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Personal Distribution Lists in Outlook

Personal Distribution Lists in Outlook allow users to create their own mail lists for ad-hoc groups. Typically these lists might be for a short term committee assignment, a search committee, or a list for a project team. Today's tip will cover how to create and use these lists.

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Creating a Personal Distribution List

Begin in the Contacts Folder. Opened the Contacts Folder by clicking on the Contacts button on the Outlook Bar.

To create a Personal Distribution List begin by clicking on the arrow next to the New Contact button.

This will display the menu choices for possible actions in Outlook. Click on Distribution List.

The New Distribution List dialog box will open. Give the list a name and then click on the Select Members... button to add UWC or UWEX users to the list. If the members are not in the Global Address Book, that is they are not part of the UWC and UWEX Outlook Exchange system, click on Add New...

Clicking on the Select Members button will open the Address Book.

In the text box below "Type Name or Select from List:" type the name of the user to add to the list. Click on their name in the list and then click on the Members -> button. Repeat this process until all members who are in the Global Address Book are added. To view the shorter version for UWEX members, change the "Show Names from the:" to .UW Extension Staff. Repeat the above process to add those members. Then click on the OK button. This takes the user back to the Distribution List dialog box.

To add members from outside UWC and UWEX click on the Add New button. This will open the Add New Member dialog box. Enter a display name for the user, as well as their E-mail address. If this user is not in your Contacts Folder put a check in the Add to Contacts check box. Then click on the OK button.

The Search Committee - Distribution List dialog box appears again with all the members of the committee displayed. If this list is complete, then click on the Save and Close button. If not, repeat the process as described above to add additional members. To remove a member, click on their name in the list and then click on the Remove button.

This updating of the list can be done at any time. The list is saved in the Contacts Folder, and can be opened by double-clicking on the list to access the dialog box again to add or remove members. The distribution list looks like this in the Contacts Folder:

Notice the icon showing two heads? That indicates that it is a Distribution List.

Sending a Mail Message to a Personal Distribution List

A Personal Distribution List can be used by the individual that created it or can become a shared distribution list by sending the list to the other members on the list.

Sending an email to a Personal Distribution List can be done several different ways.

1. Open the Contacts Folder and click once on the list. Then click on the "Standard Toolbar"
   

   

   and click on the New Message to Contact icon. New Message icon This will open a mail message to the list.
2. Open the Contacts Folder and click once on the list. Right click on the list and select New Message to Contact. This too will open a new mail message to the list.
3. Click on the list in the Contacts Folder and drag it and drop it on the Mail button on the Outlook Bar. This too will open a new mail message to the list.
4. Open a new mail message and type the name of the Personal Distribution List into the To... text box. Click on the Check Names icon Check Names icon and the list should appear.

Sharing a Personal Distribution List

Sharing a Personal Distribution List with the other members on the list allows all members of the group to use the list. Here are the steps to follow to share the list:

1. First make sure everyone, including the list creator is a member of the list.
2. Next, open a new mail message and address it to the list.
3. Attach the Personal Distribution List to the mail message by following these steps.

   First click on the Insert menu in the mail message and select Item.

   

   The Insert Item dialog box opens. Click on the Contacts icon under "Look in:" and then under "Items", scroll down and click once on the Personal Distribution List. Then click on OK. This will attach the list to your mail message.



4. Be sure to explain to the recipients that they can drag the attached list to the Contacts button on the Outlook Bar to add it to their Contacts Folder.

Here is a short video on how to create a Personal Distribution List.