ExchangeOnlineManagement cmdlets not working in Runbook

Question

ExchangeOnlineManagement cmdlets not working in Runbook

John Connors (jconnors) 41

Get-EXOMailboxStatistics: The term 'Get-EXOMailboxStatistics' is not recognized as a name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or executable program.

Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again.

We have an automation account.

We have imported the ExchangeOnlineManagement module in the account.

We have a runbook in the account that uses the Get-EXOMailboxStatistics cmdlet

When we test the script it returns an error:

"Get-EXOMailboxStatistics: The term 'Get-EXOMailboxStatistics' is not recognized as a name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or executable program.

Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again."

Same issue occurs with Get-EXOMailbox

Bharath Y P 2,485 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-28T03:59:57.08+00:00
Hello John,

It looks like you're having trouble with the Get-EXOMailboxStatistics cmdlet not being recognized in your Azure Automation runbook. You mentioned that you already imported the ExchangeOnlineManagement module in the account.

Sometimes, even if the module is imported, it may not be recognized. Try adding an explicit import statement at the beginning of your runbook script:
Import-Module ExchangeOnlineManagement

Make sure the cmdlets like Get-EXOMailboxStatistics and Get-EXOMailbox, they require a standard PowerShell runbook, especially when using modules like ExchangeOnlineManagement. Also you can use PowerShell 7 Runtime.

The module that contains the cmdlet is imported but is out of date.

Ensure that the cmdlet exists in your Automation account and that there are no conflicts. To verify if the cmdlet is present, open a runbook in edit mode and search for the cmdlet you want to find in the library, or run Get-Command <CommandName>. After you've validated that the cmdlet is available to the account, and that there are no name conflicts with other cmdlets or runbooks, add the cmdlet to the canvas. Make sure that you're using a valid parameter set in your runbook.

If you do have a name conflict and the cmdlet is available in two different modules, resolve the issue by using the fully qualified name for the cmdlet. For example, you can use ModuleName\CmdletName.

If you're executing the runbook on-premises in a hybrid worker group, ensure that the module and cmdlet are installed on the machine that hosts the hybrid worker.

You can follow the link below for your reference:

Troubleshoot Azure Automation runbook issues | Microsoft Learn

About the Exchange Online PowerShell V3 module | Microsoft Learn

If you still encounter issues, could you please help us on these below questions:

Which version of the ExchangeOnlineManagement module is currently imported into your Automation Account?

How are you authenticating to Exchange OnlineManaged Identity, service principal, or user credentials?

Hope this helps! Thanks.
John Connors (jconnors) 41 Reputation points

2025-10-28T18:08:43.82+00:00
Thanks so much for your response Bharath. Responses are inline below, indented:

Sometimes, even if the module is imported, it may not be recognized. Try adding an explicit import statement at the beginning of your runbook script:

PowerShell

Copy

Import-Module ExchangeOnlineManagement

Runbook: Import-Module ExchangeOnlineManagement Get-EXOMailboxStatistics usr_1001 Errors: Import-Module: Could not load file or assembly 'System.Runtime, Version=8.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'. The system cannot find the file specified. Import-Module: Could not load file or assembly 'System.Runtime, Version=8.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'. The system cannot find the file specified. Get-EXOMailboxStatistics: Line | 3 | Get-EXOMailboxStatistics usr_1001 | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | The term 'Get-EXOMailboxStatistics' is not recognized as a name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or executable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again.

Make sure the cmdlets like Get-EXOMailboxStatistics and Get-EXOMailbox, they require a standard PowerShell runbook, especially when using modules like ExchangeOnlineManagement. Also you can use PowerShell 7 Runtime.

The module that contains the cmdlet is imported but is out of date.

Not out of date

Ensure that the cmdlet exists in your Automation account and that there are no conflicts. To verify if the cmdlet is present, open a runbook in edit mode and search for the cmdlet you want to find in the library, or run Get-Command <CommandName>. After you've validated that the cmdlet is available to the account, and that there are no name conflicts with other cmdlets or runbooks, add the cmdlet to the canvas. Make sure that you're using a valid parameter set in your runbook.

(see attachment) Name Status Type Module version Runtime version ------------------------ --------- ------ -------------- --------------- ExchangeOnlineManagement Available Custom 3.9.0 7.2

If you do have a name conflict and the cmdlet is available in two different modules, resolve the issue by using the fully qualified name for the cmdlet. For example, you can use ModuleName\CmdletName.

Runbook: ExchangeOnlineManagement\Get-EXOMailboxStatistics usr_1001 Errors: ExchangeOnlineManagement\Get-EXOMailboxStatistics: The term 'ExchangeOnlineManagement\Get-EXOMailboxStatistics' is not recognized as a name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or executable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again.

If you're executing the runbook on-premises in a hybrid worker group, ensure that the module and cmdlet are installed on the machine that hosts the hybrid worker.

Not executing on-premises - executing in AutomationAccount Runbook in Azure

You can follow the link below for your reference:

Troubleshoot Azure Automation runbook issues | Microsoft Learn

About the Exchange Online PowerShell V3 module | Microsoft Learn

If you still encounter issues, could you please help us on these below questions:

Which version of the ExchangeOnlineManagement module is currently imported into your Automation Account?

Module version: 3.9.0 Runtime version: 7.2

How are you authenticating to Exchange OnlineManaged Identity, service principal, or user credentials?

Executing a runbook in Azure AutomationAccount

Hope this helps! Thanks.

Thank *you*!
Bharath Y P 2,485 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-29T07:58:27.82+00:00

Hello John, Thanks for the update, kindly let us know if the provided solution was helpful, or if you need any further assistance on this. Thanks
John Connors (jconnors) 41 Reputation points

2025-10-29T22:09:17.7833333+00:00

Hi Bharath. No, still have not been able to solve this. Seems like a bug that the cmdlets of ExchangeOnlineManagement module are not recognized in the Runbook. Having no such problems when running the same scripts in remote powershell.
Bharath Y P 2,485 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-30T09:40:15.31+00:00

Hello John, Thanks for the update. We are currently investigating this issue, we will keep you update, thanks.
John Connors (jconnors) 41 Reputation points

2025-11-19T22:28:56.71+00:00

Bharath, that was an excellent suggestion, thank you! I think it revealed the "real" problem.

After going through the procedure above for ExchangeOnlineManagement, realized I needed to also include Send-MailKitMessage. After doing that, the error I am now getting is that I need to call Connect-ExchangeOnline before using the EXO cmdlets. That makes total sense. When I run the script locally (i.e. not as a runbook) it is working because I call Connect-ExchangeOnline prior to running the script.

So I think what helped with 7.4 is that it is actually telling me that now (and it did not call out this issue with 7.2. or 5.1). My guess is that if I had called Connect-ExchangeOnline in the runbook in 7.2 or 5.1 it could have worked.

Now I'm trying to solve how to properly call Connect-ExchangeOnline in the runbook with proper permissions. But that's a different issue and I am reading up on Managed Identities with Automation Accounts to figure that out.

You have been a huge help! Thank you for all of your effort!

Answer accepted by question author

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Bharath Y P 2,485 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-29T07:58:27.82+00:00

Hello John, Thanks for the update, kindly let us know if the provided solution was helpful, or if you need any further assistance on this. Thanks
John Connors (jconnors) 41 Reputation points

2025-10-29T22:09:17.7833333+00:00

Hi Bharath. No, still have not been able to solve this. Seems like a bug that the cmdlets of ExchangeOnlineManagement module are not recognized in the Runbook. Having no such problems when running the same scripts in remote powershell.
Bharath Y P 2,485 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-30T09:40:15.31+00:00

Hello John, Thanks for the update. We are currently investigating this issue, we will keep you update, thanks.
John Connors (jconnors) 41 Reputation points

2025-11-19T22:28:56.71+00:00

Bharath, that was an excellent suggestion, thank you! I think it revealed the "real" problem.

After going through the procedure above for ExchangeOnlineManagement, realized I needed to also include Send-MailKitMessage. After doing that, the error I am now getting is that I need to call Connect-ExchangeOnline before using the EXO cmdlets. That makes total sense. When I run the script locally (i.e. not as a runbook) it is working because I call Connect-ExchangeOnline prior to running the script.

So I think what helped with 7.4 is that it is actually telling me that now (and it did not call out this issue with 7.2. or 5.1). My guess is that if I had called Connect-ExchangeOnline in the runbook in 7.2 or 5.1 it could have worked.

Now I'm trying to solve how to properly call Connect-ExchangeOnline in the runbook with proper permissions. But that's a different issue and I am reading up on Managed Identities with Automation Accounts to figure that out.

You have been a huge help! Thank you for all of your effort!

Answer 1

Hello John, apologies for the delay, we have checked with our backend team, and we got update that, since the PowerShell 7.1 and 7.2 is deprecated and are no longer supported. The recommendation is to try out PowerShell 7.4 version and use module version which is compatible with PowerShell 7.4.

Here are the steps you can follow to update your runbook:

Create Runtime environment

Go to the Azure portal > select your Automation account.
Under Process Automation > select Runtime Environments. If you don't find Runtime Environments in the list, select Try Runtime environment experience in the Overview page to switch to the new portal interface. Then select Runtime Environments under Process Automation.
Select Create to create a new PowerShell 7.4 Runtime.
On the Basics tab, provide the following details.
On the Packages tab, in the Package version dropdown list, you would see default Az and Azure CLI packages already present.
Select +Add from gallery to add more packages from gallery and select Next.
On the Review + create tab, review the entries and select Create.

A notification appears to confirm that a Runtime environment is successfully created.

Update Runtime environment of runbook to PowerShell 7.4:

Go to Azure portal > select you're In the Automation account > Runbooks page, select the runbook linked to old PowerShell Runtime environment that you want to update. Then click on Update Runtime Environment > select the new Runtime environment (PowerShell 7.4) > click update > click on refresh. You can see the Run time is update.
Make changes in the runbook code to ensure compatibility with PowerShell 7.4.

You can follow the below documents that helps you to Update runbook from PowerShell 7.1 to PowerShell 7.4.

Update PowerShell Runbook in Azure Runtime Environment - Azure Automation | Microsoft Learn

Hope this helps, please let us know if you encounter any issue. Thanks

Bharath Y P 2,485 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-20T09:28:42.4933333+00:00

Hello John, Thanks for your valuable feedback. For more information regarding Connect-ExchangeOnline. you can refer the below doc.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchangepowershell/connect-exchangeonline?view=exchange-ps .

I hope the information shared was helpful. If the answer addressed your query, it would be great if you could accept it and up-vote. This not only helps us but also makes it easier for other community members who might face the same issue.

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ExchangeOnlineManagement cmdlets not working in Runbook

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