Distribution Lists
Manage distribution groups for sending email to multiple recipients. Distribution lists expand to member addresses when email is sent, making it easy to reach teams, departments, or project groups.
Distribution List Types
Distribution Group
Traditional mail-enabled group. Messages sent to the group address are delivered to all members. Static membership managed by administrators.
Features: Static Membership, Email Only
Mail-Enabled Security Group
Security group that can also receive email. Use when you need both access control (SharePoint, Teams) and email distribution.
Features: Access Control, Email Enabled
Dynamic Distribution Group
Membership calculated automatically based on recipient filters. Members update as user attributes change (department, location, etc.).
Features: Dynamic Membership, Filter-Based
Example filter: All users where Department = “Sales”
Distribution List Columns
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Display Name | Group name shown in address book |
| Email Address | Primary SMTP address |
| Group Type | Distribution, Security, or Dynamic |
| Members | Count of members (or “Dynamic”) |
| Owners | Users who manage the group |
| External Senders | Whether external email is allowed |
| Hidden | Hidden from GAL |
Creating a Distribution List
Display Name
Name shown in Outlook address book. Use descriptive names like “Sales Team” or “Building A Staff”.
Alias
Short name used for the email address (sales-team@company.com). Avoid spaces and special characters.
Owners
Users who can manage membership and settings. Owners receive delivery failure notifications.
Members
Users, contacts, or other groups that receive messages. Nested groups are supported (group within group).
Delivery Management
Sender Restrictions
Control who can send to the distribution list:
- All senders (internal and external)
- Only internal senders (block external)
- Only specific senders or groups
Message Approval
Require moderator approval before messages are delivered. Useful for all-company lists to prevent spam.
Message Size Limit
Maximum message size that can be sent to the group. Prevents large attachments overwhelming mailboxes.
Dynamic Distribution Groups
Configure recipient filters for automatic membership:
Common Filters
- Department — All users in Sales department
- Office — All users in Seattle office
- Company — All users at specific company
- State/Province — All users in California
- Custom attribute — Based on extensionAttribute1-15
Recipient Types
Include in filter:
- Users with mailboxes
- Mail users (external)
- Mail contacts
- Groups
Note: Dynamic group membership is calculated when email is sent, not in real-time. Preview membership to verify filter works as expected.
Self-Service Options
Open Group
Anyone can join without approval. Users can add themselves via Outlook or the address book.
Closed Group
Only owners can add members. Users cannot request membership.
Approval Required
Users can request to join, but owner must approve.
Allow Leave
Members can remove themselves from the group.
Common Use Cases
- Department Lists — sales@, marketing@, engineering@
- Project Teams — project-x@, migration-team@
- All Company — all-employees@ (with moderation)
- Building/Location — seattle-office@, floor-3@
- Role-Based — managers@, executives@
- Event Notifications — it-alerts@, security-notices@
API Reference
GET /api/exchange/distribution-lists
List all distribution groups
POST /api/exchange/distribution-lists
Create distribution group
GET /api/exchange/distribution-lists/:id/members
List group members
POST /api/exchange/distribution-lists/:id/members
Add members to group
DELETE /api/exchange/distribution-lists/:id/members/:userId
Remove member from group