How to choose
There are many different types of email and collaboration resources available in Office365, and they each have their own functions and use cases. This page is intended to help you determine which type you need before you submit a request for one to I.T.
Distribution List - A Distribution List (DL) is a grouping of mail users under one email address. When an email is sent to the address of the DL, every member of the DL gets a copy of that email in their own mailbox. DLs can only be used to receive mail; the address of a DL cannot be used as the From address for sending mail.
Shared Mailbox - A Shared Mailbox is mailbox that can be accessed by multiple users to manage mail in a central location. The address of a Shared Mailbox can be used to send and receive mail. Mail sent to a Shared Mailbox will not appear in the inbox of users who have access to the Shared Mailbox. The Shared Mailbox and its contents usually appear in the left pane of Outlook below your own mailbox. Shared Mailboxes can also be accessed in a web browser at Office365.com.
Shared Mailboxes also have a Shared Calendar that members can use to track events and meetings important to the group. It also has a Shared Contact list.
Shared Mailboxes are a good tool for two-way communication with external customers and contacts. However, if you have an application that will be sending mail automatically, you may need a regular, dedicated mailbox. I.T. can help you make this determination.
Teams Group/Office365 Group/Microsoft 35 Group - These are all different names for the same thing: A group of users with a common email address and collaborative workspace for file sharing and instant messaging. Mail sent to the address will be sent to the shared workspace in Teams, but it can also be delivered to the members' individual mailboxes. These groups are best managed in Teams, but they can also be used in Outlook with some additional configuration by I.T.
Teams groups can host multiple channels for instant messaging conversations and sharing files between members. You can also add Shared Calendar tab.
While Teams groups can be configured to receive mail from external senders, this is sometimes unreliable, and therefore Teams groups are not recommended for communication with external customers and contacts.
Distribution List
- Can only receive mail, internal and external
- 1 copy to all members
- No calendar
Shared Mailbox
- Can send and receive mail, internal and external
- 1 central location
- Shared Calendar
Team Group
- Should only receive internal mail
- 1 central location, forwarding possible
- Shared Calendar
- Chat, File Sharing, and other Teams features
- Additional config needed to see in Outlook
How to Request
Before requesting a new resource, please check the Outlook Global Address List and with other co-workers to see if a similar resource already exists. Requests for a new resource should be submitted in a Service Request ticket (not in Incident) at https://itsupport.cwf.org. Please include the following information in your request:
- Your intended use of the resource.
- A few options for what you would like the display name and address of the resource to be.
- List of users who should be members or have access to the new resource.
I.T. may followup with additional questions before completing your request.
More information: This topic was discussed in more detail during an IT Partners meeting. That presentation can be viewed here:
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