Office 365 mail groups

Office 365 Mail Groups, also known as Distribution Groups or DLs (Distribution Lists), are a feature in Office 365 that allows you to send emails to a group of people without having to know their individual email addresses. Here's a rundown of how they work:

What are Mail Groups?

Mail Groups are a collection of email addresses that can be used to send emails to multiple recipients at once. When you send an email to a Mail Group, it is automatically forwarded to all the members of the group.

Types of Mail Groups

There are two types of Mail Groups in Office 365:

  1. Distribution Groups: These are the most common type of Mail Group. They are used to send emails to a group of people who need to receive the same information.
  2. Mail-enabled Security Groups: These groups are used to manage access to resources, such as SharePoint sites or Microsoft Teams channels, and can also be used to send emails to a group of people.

How to Create a Mail Group

To create a Mail Group in Office 365, follow these steps:

  1. Sign in to the Office 365 admin center.
  2. Go to the "Groups" tab.
  3. Click on "New group".
  4. Enter the group name and description.
  5. Choose the type of group you want to create (Distribution Group or Mail-enabled Security Group).
  6. Add members to the group by typing their email addresses or searching for them in the directory.
  7. Click "Create" to create the group.

How to Send an Email to a Mail Group

To send an email to a Mail Group, simply address the email to the group name (e.g., [groupname]@domain.com). The email will be automatically forwarded to all the members of the group.

Benefits of Mail Groups

Mail Groups offer several benefits, including:

  1. Simplified email management: You don't need to know the individual email addresses of all the recipients.
  2. Improved collaboration: Mail Groups make it easy to communicate with a group of people who need to work together.
  3. Reduced email clutter: Mail Groups help keep your inbox organized by allowing you to send emails to a group of people without having to CC or BCC multiple recipients.
  4. Enhanced security: Mail-enabled Security Groups can be used to manage access to resources and ensure that only authorized users can access them.