schedule-a-Bulk-Force-Password-Change-for-Google-Workspace-Users-illustrationIllustration of how xFanatical Foresight automation enforces bulk scheduling for password change requirements at users' next sign-in in Google Workspace.

Introducing xFanatical Foresight Automation

xFanatical Foresight is a powerful automation platform designed specifically for Google Workspace. It helps administrators efficiently manage and enforce bulk password change requirements for Google Workspace users. By automating the process, admins can save valuable time and effort while ensuring compliance with security policies. This streamlined approach simplifies password management, reduces the risk of human error, and ensures that all users’ passwords are updated on schedule, enhancing overall organizational security.

Automation Setup Instructions

In this section, we guide you through the automation setup in xFanatical Foresight. We have 2 ways to set up automation rules, Set up automation from a template and Set up automation from scratch. After completing the automation rule, verify whether the automation meets your requirements.

Set Up Automation From a Template

Set Up Automation From a Template

Supported plans: xFanatical Foresight Elite plan.

The template is designed with two rules to simplify and streamline the bulk updating of employee information:

  • Rule 1: This rule automates the process of requiring users to change their passwords at their next sign-in.
  • Rule 2: This rule automates the seamless upload of user data, triggering Rule 1 to enforce a password change for selected users, ensuring streamlined security management.


Rule 1: Bulk require password changes for users

  1. Sign into xFanatical Foresight with your Google Admin account. 
  2. Go to the Templates page.
  3. Search for Schedule bulk require password changes for users and click on it.
    In the Templates search for Schedule bulk require password changes for users template in xFanatical Foresight
  4. In the Templates > Schedule bulk require password changes for users page, click Copy Rule 1.
    In the Templates Schedule bulk require password changes for users page, click the 'Copy rule 1' button to duplicate the automation rule 1 in xFanatical Foresight.
  5. For the first time use of the template rule, an dialog Action needed will display requesting necessary permissions required to copy the rule. Click Connect with Google and authorize the permissions.
  6. Upon authorization, a dialog titled Copy of Bulk require password changes for users will display.
  7. Click Next. No configurations required.
  8. Click Review.
  9. In the Review screen,
    In the Review page, provide rule name and create bulk require password changes for users rule.
    1. In Rule name, customize the automation rule name.
    2. Click Create.
  10. The rule is created in the Rules page.
    xFanatical Foresight’s rule graph illustrates the automation workflow for bulk password changes in Google Workspace.
    xFanatical Foresight’s rule graph illustrates the automation workflow for bulk password change requirements for users in Google Workspace.

Rule 2: Schedule uploading data to rule

  1. In the Templates > Schedule bulk require password changes for users page, click Download sample CSV file.
    Download the sample CSV file from Schedule bulk require password changes for users template.
  2. In the downloaded CSV file, delete the sample data from the User Primary Email column. Then, enter the actual primary email of each user whose password you want to require to be changed as part of the scheduled bulk update.
  3. In the Templates > Schedule bulk require password changes for users page, click Copy Rule 2.
    In the Templates data-lazy-srcset= Schedule bulk require password changes for users page, click the ‘Copy rule 2’ button to duplicate the automation rule 2 in xFanatical Foresight.”>
  4. In the Edit trigger> Time screen,
    Configure the time trigger for Schedule uploading data to rule rule.
    1. In the Tigger time field, select the exact time when users are required to change their passwords at their next Google account sign-in.
    2. Click Next.
  5. In the Edit actions > Upload data to rule screen,
    Choose the CSV file downloaded from the template.
    1. In the CSV file source field, select the CSV file downloaded from the template in Step 1 of the Rule 2.
    2. In the Rule field, select the specific rule where you want to upload the prepared data to initiate the automation process.
  6. Click Review.
  7. In the Review screen,
    In the Review page, provide rule name and create Schedule uploading data to rule rule.
    1. In Rule name, customize the automation rule name.
    2. Click Create.
  8. The rule is created in the Rules page.
    xFanatical Foresight rule graph illustrating the scheduled automation of uploading user data to trigger the corresponding rule.
    xFanatical Foresight rule graph illustrating the scheduled automation of uploading user data to trigger the corresponding rule.
Set Up Automation From Scratch

Set Up Automation From Scratch

Supported plans: xFanatical Foresight Elite and Professional (Legacy).

Rule 1: Bulk require password changes for users

  1. Create a Google Sheet with a column titled User Primary Email for the users whose passwords you want to enforce to be changed.
    Prepare a CSV file to upload into the scheduled rule.
  2. Once completed, click File > Download > Comma Separated Values (.csv) to download the Google Sheet as a CSV file.
  3. Sign into xFanatical Foresight with your Google Admin account. 
  4. Go to the Rules page, and click new rule button button.
  5. In the Select a trigger screen, select the Data uploaded trigger.
    Select data uploaded trigger for update department information by user's organizational units rule.
  6. In the Edit triggers > Data uploaded screen,
    Configure the data uploaded trigger for bulk require password changes for users rule
    1. Select the CSV file created in Step 1.
    2. Click Next.
  7. In the Select an action screen, select the Require password change action.
    Select the require password change action for bulk require password changes for users rule.
  8. In the Edit actions > Require password change screen,
    Configure the require password change action for bulk require password changes for users rule
  9. In the Review screen,
    In the Review page, provide rule name and create bulk require password changes for users rule.
    1. In Rule name, customize the automation rule name.
    2. Click Create.
  10. The rule is created in the Rules page.
    xFanatical Foresight’s rule graph illustrates the automation workflow for bulk password changes in Google Workspace.
    xFanatical Foresight’s rule graph illustrates the automation workflow for bulk password change requirements for users in Google Workspace.

Rule 2: Schedule uploading data to rule

Next, configure a second rule to automate the scheduled upload of data, triggering the specified rule at the designated time.

  1. Click the New Rule new rule button button.
  2. In the Select a trigger screen, select the Time trigger.
    Select the time trigger for Schedule uploading data to rule rule.
  3. In the Edit trigger>Time screen,
    Configure the time trigger for Schedule uploading data to rule rule.
    1. In the Tigger time field, select the exact time when users are required to change their passwords at their next Google account sign-in.
    2. Click Next.
  4. In the Select an action screen, select the Upload data to rule action.
    Configure the time trigger for Schedule uploading data to rule rule.
  5. In the Edit actions > Upload data to rule action screen,
    Configure the upload data to rule action for Schedule uploading data to rule rule.
    1. Click Upload from computer.
    2. In the CSV file source field, select the CSV file downloaded in Step 2 of Rule 1.
    3. In the Rule field, select Rule 1 to upload the CSV file. 
  6. Click Review.
  7. In the Review screen,
    In the Review page, provide rule name and create Schedule uploading data to rule rule.
    1. In Rule name, enter a rule name.
    2. Click Create.
  8. The Automation rule is created.
    xFanatical Foresight rule graph illustrating the scheduled automation of uploading user data to trigger the corresponding rule.
    xFanatical Foresight rule graph illustrating the scheduled automation of uploading user data to trigger the corresponding rule.
Verify Automation

Verify Automation

To ensure your rule setup automates as expected, it’s crucial to perform a simple test. The following instructions outline how xFanatical Foresight automates the process by scheduling bulk password changes for users in Google Workspace, ensuring seamless execution and compliance with your security policies.

Before starting the automation, go to Google Admin Console > Users > {User Name} > Security > Require password change. Make sure the toggle is set to Off, this means the user isn’t currently required to change their password. 
Require password changes id turned off before the automation.Require password changes id turned off before the automation.

Note: For demonstration purposes, we set the Trigger time field in the Time Trigger to 15 minutes from now.

  1. Go to xFanatical Foresight.
  2. Go to the Rules page.
  3. At the scheduled time, Rule 2 will automatically execute and upload the CSV file to Rule 1 for further processing.
  4. Wait for the scheduled time, and once Rule 2 is triggered, you’ll receive a notification in the top right corner of xFanatical Foresight. Click View log.

    Notification for the Rule 2 execution.
  5. In the Logs > Log details page, the Rule history section explains the automation history and task xFanatical Foresight has automated on behalf of your Google account.
    Logs detailed page for Rule 2.
  6. After Rule 2 completes execution, Rule 1 will automatically begin processing the uploaded CSV file.
  7. Wait until the CSV file is processed. You’ll receive another notification for Rule 1. Click View log to confirm successful execution.
    Notification for the Rule 1 execution.
  8. In the Logs > Log details page, the Rule history section explains the automation history and task xFanatical Foresight has automated on behalf of your Google account.
    Logs detailed page for Rule 1.
  9. Go to Google Admin Console > Users > {User Name} > Security > Require password change. Confirm that the Require password change toggle is now turned On. This indicates that the automation has successfully enforced the password reset at their next sign-in.
    Require password changes is turned on after the automation.

Notes

  • Once the automation rules are established, xFanatical Foresight will automate requiring password change at their next sign-in at the configured time. No human intervention is required..
  • At each time a rule is executed, you will receive a notification in the app telling you how it has happened to your rules and whether rules ran successfully or not.
  • The rule execution and CSV processing may take a few minutes to complete as the system processes the file and updates information efficiently.
  • The workflow does not actually change the user's password. It requires the users to change their passwords at their next sign-in after the scheduled time.
  • The Rule 1: Bulk require password changes for users must be created before Rule 2. Otherwise, Rule 2 cannot find Rule 1 to upload the CSV file.

Conclusion

In conclusion, scheduling a bulk requiring user password change for Google Workspace users through xFanatical Foresight streamlines the process of enforcing password policies across your organization. By automating password resets at a scheduled time, administrators ensure that all users comply with security requirements, without the hassle of manual intervention. This approach saves time, reduces human error, and strengthens the organization’s security posture. Whether it’s for routine security updates or compliance with internal policies, scheduling bulk password changes has never been easier or more efficient.

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