MS-55039: Windows PowerShell Scripting and Toolmaking — Lesson 1: Professional Scripting and Error Handling

Learning Objectives

• Structure scripts with parameters, variables, collections, control flow, and reusable logic
• Use validation, exceptions, logging, transcripts, debugging, and defensive checks
• Work with files, structured data, objects, and external commands

Detailed Topics

• Structure scripts with parameters: Structure scripts with parameters, variables, collections, control flow, and reusable logic
• Use validation: Use validation, exceptions, logging, transcripts, debugging, and defensive checks
• Work with files: Work with files, structured data, objects, and external commands

Guided Demonstration

1. Review the requirement, users, data, dependencies, permissions, risks, and expected result.
2. Demonstrate the relevant configuration, development, administration, analysis, or collaboration workflow step by step.
3. Capture settings, outputs, logs, screenshots, calculations, test results, and other useful evidence.
4. Compare the observed result with acceptance criteria and explain any corrective action.

Hands-On Activity

Refactor a basic script into a reliable automation tool.

• Document assumptions, prerequisites, and the planned sequence before starting.
• Complete the activity and preserve evidence of normal, boundary, and failure behavior.
• Record issues, corrective actions, reusable notes, and the next improvement priority.

Scenario Analysis

• Identify the business or technical decision that must be made.
• Compare valid implementation approaches and their trade-offs.
• Consider security, privacy, accessibility, performance, support, and operational impact.

Troubleshooting Focus

• Separate symptoms from causes and collect evidence before applying a fix.
• Check configuration, data, permissions, dependencies, capacity, connectivity, and recent changes.
• Validate rollback, recovery, ownership, user impact, and business continuity.

Validation Checklist

• The requirement, scope, inputs, and expected outcome are clear.
• The selected design or configuration is documented and follows approved standards.
• Normal, boundary, failure, security, accessibility, and operational conditions are reviewed.
• The result is supported by evidence and the next improvement is prioritized.

Lesson Outcome

Learners can explain and apply Professional Scripting and Error Handling in a realistic scenario and validate the result with documented evidence.