O365 Distribution Groups (Email Aliases)
Office 365 Distribution Groups function like email aliases. Email messages sent to a Distribution Group address will be delivered to all group members.
Faculty and staff can view a list of common distribution groups and their memberships by logging into this website with their LawKey account (same login as Office 365/email):
View a list of large group aliases here
ITS Partners are able to request new distribution groups as well as manage existing groups for their department. The documentation below is geared towards ITS Partners:
Create a Distribution Group
Only ITS can create new distribution groups. ITS Partners can request new distribution groups by filling out our online form.
ITS will create your Distribution Group within 2 business days of your submitted request. Only ITS Partners can own and manage Distribution Groups.
Distribution Groups can be created with different levels of visibility. By default, Penn Carey Law staff and faculty members can view all Distribution Groups in Outlook, including ones they do not own and do not belong to. ITS can hide Distribution Groups from faculty and staff in Outlook. However, owners cannot edit hidden Distribution Groups, and members cannot see if they belong to hidden Distribution Groups. Hidden Distribution Groups can only be edited by ITS. Please contact ITS if you would like a Distribution Group to be hidden from Outlook.
It may look like you can add a new Distribution Group by selecting the addition (symbol) below Distribution Groups I own.
However, after you fill in the details of your new Distribution Group, you’ll receive the error below.
Edit Distribution Group (alias)
If you’re an ITS Partner, you can edit Distribution Groups that you own. To edit a Distribution Group, you can go directly to this page if you’re already logged in to O365 online in your browser. Then skip two steps below.
If you’re not logged in, navigate to https://outlook.office.com/owa/ and log in (username: lawkey@law.upenn.edu, password: lawkey password). Go to the Settings menu in the upper-right corner of the screen (shaped like a cog). Then select “Mail” under Your app settings in the settings menu.
Then select General and then Distribution groups from the left menu. From here, you can select the Distribution Group that you own and want to edit.
This page may be slow to load.
After you select the Distribution Group to edit, a pop-up window appears. Choose membership on the left menu in the pop-up. Use the subtraction (-) button to remove users and use the addition (+) button to add users.
After you select the addition (+) button to add users, an Address Book appears. You may have to make the window bigger for the Address Book to appear. Search for members to add to your Distribution Group in the directory. Click the addition (+) button to the right of users you’d like to add to your Distribution Group and they’ll appear at the top of the page next to Members.
You can also add people to the Distribution Group by typing their emails directly in the Members box, separating emails by semicolons.
If you’d like to add members to your Distribution Group who aren’t available in your Address Book (e.g. individuals who aren’t part of Penn Law AND DON’T HAVE A PENN law email address), please contact itshelp@law.upenn.edu for assistance.
Continue to search the Address Book and add members as necessary. Be sure to select Save in the upper left corner when you’re done.
You’ll return to the Distribution Group editing pop-up. Be sure to save the changes to the Distribution Group again in this window.
You may receive the error below if you added the same person or email address twice (or more) to your Distribution Group. In order to save the changes you’ve made to the Distribution Group, you’ll have to return to the membership page and remove one of the duplicate members from the Distribution Group.
Delete Distribution Group (alias)
If a distribution group is no longer needed, please email itshelp@law.upenn.edu.
