Managing Exchange Distribution Groups

Overview

How to manage Exchange Distribution groups. (Note, this process also works for organizational email accounts - also know as FMAG, full mailbox access group.)

Distribution Groups are a way to create a group of OSU and Buckeyemail emails for easier sending. Sometimes called mailing lists or group email list, distribution list is the proper term and avoids confusion with Mailman, OSU's mailing list software.  Mailman provide for longer mailing lists, particularly with the option of non-OSU emails as members.

Note: This article assumes you are a faculty/staff member and own the group. (If you request a group from OTDI you'll be the owner.) Students (graduate or undergraduate) cannot own or manage groups.

Distribution Groups vs. Mailman Mailing Lists

• Distribution Group are generally preferred:
  • You can expand DGs, and easily see who is on it and remove certain people. (This is very useful for a surprise party, call for feedback, etc.)
  • Since DGs are in the Office 365 system, you get warnings for out of office and presence.
  • Buckeyemail addresses can be on a DG.
  • DGs can have a ‘friendly’ unit address if you have legacy mailing lists.
  • DGs can either only receive email from Exchange accounts or from the Internet at large.
• Mailing Lists, on the other hand, have the following features that DGs do not:
  • Archive and Digest options.
  • Easier mass subscription and removal; easier for outside OSU addresses.
  • Moderation by admins.
  • More likely to be caught be junk mail filters.
• Unit Distribution Groups and Mailing Lists should be owned by non-ASCTech faculty/staff whenever possible.
  • OTDI can switch the owners.
  • Faculty and Staff can request either a Mailman list or DG from the OTDI self service portal.

How to Manage Distribution Groups

Directly in Microsoft 365 on web:

1. Connect to https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2236662

Note, since June 2023 this link can still be found in Outlook Web Access where Distribution groups used to be managed:

1. Log into Outlook Web Access (OWA).
2. From the main page click the gear in the upper right.
3. At the bottom of the pane, click View all Outlook settings.
4. In the settings click General.
5. Click Distribution Groups.
6. Click the link this portal.

In Mac/Windows Outlook:

1. Click the People Icon in the lower left.
2. In the upper right click Address Book.
3. Search for the group you want to modify, scroll a lot, double click on it and Modify Members.
4. Or don’t find it; marvel at how the Mac and PC give different results, and go to the webmail.

Or, easier:

1. Fill the group in on the to line in a message.
2. Right click on it, Open Outlook Properties.
3. Click on Modify Members.

To see your groups:

1. Put yourself on a To: line
2. Right click, and Open Outlook Properties.
3. Click on Member of to see all your groups.