A distribution list is a great way to send emails to a group of people without adding each contact individually. You can send emails to groups of people in Outlook, like your coworkers or family members, by using “distribution lists.” In this article, we’ll show you how to set up a distribution list in Outlook quickly.
Step 1: Create a distribution list
In Outlook, you must make a contact group before making a distribution list. To do this, click the “Contacts” tab in the sidebar on the left and then choose “New Contact Group” from the drop-down menu.
Give your group of contacts a name, and then click “Add Members” to add people to it. You can add people from your address book or type in email addresses by hand. Once you’ve added everyone you want to, click “OK.”
After making a contact group, you can use it as a list of people to send emails to. When you create a new message, type the name of the contact group into the “To:” field. The email will then be sent to everyone in the group.
Step 2: Add contacts to the list
Assuming you have Outlook open and are on the Home tab, click “New Items” in the upper left corner. Choose “More Items” from the drop-down menu that appears. Another drop-down menu with a list of options will show up. Pick the “Distribution List” option.
A new window called “Create Distribution List” will pop up. Type the name you want for your distribution list in the “Name” field at the top. Then, click “Add Members” to start adding people to the list. A pop-up window with a search bar will appear. Type in the first contact’s name or email address, then click “OK.” Follow these steps again for each contact you want to add.
Click “Save & Close” in the window’s lower right corner when you’re done adding contacts. Your new distribution list will be in your Contacts folder under your chosen name.
Step 3: Send an email message using the distribution list
Assuming you’ve already done Steps 1 and 2, it’s easy to use the distribution list you made in Outlook to send an email message. Just write a new email as you usually would, but start typing the name of your distribution list instead of each recipient’s email address. Outlook will fill in the name of the list for you. Once the name of the list is in, press send!
Step 4: Edit or delete the distribution list
Assuming you’ve done the steps above and now have a working distribution list, you may need to make changes to the list now and then. Someone might change jobs and get a new email address, or you might need to add new people to the list. No matter the reason, changing a distribution list in Outlook is easy.
To edit a distribution list in Outlook:
- Start Outlook and double-click the list you want to change. This will open the distribution list’s contact card.
- In the upper right corner of the contact card, click “Edit.”
- Make any changes to the people on the list’s contact information.
- When you’re done making changes, click “Save & Close” in the upper-right corner of the contact card.
If you need to delete a distribution list entirely, follow these steps:
- Open Outlook and go to the folder for your contacts.
- Right-click on the list you want to get rid of and choose “Delete” from the menu that appears.
- A “Confirm Deletion” window will appear and ask if you want to delete this item. Click “Yes” to confirm.
Using Distribution Lists in Outlook has both pros and cons.
A distribution list can help when you need to email a large group of people. With a distribution list, you can send an email to a group of people at the same time. Outlook lets you make distribution lists, and there are both pros and cons to using them.
Using a distribution list saves you time, which is a good thing. You can add the distribution list instead of adding each person’s email address individually. This can be especially helpful if you must often send emails to the same group of people.
Using a distribution list is also helpful because it helps you keep track of your contacts. You can add people to different distribution lists based on how they relate to you or how you talk to them. For example, you might have a list of work and personal things. This can help you organize your contacts and make sending an email to the right person easier.
There are also some bad things about using Outlook distribution lists. One problem is that it can be harder to keep track of them than individual contacts. The whole distribution list must be updated if someone’s email address changes. And if someone stops getting your emails, they will be taken off the list completely. If they want more messages from you, you must add them by hand.
Not everyone uses Outlook, which is another drawback.
What’s the Difference Between Distribution Groups, Distribution Lists, and Contact Groups?
The main difference between contact groups, distribution groups, and distribution lists is that contact groups are used to group contacts together for easy reference and emailing, distribution groups are used to group contacts and other recipients together for easy emailing, and distribution lists are used to group contacts and other recipients together for easy reference.
Contact groups are the most straightforward choice out of the three. They make finding and emailing your contacts easy by letting you group them. To make a contact group, go to the Contacts tab, click New Group, give your group a name, and add the contacts you want to include. Once you’ve made a contact group, you can email everyone at once by typing the group’s name in the “To” field of a new message.
Distribution groups are similar to contact groups, but they let you include more than just contacts, such as email addresses. This can be helpful if you want to email a group of people who aren’t all in your address book. To make a distribution group, go to the Home tab, click New Group, give your group a name, and add the contacts and other people you want to include. Once you’ve made a distribution group, you can email everyone by choosing the group from the “To” drop-down menu when writing a new message.
Distribution groups and distribution lists are similar, but they are made to make it easier to find information.
Conclusion
Using Outlook to make a distribution list is a great way to stay organized and ensure everyone on your contact list gets the same message. Following our five easy steps, you can quickly and easily make your distribution list and send emails. Don’t be afraid to contact us if you need help. We’re here to ensure all your email needs are met!