Old fashioned distribution list in Outlook
November 20, 2020 9:18 AM

How do I create something similar to what was an old fashioned distribution list in Outlook?

I have a list of 30+ people I email regularly. Instead of copying their emails from an Excel list, I wanted to create a "distribution list" so I could just type in the name of the list in the to: field and it would go to all of them. I used to do this many years ago but haven't in 5-6 years.

I tried creating an outlook group which I thought would be the same thing. No. Instead it sent an email to all 30+ people saying they'd been added to a group and now they could share files and calendars. Not at all what I wanted and I'll probably get in trouble, possibly a formal reprimand, for that because they were outside people.

Anyway, how do I recreate what I'm looking for? To repeat, I just want an old fashioned distribution list where I type "catpeople" in the to: field and it goes to all 30+ people in the "catpeople" list I created. No shared calendars or file locations or anything.

Running Office 365 Business.
posted by misanthropicsarah to Computers & Internet (4 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
I think you want a contact group as opposed to a group.
posted by crocomancer at 9:24 AM on November 20, 2020


It seems like they are now called Contact Groups.
posted by soelo at 9:25 AM on November 20, 2020


Distribution lists are/were an Active Directory object. I'm guessing you're now trying to recreate the same functionality without AD and that's what the posters above have demonstrated.
Disclaimer: I haven't been an AD admin since 2011, so YMMV.
posted by IronLizard at 11:27 PM on November 20, 2020


Soelo and crocomancer have it. You want a Contact group.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 9:31 AM on November 21, 2020


« Older Have I injured myself out of a fun hobby?   |   How to teach Bash/Linux so high school students... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.