Microsoft 365 Groups: A Comprehensive Overview

Microsoft 365 Groups stands out as a versatile cross-application service within the Microsoft 365 suite. Understanding its features and knowing when to reach out to IT support is crucial. Here's a breakdown of key functionalities:

Group Creation and Management:

  • Basic level users have the ability to create Microsoft 365 groups, appoint members, and assign additional owners.
  • A Microsoft 365 group encompasses a SharePoint team site, shared Exchange mailbox, Planner, OneNote notebook, and a Teams channel.
  • Creators (Owners) have the autonomy to add or remove members without requiring IT support intervention.

Group Privacy Settings:

  • Groups can be categorized as Private (requiring owner intervention for member additions) or Public (allowing Scott Dunn users to self-join).
  • Members, regardless of manual addition by the group owner, can leave the group at their discretion.

Creating a Group through Outlook:

  • Utilize the step-by-step wizard in Outlook to seamlessly create a Microsoft 365 group.
  • All new groups are automatically created within the scottdunn.com domain, prefixed with "DL_" and the group's designated name.
  • Including a purposeful group description is essential for IT housekeeping purposes.



Outlook Group Management:

  • Owners can easily manage groups through Outlook's Groups tab, facilitating tasks such as adding members and appointing other owners.


MS Teams Integration:

  • Once a Microsoft 365 group is established, users can enhance collaboration by adding a Teams channel.
  • In MS Teams, navigate to the Teams section and select "Create a team from group" to integrate seamlessly.



Shared Mailbox Configuration:

  • In Outlook, explore the "Edit group" option under settings.
  • Choose "Let people outside the organization email the group" to enable external emails (e.g., from suppliers).
  • For SendAs permissions, users must request IT support intervention.
  • If you require a group which address does not have automatic prefix "DL_" please contact IT support to create a group on your behalf and justify the requirement.




Email and Events Customization:

  • Users can choose preferences for following emails and events in their mailbox.
  • If following a group in the inbox, received emails appear in both the group's inbox and the user's mailbox, with the option to disable this feature.




IT Team Advisory:

  • The IT team plans to convert existing Teams Channels, Shared Mailboxes, and Distribution Groups to Microsoft 365 in 2024.


For any further assistance or queries, don't hesitate to contact IT support.