Recast Builder Actions

Recast Builder Actions can help you quickly automate a workflow in your environment. These pre-built sequences of actions are designed to get you started using Recast Builder, introduce you to some of the automation features available in Builder, and help you start making tools on your own.

As of v5.1.2305.507, pre-built actions can be accessed from within Recast Builder, removing the need to import them into the interface. These actions will only appear in Builder, upon upgrade or with a fresh install, for deployments that do not already have existing Builder actions in place. To learn more, see Configure Recast Builder Actions.

Disclaimer: These Builder actions are provided on the basis that they can be edited, changed, and shared, but not sold. While every available effort has been made to be sure they work well and do what was intended, we can't anticipate the requirements of every conceivable Configuration Manager environment, so download/use at your own risk — no guarantees of function, support, or that they won't break something. As with everything, test first.

All Client Policies

This Builder action runs through all the Configuration Manager's client policies. This is great for new or recently re-built computers to force them to check into Configuration Manager.

This tool completes the following steps:

  • Ping computer
  • Machine Policy Retrieval and Evaluation Cycle
  • Discovery Data Collection Cycle
  • Hardware Inventory Cycle
  • Software Inventory Cycle
  • Send Unsent State Messages Cycle
  • Software Updates Scan Cycle
  • Application Deployment Evaluation Cycle
  • State Message Cache Cleanup
  • Windows Installer Source List Update Cycle
  • Software Inventory Cycle
  • File Collection Cycle
  • Software Updates Deployment Evaluation Cycle

For v5 Releases: Now available in Builder, All Client Policies 5.xml


Add an AD User to an AD Group 

This Builder action lets you add an AD user to an AD group from a list of groups.

For v5 Releases: Now available in Builder, Add To Group 5.xml

For instructions on setting up this template in Builder, see Configure Starter Pack Templates in Recast Builder.


BitLocker Recovery Password from Device

This Builder action grabs the BitLocker Recovery Password from any drive on a device. This uses a custom input parameter to allow users to choose what drive they want to grab the recovery password from.

This tool completes the following step:

  • Get Recovery Password From Device

For v5 Releases: Now available in Builder, BitLocker Recovery Password 5.xml


Compare Two Users' AD Groups

This Builder action lets you compare the group memberships of two AD users. This action is particularly useful if, for example, you have a new team member and want to compare their group memberships to those of an existing team member.

This tool completes the following steps:

  • Gets AD group membership for a selected user
  • Prompts you to enter the AD username that you'd like to compare against the selected user
  • Shows you group memberships for both users in tabbed results 

For v5 Releases: Now available in Builder, Compare AD Groups 5.xml



User Account Retire Protocol

This Builder action automates a common task — taking steps when a person leaves an organization to secure their account credentials and prepare the account for retirement. It's easily adaptable to other user-based tasks as well, and is a nice jumping-off point for Recast Builder.

This tool completes the following steps:

  • Prompts the admin running the tool to input a new password for the account
  • Resets the password for the account to this password
  • Disables the account
  • Moves the account to a new OU

In the Target Input Parameters panel, you must specify a valid OU in your environment as a Constant value. 

Format Example: OU=RecastUsers,DC=demo,DC=recastsoftware,DC=com

For v5 Releases: Now available in Builder, User Account Retire Protocol 5.xml

For instructions on setting up this template in Builder, see Configure Recast Builder Actions.


Reboot if Pending Restart Exists

This Builder action allows you to force a restart on systems that have a pending reboot scheduled, without requiring you to query for pending reboot data in advance. It's a friendly way to help your end users who hate to restart stay updated and compliant without requiring any personal intervention.

This tool completes the following steps:

  • Ping Computer
  • If Ping is successful, Check System Information Collection for Pending Restart Information
  • If Pending Restart Exists, force a Reboot with a 5-minute timer and a user pop-up message: "Your computer needs to restart, please save and close in the next 5 minutes."

For v5 Releases: Now available in Builder, Reboot If Pending Restart Exists 5.xml

Video Overview



Fix Encryption Method

This Builder action automates the process of adding TPM and Numerical Key Protectors to BitLocker. It includes all the necessary precursor steps and enough intelligence to complete this task without admin intervention.

This tool completes the following steps:

  • Stop MBAM Service
  • Decrypt C: Drive
  • A PowerShell Script with Progress Stream on to monitor the progress of the decryption, and proceed when successfully completed. (Here is the script)
   #Wait for Decrypt Finish   Write-Output "Waiting on Decrypt...."   $encryption = Get-WmiObject -Namespace root/cimv2/security/microsoftvolumeencryption -Class win32_encryptablevolume -Filter {DriveLetter = 'C:'}   $Percent = ($encryption.GetConversionStatus()).EncryptionPercentage   While($Percent -ne '0'){   Start-Sleep -Seconds 10  $encryption = Get-WmiObject -Namespace root/cimv2/security/microsoftvolumeencryption -Class win32_encryptablevolume -Filter {DriveLetter = 'C:'}  $Percent = ($encryption.GetConversionStatus()).EncryptionPercentage  Write-Progress -activity "Decryption Progress" -PercentComplete $Percent -status "Decryption RProgress"  }
  • A Registry change to override the encryption method
  • Add the TPM Key Protector
  • Add the Numerical Password Key Protector
  • Encrypt C:

For v5 Releases: Now available in Builder

For v4 Releases: Fix Encryption Method.xml

Video Overview



Re-Enroll Agent

There are times when a Recast Agent attempts to connect to a Recast Management Server, but is unable. You'll see a warning in the Recast Management Server telling you that there is an Agent that is trying to connect, but it is not approved. This occurs most often if you delete the Agent from the Recast Management Server manually. Because the Agent information is deleted, there is no way to approve this Agent. 

To resolve the problem, use this Builder action to re-enroll the Recast Agent.

The tool completes the following steps:

  • Deletes the agent.sqlite file located in this folder:

Version 5.x Recast Agent: C:\ProgramData\Recast Software\Recast Agent

Version 4.x Recast Agent: C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Roaming\Recast Software\Recast Agent

  • Restarts the Recast Agent service

For v5 Releases: Now available in Builder

For v4 Releases: Re-Enroll Agent.xml


Grant Remote Access

This Builder action is used to grant a specific AD user remote access to a device by adding the user to the local "Remote Desktop Users" group on the device. 

The tool completes the following steps:

  • Asks for the AD Username
  • Adds the AD Username entered to the "Remote Desktop Users" local group. 

For v5 Releases: Now available in Builder, Grant Remote Access 5.xml 

For instructions on setting up this template in Builder, see Configure Recast Builder Actions.



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