Microsoft 365 profile cards are a simple but powerful way to share useful information about people in your organisation. By default, they show standard details such as job title, department and contact information. However, many organisations need to display company-specific information that is not included in the standard options.

A common example is showing who someone’s Executive Assistant is directly on their profile card. This is where Microsoft Entra extension attributes and Microsoft Graph come in.

Why Use Extension Attributes?

Microsoft Entra ID includes several extension attributes, often named extAttribute1 through extAttribute15. These can store additional organisational data that does not exist in the default Microsoft 365 schema. (eg: Assistant, Cost centre, etc)

Once populated, these attributes can be displayed on a user’s profile card, so colleagues can quickly see relevant information.

If you are running a hybrid environment, custom attributes from on-prem Active Directory can also be synced to Entra ID using Microsoft Entra Connect (Azure AD Connect), also known as AD Sync.

What You Need Before You Start

Before proceeding, make sure:

  • The extension attribute is already populated in Entra ID.
  • You have appropriate administrative permissions.
  • You can access Microsoft Graph Explorer.

This process uses the current Microsoft Graph beta links/commands listed below. These may change in the future.

You can access Graph Explorer here:

https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/graph-explorer

Step 1: View Existing Profile Card Properties (Optional)

If you want to see which properties are already configured, run the following GET request in Graph Explorer:

GET https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/admin/people/profileCardProperties

This will return the current profile card properties configured in your tenant.

Step 2: Add a New Profile Card Property

To add a new custom property, switch to a POST request and use the following:

POST https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/admin/people/profileCardProperties

Request Headers

Key: Content-Type
Value: application/json

Request Body

{
  "directoryPropertyName": "customAttribute8",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "displayName": "Executive Assistant"
    }
  ]
}

In this example:

  • customAttribute8 is the Entra extension attribute being used.
  • Executive Assistant is the label that will appear on the profile card.

Once successfully executed, users will see a new section labelled “Executive Assistant” on their profile card, provided the attribute contains data.

  • It can take up to 24 hours for this change to appear in the profile card, but you can always confirm the addition by using the method in Step 1.

  • For users who do not have data in the attribute, the label will not be visible in their profile card.

This keeps the information centralised and easy to maintain.

How to Remove the Custom Property

If you need to remove the property later, use the DELETE method:

DELETE https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/admin/people/profileCardProperties/customAttribute8

After this request completes, the custom field will no longer appear on profile cards.

Hybrid Environment Considerations

If you are operating in a hybrid environment with on-prem AD:

  • Populate one of the available custom attributes in on-prem AD.
  • Ensure it is included in your Entra Connect (AD Sync) rules.
  • Confirm that the value appears in Entra ID under the configured extension attribute in the rule above.
  • Then, make it visible on the profile card using Microsoft Graph as shown above.

This approach allows you to sync existing on-prem AD attribute data to Entra ID rather than re-entering it there.

Conclusion

Adding custom profile card properties in Microsoft 365 is a practical way to surface company-specific information that does not exist in the default schema. Whether you need to display an Assistant, a cost centre or another internal detail, extension attributes provide a flexible solution.

By using profileCardProperties in Microsoft Graph Explorer, you can quickly extend the profile card experience across your tenant with minimal ongoing effort.