Microsoft 365 offers a variety of UI Directory and Distribution Lists options. Some of these lists and views can be automatically generated from institutional data. The options are described below.
Organization Views
Microsoft 365 uses "Organization Views" or "Org Views." One can browse these views via the GAL (Global Address List) and send to the individuals or groups.
- ITS will automatically create an Org view for each Organization.
- Each member of the Org will be listed in that view.
- The name will be the same as the Human Resources name for that Organization.
- All Microsoft 365 users will be able to browse this Org view and send e-mail to each individual listed.
The Outlook user can set this Org view as their default Address Book.
Outlook -- Click the Address Book icon. Choose Tools | Options. Select Start with Global Address List. In the "When opening the address book, show this address list first" field, click the down arrow and select the list to open. Click OK.
Organization Security Groups
Organizational Groups are distribution lists or mailing lists.
ITS will automatically create an Organizational Group for each Organization. However, if you need one created you can use the Requesting a Departmental Mailing List form.
- The name will be the same as the Human Resources Name for that Organization.
- This group will actually be a "superlist" containing all of the departments within that Organization.
- Each member of the Org will be able to send to the departments or the entire Organization, but not to any one individual in that Group.
- Only members of that Organization will be able to send e-mail to that Organization Group.
- Only members of that Organization will be able to send e-mail to the Departmental Subgroups.
- Non-Office 365 users who send from their alias, if they are part of that same Org, can also send to these Groups or Subgroups.
These Group and Subgroups are security groups and therefore can be used to set access rights for resources or shared accounts.
Personal Distribution Lists
Personal Distribution lists are maintained by the individual user. Outlook and Outlook on the web, for both calendar and e-mail, can access the same contacts folder and personal distribution lists.
Note: Personal Distribution lists can be nested - meaning a distribution list can contain other lists. Break large lists into several smaller lists and create a "superlist" that contains the "sublists."
These are similar to Listserv lists but also has a shared calendar and file sharing. You can create and manage M365 groups in Outlook. M365 groups can contain external users. Subscribers can manage their own membership.
More suitable for discussion, file sharing, and collaboration. Teams can contain external users. Subscribers can manage their own membership.
Listserv
Listserv offers several types of lists (public, private, moderated); online, searchable archives; and user initiated subscribe and unsubscribes. Beginning December 1, 2024 we will no longer create new Listserv Lists. See https://its.uiowa.edu/services/listserv-owner-information-listserv-mailing-list-service/listserv-removal-project for more information.